Oxtail Terrine

By corlear

La Terrine de Queue de Boeuf

As a child, the soup I loved most was the rich oxtail soup my mother would make once or twice each winter. I still have a great fondness for this earthy, gelatinous meat, a “poor man’s” cut that takes some time and attention, but rewards you in the end with flavor and texture.

Serve it in slices, pass the cornichons, pickled onions, and horseradish and an unpretentious red, perhaps a Chiroubles, Beaujolais cru.

Ingredients

• bouquet garni:
• 3 pounds (1.5 kg) oxtail cut into 4-inch (10 cm) pieces
• 1 tablespoon coarse (kosher) salt
• 8 carrots, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) slices
• 2 leeks, white portion only, cleaned and coarsely chopped
• 2 celery ribs, coarsely chopped
• 1 onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons drained capers
• Salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bunch of fresh chives, chopped
• 12 parsley stems
• 8 peppercorns
• ¼ teaspoon thyme
• ¼ teaspoon fennel seed
• 1 imported bay leaf
• all tied in a double thickness of cheesecloth

Details

Servings 12

Preparation

Step 1

1. Two days before you plan to serve the terrine: Tie the oxtail in a large bundle with household string. Place the oxtail pieces in a large enameled casserole or Dutch oven and cover completely with cold water. Bring just to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer, skimming very carefully to remove all of the impurities or grease, a good 20 minutes. When the impurities have turned to foam, skim again, and move the pot halfway off the heat so that the foam rises on one side only, making it easier to skim. Continue cooking for another 20 minutes.

2. Season the liquid lightly with coarse salt (about 1 tablespoon). Add the vegetables, garlic, and bouquet garni. Return to a simmer, skim again and simmer until the meat is falling off the bone, for 3 to 4 hours. Refrigerate overnight to allow the fat to solidify.

3. The next day, carefully spoon off and discard all of the fat from the top of the mixture. Remove the pieces of oxtail from the pot. Use a fork to remove the meat from the bones, discarding the fat.

4. Remove and discard the bouquet garni. Return the shredded meat to the pot. Add the capers and bring just to a boil to melt the gelatinous liquid. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste, remembering that this will be consumed chilled, so you might want to boost the seasoning a bit. Transfer the meat and vegetables to a 2-quart (2 l) terrine, pressing down on the meat to make a compact terrine. Cover just to the top with the bouillon. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.

5. To serve, remove the terrine from the refrigerator about 5 minutes before serving. Cut into thin slices, sprinkle with chives, and serve with cornichons, pickled onions, and horseradish.