Roman-Style Braised Oxtail

By tulawdog

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 pounds oxtail, cut into 2-inch sections
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 small onion, roughly chopped
• 1/2 carrot, cubed
• 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 28 ounces tomatoes, peeled and chopped
• 3 About 3 cups beef stock
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cloves

Preparation

Step 1

In a heavy-bottom saucepot, heat the olive oil. Season the oxtail pieces with salt, browning each side of the pieces. Remove; set aside. Add the onions and a pinch of salt to the pan. Sweat the onions until they are translucent, 5 minutes. Add the carrots, cooking until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the celery and garlic. Cook 3 minutes more. Add the oxtail pieces back to the pot. Deglaze with the wine over high heat, cooking about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes; bring to a boil. Continue boiling to cook off some of the tomato water. Add the beef stock just to cover the meat, then the pepper and cloves. Bring to a boil. Once it boils, lower the heat to simmer, cover with a circle of parchment paper, and cook for 4 hours (stirring occasionally).

Once the oxtail is tender, remove the pieces to a serving dish. Cover with aluminum foil; set aside. Strain the sauce, pressing down on the vegetables to extract all the juices. Skim all the fat off the top, and pour into a smaller saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook, reducing by 1/4. Taste for seasoning. Pour the sauce over the oxtail and serve. Buon Appetito!