Most people I know haven’t even heard of them, which is really quite a shame.
What are Oxtails?
Think braised beef short ribs, but with even more flavor, and you’ll get a sense of why those of us who eat oxtail get dreamy-eyed when we think about them. Yes, oxtails come from a steer’s tail—a well-exercised muscle, marbled with fat. The segments are vertebrae so they have lots of iron-rich marrow as well. My father, who grew up during the Depression, remembers oxtails as being food for people with little money, because they could be had so cheap. You could get them for pennies a pound. These days, they’re somewhat hard to come by and no longer cheap (though you can sometimes get a good deal on them at Costco and Asian markets).
Low and Slow Is Best
As with most tough cuts, oxtail are best slow cooked for several hours. They tend to be fatty, so we like to cook them a day ahead, so we can chill them overnight and scrape off the fat from the top the next day. Working in batches, and not crowding the pan, sear the oxtails in hot pan on all sides until golden brown. Use tongs to remove oxtails to a plate, setting aside. Cover and cook for 3 hours, until meat is fork tender. Roast the vegetables for 1 hour, or until lightly browned and cooked through. If you are making ahead, at this point you can just put the stew in the refrigerator (let come to room temp first), with the oxtails still in it, and let it chill overnight. The next day, scrape off the fat, reheat, and then remove the meat from the dish. Discard the solids. Return the liquid to the pan and simmer until reduced by half. Add some chopped parsley before serving.
