Oxtail Stew

Here's my re-creation of the oxtail stew from Woolgrower's in Bakersfield. This is a recipe by Gina Neely and it was delicious. The oxtail fell off the bone!

Gina's Oxtail Stew:

5 pounds meaty oxtails

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 Tbs olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 carrots, cut into half moons, about 1/4-inch thick

2 stalks celery, cut into 1/4-inch thick pieces

3 Tbs chopped fresh thyme leaves

4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 (750 ml) bottle dry red wine

2 cups beef broth

1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice

2 bay leaves

8 ounces button mushrooms

2 Tbs red wine vinegar

Buttered Noodles:

1 (12-ounce) package wide egg noodles

4 Tbs unsalted butter, divided

1 small shallot, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, finely diced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 Tbs minced chives

2 Tbs grated Parmesan

1 Tbs lemon juice

Wash and dry the oxtails. Add the meat to a large bowl and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Toss the meat in the flour until lightly coated.

Add the olive oil to a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown the oxtails on all sides, in batches, until well browned. Transfer the meat to a plate and pour off some of the drippings, if necessary.

Add the onions, carrots, celery, thyme, and garlic to the pot and saute until the onions are tender and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the tomato paste and toast. Deglaze the pot with the bottle of red wine and stir up all the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Stir in the beef broth, tomatoes with their juices and the bay leaves.

Add the browned beef back into the pot along with any accumulated juices that may have collected on the plate. Bring the stew to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cover and cook until the beef is tender and falling off the bone, about 3 1/2 hours.

Stir in the mushrooms and cook uncovered, for 30 minutes more. Taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper, if needed, and stir in the red wine vinegar to brighten the flavor. Remove the meat from the pot and pull the meat off the bones, then add back to the pot. Discard the bones. Transfer the stew to a serving dish and serve hot over Buttered Noodles.

Buttered Noodles:

Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water over medium heat, according to the package directions. Drain in a colander and set aside.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and saute until tender. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and melt. Stir in the chives, Parmesan and lemon.

Add the noodles to the skillet and toss to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

2015 01 05