Oxtail Stew Recipe

My childhood friend Alexia is visiting from Paris. She and her husband Olivier are here in the Bay Area on their honeymoon. They’re spending the day in San Francisco and I offered to keep an eye on their daughter Alice. Baby Aria and Alice are the same age and they get along as well as their mothers do. I wanted to make sure they both have a rich, nutritious meal that is at easy for them to chew and enjoy at the same time. An oxtail stew seemed to fit the bill.

First, I braised the oxtails in good quality drinking wine (the alcohol will cook off), cooked them with lima beans and thickened the gravy with whole wheat flour. I didn’t serve the oxtails with the bone-in to be safe. The meat can easily be removed from the bones. And I paired them with green peas and purple pomme puree (mashed potatoes).

Taking care of 2 toddlers is a lot easier than I anticipated. Both are foodies and enjoyed finishing their meal with airy chocolate mousse. Alice and Aria were satisfied and full. I’m very happy and am hoping Alexia and Olivier are having a blast in the city!

1. Info for Oxtail Stew Recipe

• Cook Time: unavailable
• Total Time: unavailable
• Servings: 4
• Calories: unavailable

2. Ingredients for Oxtail Stew Recipe

• 1 dozen large oxtails
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 yellow onions, chopped
• 1 daikon radish, peeled and cut into quarters
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into quarters
• 2 10-inch celery stalks, peeled and halved lengthwise
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 2 cloves
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 2 fresh bay leaves
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 cup lima beans, thawed
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns, coarsely crushed
• 2 cups white wine
• 2 cups homemade beef stock, (or 16-ounce can)

3. Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. In a pot, soak the oxtails in about a quart of water with 1 tablespoon of salt overnight. The next day, rinse the bones, place them in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 3-4 minutes. Drain the water. Rinse the meat under running water and set aside. Pat dry. Sprinkle with baking powder.
3. Transfer the oxtails to a baking pan. Season with salt and pepper and roast at 425°F for 15 minutes. Lower the temperature to 275°F and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the gravy. Preheat a slow cooker (set on low mode, cook time “2 hours”). Note: You could also make the stew in a heavy-bottomed pan and cook until the meat is tender.
5. In a large heavy-bottomed pan, heat about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onions, daikon radish, carrot, celery, thyme and bay leaves. Cook on high heat until slightly golden. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook for about 10 minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker.
6. In the pan, add the garlic and cloves. Cook until slightly golden. Add ½ to 1 cup of water. Scrape the caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan using a wooden spoon (called deglazing). Once the liquid is evaporated, add the oxtails, wine, turmeric, beef stock and turmeric. Bring to a boil, then transfer everything to the slow cooker. Season with salt.
7. Cover the slow cooker with a lid and let simmer for 2 hours (or 3 hours on the stove). Return to the heavy-bottomed pan.
8. In a bowl, combine the flour with ½ cup of water. Stir well. Add the mixture to the gravy. Bring to a boil and stir constantly until thickened. You could add more flour if you like a thicker consistency. Add the lima beans and let simmer for 5-10 minutes. Adjust seasoning.
9. Serve the meat warm with green peas, mashed potatoes or pasta.
10. Bon appétit!
11. Note: The stew tastes even better the following day!

4. Tips and advices:

• I used white wine because we opened a bottle the night before but since I don’t drink wine, I decided to cook with it.
• You can easily find oxtails in any Asian markets and the meat department of many supermarkets.