not a baker

Please don’t be afraid of oxtails.  I know they sound gruesome, and indeed, they are the tail of cattle, but if you’re a meat eater, you have to give it go!!!  We all know that the best meat is right next to the bone (ahem…osso bucco, rib chops, porterhouse), and with an oxtail, it’s all right next to the bone–tucked in comfortably between the vertebrae.  It’s actually quite the treasure, as I’ve just learned cooking them for the first time (!), because when braised, the gelatinous-rich meat and hearty bone lend such an incredibly deep flavor to the sauce.  The effect reminds of braising lamb shanks.  And as peculiar as they sound, oxtails can be found at most supermarkets and certainly most butchers.  However, I’ve yet to see them fresh in the case, only frozen in plastic packages, which is why I’ve steered away from them in the past.  (Not the biggest fan of frozen food…except for peas!) But I’ve read over this recipe from Daniel Boulud’s Braise dozens of times and knew I had to give it a try.  Defrosting them was easy anyway (about 15 minutes in a Ziploc submerged in luke warm water).  So I spent the better part of my afternoon and evening shopping, prepping, braising, and then finally eating (not cleaning…roommates + boyfriend took care of that).

Slow cooking oxtails is a tradition of cuisines from all around the world, including Europe, South America, and West Africa, but this recipe draws inspiration from East Asia (and a bit from the West too).  Although, I must admit that my dish didn’t turn out particularly “asian-y.”  Still, there was such unbelievable flavor in the meat and broth that I must attribute it to the Asian-inspired ingredients.  Ginger root and chili powder join garlic and onions to create an aromatic flavor base.  Whenever ginger is involved, the label of “aromatics” truly manifests.  It’s pungent, exciting, and delicately stings the air.  The braising liquid is made by deglazing the pot with vermouth (West) and soy sauce (East) and is then enhanced with hoisin sauce and chili paste.  Hoisin is a wonderful Chinese condiment that I’m sure you’ve had before (Like spring rolls much??).  It lends a salty-vinegary-sweet flavor, which is balanced by the hot red chili paste.  However, mine actually came out on the sweeter side with only a kick of spice.  If I had it my way, I would have doubled the chili powder (now I’m thinking perhaps I have a mild chili powder?) and red chili paste to create a spicy dish with a kick of sweetness.

While we’re on the subject of sweetness, an hour and a half into the braising time, pears and sweet potatoes join the party.  Not only do they add some substance to the final dish (a sweet potato/meat bite was delicious), their natural sweetness permeates the entirety of the pot for the remaining hour and a half.  Really not much more to say about that.  Pears are awesome.  Sweet potatoes are awesome.  Braising them with oxtails is awesome.

As for my finishing touches, I gave the pot a little squeeze of lime at the very end to brighten everyone up, along with a garnish of fresh cilantro.  I served it in a soup plate with a helping of long grain rice to carry out the Asian theme and to give something to soak up the sauce.  I also made a julienne of vegetable salad (carrots, cucumbers, jicama, baby corn, celery,) with an Asian-inspired vinaigrette to go alongside the dish.  Let me know if you want the recipe for that.  Just as a minor precaution, oxtails are rustic.  There are lots of good bits of meat stuck in between the vertebrae.  By the end, we all had our pieces in our hands, digging as courteously as we could for the last bits of tender meat.  All was worth it.

Spicy oxtails with pears and sweet potatoes (adapted from Daniel Boulud’s Braise)

Serves 4 to 6

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 pounds oxtails, cut into 1 1/2 to 2-inch-thick slices, excess fat removed
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1 (2-inch) pice fresh ginger root, peeled and finely grated (or minced)
1 tablespoon chili powder (or even a bit more if you want it on the spicier side)
2 Spanish onions, peeled and diced
1/2 cup dry vermouth
1/4 cup light soy sauce (I used Tamari, which is on the darker side)
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon red chili paste
2 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (to toast, just keep them moving on a dry pan over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes)
2 pounds sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
4 Bosc pears, peeled, cored, and diced
2 bunches scallions (about 12), trimmed at the bottom and cut into thirds
1 lime, for juicing
fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 275°F

Brown the meat:

• Season the oxtails all over with salt and freshly ground pepper
• In a large Dutch oven (or cast-iron pot) over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil.
• Place oxtails in the pot (don’t crowd…do this in 2 batches if necessary) and sear until golden brown on all sides, about 15 minutes.
• Transfer oxtails to a plate.

Create the flavor:

• Decrease the heat to medium-low and add the onions.  Sweat for 3 to 4 minutes before adding the garlic and ginger.   Continue to sweat for another 4 minutes or until the onions are translucent (avoid browning the veg).
• Add the chili powder and stir frequently for half a minute.
• Raise the heat to medium and deglaze the pot by adding the vermouth and soy sauce.  Bring the liquid to a bubble and as it simmers, scrape the bottom to release all the brown bits.
• Stir in the hoisin sauce and red chili paste.  Pour in 1 cup water, the sugar, and sesame seeds and bring to a simmer.
• Return the oxtails to the pot and cover.

Into the oven:

• Braise in the oven for 3 hours, adding the sweet potatoes and pears after 1 1/2 hours and the scallions after 2 1/2 hours.
• If by the time you go to put the sweet potatoes and pears in and you see that your pot is a little dry (like mine), just add a bit more water and touch of soy sauce.

Finishing touches:

• Squeeze in the half the juice of the lime (or the whole thing, depending on your liking).
• Serve on a bed of white rice (I used basmati) with a garnish of fresh cilantro.