Insanely good oxtail stew

Why on earth remove meat from bones, which are my favourite part of oxtail, nothing quite like sucking the bones after eating the meat off them, yum!! Adding a tin of butter beans to the dish is also yum, just add 10 minutes before the end of cooking as you don't want them mushy

Yes sucking the bones is great fun! And very tasty!

Cut the oxtail down to 1kg and the quantity of veg in half in order to feed 4 people. The result tasted good but a bit thin, not just in terms of liquidity but flavour too. Another time I'd add stock instead of water and maybe not quite so much of it to start with. I want to try Jool's Favourite Beef Stew as well, and will choose one or the other to use as a base recipe. Oxtail isn't quite as economical as it used to be, after all.

I have a feeling that most people do not get the concept of oxtail stew. It is suppose to have bone, It is suppose to be watery. It was never meant to have much veg in it, if any at all. You all need to find a different stew recipe!

Are there any alternatives to the alcohol in this recipe?

you really dont need to worry too much about alcohol content...Most of them get cooked off and you won't even notice it. (especially after 5 hours).

well yes. wine isn't always necessary. in my case, as i come from a chinese cooking background, i thought about it a little: in cantonese beef stews (more like, braised beef), we use dried orange skin / orange peel to brighten up the full body flavor of the stew. but i didn't wanna deviate too far, so i added 6 teaspoons of home-made orange marmalade. it is such a great alternative to red wine. you HAVE to try it to see the difference.

you can just use grape juice and a splash of wine vinegar, if the alcohol is the issue.

If it's a grape allergy, try cider.

Brad is nearly correct. In fact ALL the alcohol will evaporate/boil off very quickly. It is the porter or wine flaour that remains.

If its an absolute, just don't add it. But as I always do I think the flavor is better overall. And as this is cooked for so long it can't be bad. I add potatoes and loads of carrots. which change the flavor as well. but Im with Brad the majority cooks off.

I subbed coffee for the wine.

Just use beef stock. Probably almost a litre (don't add it all at once) and 2 cubes. You want a lot of it to evaporate. Ends with sticky richness. Depends on how much flour you have used etc.

By the time it is done cooking, there will be no alcohol in it.

You can use red wine vinegar, or just omit it. To me, wine doesn't add anything as far as flavor.

please don't use vinegar instead of wine. The wine adds depth to the flavors. Vinegar is not the same. The alcohol will cook off if your worried about getting tiddly

Pretty sure it's more a religious consideration..!

then just leave it out. Vinigar and wine taste nothing alike. There is NO alcohol is cooked wine!

Can i used this oxtail stew to make a meat pie?

I did and it was insanely awesome

just make sure all the bits of bone are out first.

you can use that kind of stew for anything depends on the consistency.. i.e. more or less liquid... so just add to make it into soup and less make it into stew or filling or pasta sauce

better to find a recipe that uses cubed meat. bones could be off putting to eaters

It was lush

I agree with Rholda,why remove the meat from the bones? this is the best part !! also i do not make it in the oven, i first brown the ox tail pieces in a big pot without cooking it, just to brown it remove from pot, add the veggies and spices saute for a while, add the ox tail add the water with a soup cube and let it boil for about a couple of hours. Dont use to much tomato (jamie use to much and it is to acidic...not healthy) The final result it is not a \"soupy\" dish just more like a concentrate gravy. Serve with mash

could you use a slow cooker (medium) for 5 hours instead??

oh, definitely

I cooked mine and altered recipe with other meat (beef neck) with oxtail. and I cooked mine over 160C for two hours and then turn it down to 100C in the oven overnight... the lower the heat, the more tender meat usually are and retain more juice

Any ideas on if this will work, or can be tweaked to work in a pressure cooker?

everything works in the pressure cooker! I was raised on it. at the end if you like it a bit thicker add a wee bit of cornstarch and cold water mix to it and stir. Thats how my momma did all stews. and we browned the meat before the pressurizing .... a MUST! all in one pot!

I think pressure will end up with a bit more liquid and less browny effect... but the meat will cook through definitely. so maybe do that first then pop it into the oven?

I've currently got it in the pressure cooker. I didn't add as much stock and browned the oxtail first in the over. I've got an instant pot and have set it for 80 mins!

Here's hoping!

how did it go?

i cooked this pressure cooker style today - it was really hearty. i pressure cooked it for an hour at 12psi, slow cooked while i ran errands, added potatoes and pressured cooked for 20 mins at 12psi. turned out perfect. i left out cloves (did not have any) and flour. i just poured in one can of tomatoes and half a bottle of stout (larger bottle). the fluids worked perfectly. i would have added more celery, and 1 diced onion and 1 tbs tomato paste (possible two and skip the can of tomatoes for beef stock) next time.

I followed the recipe to a T and a whole lot of oil started developing.. Is that how it's supposed to be ?? And what do I do next ?

Please advise asap

Why is this stupid bluish banner covering half the page?

A really good way to chase visitors away :-(

If you are wanting to make this for 4 people versus 8 and are halving all of the ingredients; does the cooking time halve exactly also?

uh no. it takes a set amount of time for the meat to soften and tenderize, as well as for the flavors from other ingredients to blend nicely together.

Does anyone know what the portion size it for the nutritional information?

Love this my partner made it for dinner tonight though he only used a smaller amount of meat as we always end up with so much meat leftover.

Delicious recipe - followed recipe exactly - just halved it as I only had half the amt of oxtail. Leftovers used as an oxtail ragu over pasta! 5 stars in my book!

I used half the oxtail (1.2kg) but added a cooking chorizo sausage and two pork sausages (out of skins). It lifted the gamey taste nicely. I thought this was a fab receipe and indeed I'm cooking it again only 10 days later! Does brilliantly in the freezer and a cheapish way to feed a lot of people. But do make sure to use Beef Stock.

OMG! did that ever turn out good! Didn't have any cloves and adjusted the recipe (by eye) for 1.5 kg of oxtail and man will I be making this again. Thanks Jamie!

great Recipy!!! just tryed it! :D

Brilliant, delicious and oh so very simple !!!����������

Just got it out of the oven. Smells and tastes awesome. Thanks for that mate.

very nice recipe, want to try this out definitely. one qst, can i use regular pre-cut boneless beef stew instead of ox-tail? if so, how many hours do i have to cook as i am assuming beef stew might take diff. time than ox-tail with bone. your response will be really appreciated :)

Fantastic....you did it again Jamie Oliver.....!!!!!!....This will definitely be on the table over the holidays......!!!!!!!

very seasonal will make it ,it can be made with everything...

Oxtail stew in the oven now ...smells are mouth watering 3 1/2 hrs to go..anyone have a bread turnover recipe to go with it...

You're absolutely right, this is insanely good.

Preheat the oven to 220ºC/425ºF/gas 7. Place a large roasting tray in the oven to preheat.

Carefully remove the hot tray from the oven, then add the oxtail. Season and drizzle over a lug of olive oil, then toss to coat and place in the hot oven for around 20 minutes, or until golden and caramelized.

Meanwhile, trim and halve the leeks and celery lengthways, then chop into rough 2cm chunks. Peel and chop the carrots into 2cm pieces, then place into a large ovenproof casserole pan over a medium-low heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

Pick, roughly chop and add the thyme and rosemary leaves, then add the bay and cook for around 20 minutes, or until soft and sweet, stirring frequently.

Meanwhile, remove the oxtail from the oven and set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 170ºC/325ºF/gas 3.

Add the cloves and flour to the veg, stirring well to combine, then pour in the tomatoes and porter (or wine, if using). Add the oxtail and any roasting juices, cover with the beef stock or 1 litre of cold water and stir well.

Turn the heat up to high and bring to the boil, then pop the lid on and place in the hot oven for around 5 hours, or until the meat falls away from the bone, stirring every hour or so and adding a splash of water to loosen, if needed.

Remove the pan from the oven and leave to cool for about 10 minutes. Using rubber gloves, strip the meat from the bones and return to the pan, discarding the bones.

Add a good splash of Worcestershire sauce, season to taste and enjoy with creamy mash and seasonal steamed greens.

Tips

Turn this stew into soup by adding a good splash of boiling water and simmering to your desired consistency. I also love this stirred through pappardelle and served with a grating of Parmesan on top – incredible!

Original article and pictures take http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/beef-recipes/insanely-good-oxtail-stew/?utm_source=social&utm_medium=RecipeOftheDay&utm_term=2014 site