Braised Oxtail

There are many people that I know,  including a good number of FF's own family and most of my foreigner friends,  don't like oxtail dishes. For them, it's either too bony or too fatty and not to mention , they abhor that gelatinous texture of the  a slow and thoroughly- cooked meat .

I on the other hand, love oxtail meat for exactly the same reasons. Meat closest to the bone is always the tastiest  in my opinion. The fat and the tendon, which is abundant in this particular cut of meat , give the  dish an extra fall-of- the- bone texture and is just perfect for...gnawing.

The best part is, compare to filets, tenderloin  and other prime cuts of meat, oxtail  is relatively cheap. So, gather your oxtail loving brood and give this recipe a try!

Ingredients:
Serves 6

1.5 Kgs Oxtail, washed and pat dry

1/4 cup olive oil for frying

3 medium sized onion, diced

6 clove of garlic, minced

500 g tomatoes, chopped

400 g tomato sauce

1 tbsp. Thymes

3 bay leaves 

2 star anise

800 ml beef broth

salt and pepper to taste

Coriander for garnishing

Method:

1. Wash and pat oxtail meat dry. Cut off excess fat if necessary. Season generously with salt and pepper.
2. Heat olive oil in casserole dish. Once hot, brown meat on all sides. Take out from the pot and set aside.
3. Add onion and garlic into the casserole. Saute until aromatic. Put the meat back into the casserole. Stir in tomato. Add in tomato sauce and broth, bring to a boil then cover.   Lower the heat.
4.  Add in thymes , star anise and bay leaves. Simmer meat under medium low heat for 2-1/2 to 3 hours or until meat is fork tender. Check sauce, it thickens as it cooks. If the dish becomes too dry, add a cup of broth while cooking .
5. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with your favourite sides. Potato , pasta or rice. Your call!