Soul Food: 40 Protein-Rich Oxtail Recipes You’ll Love

Oxtail recipes have quickly become a few of the hottest consolation meals dishes out there. The climate could additionally be hot now, however when the temperature drops, there’s nothing higher than a braised oxtail dish, or oxtail stew. If you’re new to the world of oxtail, you’re going to want to introduce it into your recipe repertoire ASAP! Read on to learn what oxtail is, how to cook it and forty protein-rich oxtail recipes you’ll love!

What is Oxtail?

Oxtail is the tail of a cow. It got its name since it as soon as got here from the the tail of an ox, however now it comes from the tail of a cow of both sex. The tail is skinned and cut into sections, and every part has a tailbone with marrow within the centre, in addition to a bony portion of meat that surrounds the tail.

The tail is a gelatin-rich meat due to a considerable quantity of collagen. It’s best used for stocks, soups and braises and has been utilized in lots of cuisines throughout the world, from Jamaican to Asian to Italian. Oxtails have a lot flavour and physique that it’s hard to compare any different meat to it. You can discover it at most supermarkets and your native butcher shops.

While it used to be an undesirable cut of meat within the old days, it’s now a popular choice amongst cooks throughout the world. It’s ideal for lengthy slow simmer, moist cooking strategies due to the toughness of the meat and the excessive gelatin content.

How to Cook Oxtail: 6 Tips

There are a variety of various methods to cook oxtail, and all of them take time. Oxtail tastes best when it’s slowly cooked and falls off the bone. Here are our greatest tips for getting the most flavour out of this protein-rich meat.

1. Don’t Forget Defrost Time
If oxtail is obtainable at your supermarket, you’ll likely solely be capable of finding it frozen. In this case, you have to make certain to issue in defrost time. Plan to make your oxtail recipe at least a day forward of time so there’s sufficient time for it to defrost in your fridge. The course of of cooking oxtail is already lengthy, so don’t forget so as to add in extra time for this step.

2. Look For Uniformly Medium-Sized Pieces
When you’re cooking items of meat collectively for a similar quantity of time, it’s preferable for them to be as near the identical size as possible. You don’t want to have smaller items that overcook within the identical pot of bigger items that want extra time. Look for uniformly sized items within the one and a half to three inch thick range. With smaller items like that, you additionally cut down on cook time!

3. You Don’t Need To Use All The Fat
Many recipes will inform you to trim down on the fats of the oxtail, or alternatively, you can search for much less fatty cuts. It’s naturally a really gelatinous meat, and also you don’t want it to be excessively greasy or oily. When there’s an excessive quantity of fat, you’ll be forced to maintain watch over the pot, skimming fats from the top.

4. Slow Cooking Will Be Your Best Friend
The meat of oxtail is fairly tough, and the entire factor is wealthy in collagen, so slow cooking your oxtail is key. The collagen wants time to interrupt down into soft, flavourful gelatin and also you want your meat to fall off the bone! If you don’t have a slow cooker, cook the oxtail in liquid for a quantity of hours over low heat. It’s the best way to get the flavour you’re looking for.

5. Braise It
If you want your oxtail tender and flavourful, braising it's an excellent choice. Slow braising in a liquid such as red wine or inventory turns the bone and cartilage into gelatin that's wealthy and tasty. Plan to cook it for at least three hours – oxtail cooks particularly well in slow cookers. Let it sit in a single day for a lot extra of a flavour boost!

6. Oxtail Stew
One of the hottest oxtail dishes is oxtail stew. It’s the perfect dish to maintain you heat on chilly nights. Boil oxtail, garlic, gravy and onions in a stockpot of water for 2 hours, till the meat falls off the bone. Depending on the kind of stew you’re making, you can add the opposite ingredients at this point. For instance, if you want a spicy stew, add hot sauce, paprika, and hot chili flakes. Let the combination simmer for one other two hours.

10 Jamaican Oxtail Recipes

10 Southern Oxtail Recipes

10 Asian Oxtail Recipes

1. Easy Thai Oxtail Soup | Hot Thai Kitchen
2. Chinese Braised Oxtails | The Woks of Life
3. Braised Oxtails with Star Anise and Chinese Greens | Epicurious
4. Malaysian Oxtail Soup | Taste of Asian Food
5. Asian Style Braised Oxtail | Ang Sarap
6. Pressure Cooker Filipino Oxtail Soup | Jay’s Sweet N’ Sour Life
7. Oxtail Curry | Ang Sarap
8. Chinese-Style Braised Oxtails with Baby Bok Choy | Fine Cooking
9. Chinese Oxtail Soup | Omnivore’s Cookbook
10. Korean Oxtail Soup | Hip Foodie Soup