The Kitchn: Braised Oxtail Ragu
This week I have been really feeling the briefness of the winter daylight. While I normally make a big effort to eat only small amounts of meat and to eat clean and light, especially at night, this dreary week I have braises and rich sauces on my mind. It seemed only right to pop out to the butcher, buy a whole oxtail, and cook it into slow submission.
Oxtail (which, by the way, is actually the tail of either gender of cattle) is an ideal meat for braising: Its flavor emerges triumphantly with a long, slow cook, with each piece's hunk of marrow only helping things along. It used to be dirt cheap, and now it's just kind of cheap, but it is still a great choice for a meaty sauce when you're in the mood to try something different.
A few notes on the recipe: It is a braise, so you don't need to be exact with measurements or ingredients. For a basic ragu you do need tomatoes and the support vegetables (carrot, onion, celery if possible), but in terms of spices, listen to what you crave. I love nutmeg, but if it's not your thing, take it out. If you like a little heat, add a pinch of dried red pepper flakes. As for how to serve this, I like it over gnocchi, or on big rigatoni or pappardelle; any noodle that can handle the weight of a hearty sauce will do.
Braised Oxtail Ragu
Serves 8.
4 to 5 pounds oxtail, cut into 3-inch pieces at the butcher
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Flour, for dredging
1/4 cup olive oil
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