I have to admit to you. This meal was not one that made its way to the table in our house growing up very often. I can only remember a few times that my Dad made it when I was younger…and I did not like it.
Fast forward 25 years. After having a couple of college friends and a sister in law from New Orleans I now understand why they are so popular. When cooked low and slow the oxtails have a deep, rich beef flavor that is different from other beef dishes. The meat is the ideal choice for a crock pot recipe.
Oxtail used to be a cheaper cut of meat that was available at a low cost and would allow you to feed a family by putting them into a stew and adding other fillers (potatoes and carrots) to get everyone full. But somehow culinary experts got a hold to them and that is when oxtails went “Hollywood”. They are not more expensive by the pound than sirloin steak. And you cannot just find them anywhere either.
There are several ways to prepare the oxtails, Caribbean and Southern style. Both require the oxtails to be cooked low and slow. The Caribbean version uses Scotch bonnet peppers and allspice seasoning along with Caribbean Green, a mixture of herbs and other spices. My Southern version is simple..classic herbs like thyme and bay leaves. I like to add Creole seasoning along with basic aromatics that I would use in a beef stew, minus the potatoes.
Most people would go traditional and make their own gravy. I understand that, but what is easier than not having to dirty up an extra pan.
When finished you can serve it over white rice if you prefer, but any grain would be sufficient.
Ingredients:
- 4 pounds beef oxtails (on the bone, fat trimmed)
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 TB Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 TB Garlic powder
- 1 TB Onion powder
- 1 TB Creole Seasoning (I prefer the Tony’s brand)
- 3/4 cup Olive oil
- 4 cups Beef Bone Broth (divided) (you can use Beef Broth if you want)
- 2 medium yellow onion sliced
- 1 lb. of baby carrots (divided)
- 6 stalks of Celery, diced (divided)
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1 Bunch of Fresh Thyme
- 3 cloves of minced garlic
- 2 cups of White Rice (cooked)
- 1 pack of Brown Gravy mix
Instructions:
Turn on slow cooker to the high setting.
Trim any excess fat off of your oxtails, that creates additional grease which makes it difficult to get a solid gravy.
Heat oil in a large pan. Add salt, onion/garlic powder, and creole seasoning to flour and mix well. Dip each of the oxtails into the flour, shake of excess and add to pan. Sear on each side of the oxtails being careful not to burn them. Remove and set aside.
Add half of the carrots, onion and celery to the bottom of the crock pot.
Add 3 cups of Bone Broth, red wine, and Worstershire sauce to crock pot. Add oxtails in an even layer and tuck Bay Leaves and Thyme into a corner of the crock pot (you will need to fish them out later).
Top your crockpot with a large piece of heavy duty aluminum foil. This stops any heat from
escaping.
Place the top back on the crockpot and cook on high for 4-5 hours.
Remove oxtails from the crock pot and put them into a strainer (with a bowl underneath)
Remove and discard the aromatics and veggies.
The liquid should have reduced by half. There will be some fat in the remaining liquid. To remove it you can use a fat skimmer to separate it. For a quicker fix, take a couple of pieces of sandwich bread and drag it gently across the liquid to absorb the fat. Discard the bread and add gravy packet to the liquid and stir well.
If you see any visible fat on the oxtails remove it and place them back into the crock pot. Add with remaining veggies and minced garlic.
Cover crockpot with foil and top and cook on high for an additional 2-3 hours until veggies are soft.