Braised Oxtail Stew with Creamy Polenta

Daria Souvorova

3 hours
serves: 6-8

I have been holding onto a few pounds of oxtails in the freezer, waiting for a good recipe to turn them into. The time has finally come! I decided to cook my oxtails down into a beautiful stew with some leeks and onions.

I like to dredge any kind of shanks or boned meat in flour before browning it, I feel like it browns better and serves to thicken the stew as it cooks. This is almost a Bourgignion of sorts, but not quite. I de-glaze the vegetables with brandy and cook the stew with red wine, but I like the addition of leeks to the standard onion and carrots.

This will serve wonderfully over some pasta or rice, but we served it over a simple and beautiful Polenta. Click Here for our Creamy Semolina Polenta Recipe.

Ingredients:

• • • • olive oil
      • 3 1/2 – 4 pounds oxtails, cut into 1 1/2 – 2 inch sections
      • 4 tablespoons or so of olive oil
      • salt and pepper
      • flour, about half a cup or so
      • 3 leeks, light green and white parts only, chopped into rounds
      • 1 onion, sliced
      • 2 carrots, sliced into rounds
      • 4 cloves garlic, sliced
      • 1/4 cup brandy
      • 2 cups dry red wine
      • 5 sprigs thyme, leaves
      • 2 bay leaves
      • 1 batch of Polenta

      

      1. 1. 1. Dredge oxtail in flour (seasoned with salt and pepper) and brown in oil on all sides, for about 5-8 minutes.
               Transfer to a platter.
            2. Cook all vegetables in the oil and drippings until onions are translucent, 8-10 minutes. Add a bit of olive oil if needed.
               Deglaze with brandy.
               Cook until brandy is cooked off.
            3. Add oxtail back to the Dutch oven.
               Add wine and 3-4 cups of water, enough to cover the meat and vegetables.
               Add remaining ingredients.
               Simmer, lower heat and cook for 3 hours or so until tender. Add water as needed.
            4. Season with salt and pepper and serve over polenta.

          

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