Oxtail

[Rhapsody]

I just picked up a load of oxtail in the bargain bin at Tesco for 30p and don't really know what to do with it. It's not really bushcrafty, but I figured that here's as good a place as any to ask for suggestions

My big idea is: cook it all up into a stew with some swede, carrot, potato and other stuff and make a stew (or soup; whenever I look to make one, it always manages to turn itself into the other).

Also, how on earth am I going to get the meat off the bones? Would it be easier before or after cooking? What's the best method? I have my cheap meat and I don't want to let any go to waste!

Thanks a lot.

 

[george]

One of my favourites.

Long slow stewing on their own without the vegetables - maybe just some garlic and shallots or onions.

After about 3 or 4 hours the meat should be falling off the bone and can be picked off using two forks. take the meat and bones out of the juices and boil it down until its really thick. Season it after boiling it down otherwise you can find you've concentrated the salt rather than just the rich meaty oniony juices. Remember to poke out the little bits of marrow from the bones and add it to the juices. Once you've made a really thick meaty reduction add the meat back to it and serve it on top of some potatoes roughly mashed with butter salt and pepper.

Excellent stuff and freezes well if you make loads - trick is to cook it long and slow and then reduce it.

George

 

[Toddy]

George is right about the long slow cook, but a good pressure cooker will have the meat falling off in no time and it will have broken down enough of the stuff that makes gelatine to allow you to make potted hough (well, potted oxtail )
While it's still warm, scrape off the meat and break it up small with a fork, heavily spice it, traditionally with black pepper. Return the shredded meat to the pot with the remaining liquid and bring up to the boil. Either wet, or make life easy and line with tinfoil some small dishes or ramekins and pour the meat mix in not quite up to the rim. Put somewhere cool to set, leave overnight, turn upside down and rap firmly on the bottom of the dish and the potted meat ought to fall out, or if you've been smart the tin foil will lift out and peel off. HWMBLT loves it with hot buttered toast or sometimes with a salad. Me? I'm a good vegetarian

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[Rhapsody]

Thanks for the replies, people, it's a-stewing as we speak .

Bargain meat ROCKS.