Oxtail Ragu
| Ingredient | ||
| 3 | pounds | Oxtail (Cut into 2″ Thick Pieces) |
| Flour (For Dredging) | ||
| 4 | tablespoons | olive oil |
| 1 | cup | onion |
| 1 | cups | Chicken stock |
| 2 | cups | red wine |
| 1 | cup | tomato sauce |
| 1 | cup | chopped tomato |
| 1 | tablespoons | fresh thyme leaves |
| dash | salt and pepper | |
| Procedure | ||
| 1 | Trim the excess fat from the oxtails and season liberally with salt and pepper. | |
| 2 | In a 6 to 8-quart, heavy-bottomed casserole, heat the olive oil over high heat until it is just smoking. Quickly dredge the oxtails in the flour and sear them on all sides until browned, This should take 8 – 10 minutes. Removed the browned oxtails to a plate and set aside. | |
| 3 | Add the onions to the same pan and stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, cook them until lightly browned. Add the wine, stock, tomato sauce, chopped tomato and thyme and bring the mixture to a boil. Return the oxtails to the pot, submerging them in the liquid, and return the pot to a boil. Cover the casserole and cook for 1 ½ – 2 hours, or until the meat is falling off the bone. | |
| 4 | Carefully remove the oxtails with long-handled tongs. When they are cool enough to handle remove the meat from the bones and shred into small pieces with a fork. Discard the bones. | |
| 5 | Return the shredded meat to the casserole. Place the casserole over medium-high heat, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and allow to reduce to a very thick ragú. Season with salt and pepper. | |
| 6 | Pour over pasta. | |