Seasonal Ontario Food

I've been experimenting with cooking oxtail this winter, and my conclusion is that if you have an Instant Pot, use it. The amount of time required otherwise is impressive. I'm saying 3 to 4 hours but really, it's probably 4 hours if stewed on the stove-top. The Instant Pot doesn't reduce the time enormously, but it does make the process easier. I'm also concluding that I don't want to do all the stewing in the Instant Pot because slow cooking really does produce better results. On that note, maybe I should just haul the slow-cooker out of the basement. 

 

Anyway, I love oxtail and this was delightful, however you want to cook it. 

 

4 servings

about 4 1/2 hours - 40 minutes prep time

 

 

2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil

1 kilo (2 pounds) oxtail, cut into segments

1/2 teaspoon salt

Wash, trim, and dice the carrot. Wash, trim, and chop the leeks. Set them aside. 

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed soup pot or other large stove-top casserole dish over medium heat. Brown the oxtail pieces on both sides until well browned; about 3 minutes per side. Remove them to a plate. Add the carrot and leeks to the pot and cook gently, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes until softened and reduced in volume but not browned. Add the remaining seasonings.

Return the meat to the pot with the vegetables and add the apple cider and the vinegar. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 3 to 4 hours until the oxtail is very tender and falling off the bones; stir occasionally. Add a little water or beef broth if the liquid cooks down noticeably (likely). This can be done in advance, and the stew cooled and kept in the fridge.

 

Instant Pot Method: Once the oxtail pieces are browned, transfer them to the Instant Pot and add 1 cup of water and a good pinch of salt. Pressure cook for 40 minutes, and use natural release. Then, sweat the carrots and leeks in a spoonful of oil for 10 minutes, add the oxtails and their broth, and continue as described above, noting that about 1 hour of further cooking should be sufficient.

600 grams (1.5 pounds) sweet potatoes

2 large apples

Wash and trim the sweet potatoes, and cut them into chunks. Add them to the stew and simmer for 20 minutes or so until the sweet potatoes are tender. Keep the pot covered.

As soon as they go in, peel, slice, and core the apples, and add them to cook with the sweet potatoes (for 10 to 15 minutes).  Serve hot.

Last year at this time I made Rye Spaetzle with Caraway. SO GOOD and could certainly be eaten with oxtail.