Ox Tails

also called oxtails · ox tail · braised oxtails · smothered oxtails · oxtail and gravy

The table

Braise these until the meat slips off the bone without help. Short of that you are handing someone a cut of tail to fight, and the gravy never goes sticky either, because the stickiness comes out of the bone.
4 lb(1.8 kg; cut in sections)beef oxtailsseason, both sidesbrown 12 min, in batchesbraise covered 325°F 3 hrskim, then slake the starch in
1 Tbskosher salt
2 tspblack pepper
2 Tbsvegetable oil
2 large(sliced)yellow onions
6 cloves(smashed)garlic
2(cut in chunks)carrots
4 cups(950 mL)beef stock
1 cup(240 mL)dry red wine
2bay leaves
1 tspdried thyme
1 Tbs(8 g; slaked in 2 Tbs cold water)cornstarch
Spoon it over rice or over cheese grits because most of what is in the pot is gravy and the plate needs something under it to hold the gravy still
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.14 things to get out.

Pans and tools

Before anything else

2season, both sides

3brown 12 min, in batches

goes in with what step 2 made

4braise covered 325°F 3 hr

goes in with what step 3 made

5skim, then slake the starch in

goes in with what step 4 made

Cooking it

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 3 hr 17 mintwo waits that overlap count once
Needs you
12 minof the steps that give a time

One of the 4 steps never says how long it takes, so both numbers are floors. The recipe itself says 3 hr 45 min.

  1. season, both sides

    not timedfrom the start

  2. brown 12 min, in batches

    12 minneeds youfrom the start

  3. braise covered 325°F 3 hr

    3 hrwalk away12 min in

  4. skim, then slake the starch in

    5 minwalk away3 hr 12 min in

Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them.

You'll need Dutch oven

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Ox Tails
>> category: Stews & Braises
>> tags: beef, braise, southern, gravy, slow
>> counters: Meat and Three
>> aka: oxtails, ox tail, braised oxtails, smothered oxtails, oxtail and gravy
>> servings: 6
>> time: 3 hr 45 min
>> pairs-with: cheese-grits, collard-greens, butter-beans, hoppin-john
>> step.1: Braise these until the meat slips off the bone without help. Short of that you are handing someone a cut of tail to fight, and the gravy never goes sticky either, because the stickiness comes out of the bone.
>> step.2: season, both sides
>> step.3: brown 12 min, in batches
>> step.4: braise covered 325°F 3 hr
>> step.5: skim, then slake the starch in

Braise these until the meat slips off the bone without help. Short of that you are handing someone a cut of tail to fight, and the gravy never goes sticky either, because the stickiness comes out of the bone.

Season @beef oxtails{4%lb}(1.8 kg; cut in sections) with @kosher salt{1%Tbs}, @black pepper{2%tsp}.

Brown @&(~1)seasoned oxtails{} in @vegetable oil{2%Tbs} in a #Dutch oven{} for ~brown{12%min}, in two batches.

Braise @&(~1)browned oxtails{} covered with @yellow onions{2%large}(sliced), @garlic{6%cloves}(smashed), @carrots{2}(cut in chunks), @beef stock{4%cup}(950 mL), @dry red wine{1%cup}(240 mL), @bay leaves{2}, @dried thyme{1%tsp} at 325°F (165°C) for ~braise{3%hr}.

Skim @&(~1)braised oxtails{}, then stir in @cornstarch{1%Tbs}(8 g; slaked in 2 Tbs cold water) and ~simmer{5%min}.

Spoon it over rice or over cheese grits, because most of what is in the pot is gravy and the plate needs something under it to hold the gravy still.