OXTAILS IN RED WINE. PERFECT!!!

3 or more tablespoons olive oil
4 to 4 1/2 pounds beef oxtails
4 celery stalks, chopped fine

2 carrots, chopped fine
3 carrots whole (to add sweetness, remove later.)
1 onion chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped

½ bottle dry red wine

 12 sprigs fresh thyme chopped

 12 sprigs fresh parsley chopped

 8 whole cloves(optional)

 4 bay leaves

¼ cup tomato sauce (or more)

 5 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt broth

 2 tablespoons all purpose flour

          DIRECTIONS

Rinse and pat dry the oxtails. 

Dip in seasoned flour.  Salt and Pepper.

Heat oil in heavy large pan over high heat. 

Add  oxtails to pan and cook until brown on all sides, about 12 min.

Transfer oxtails to a platter. Cover.

Add celery, carrots, onion and garlic to same oil in pot and sauté until golden brown, about 8 minutes.

Add wine, tomato sauce, thyme, parsley, cloves and bay leaves.

        LARGE CROCK POT.  PREHEAT IT.

Put in the vegetable mixture in bottom.

Arrange oxtails over vegetables.

Add stock.  Put on high for an hour.  Reduce heat.

Simmer until meat is very tender, about 2 hours or more.

Remove oxtails from cooking liquid. Cover oxtails with foil or lid.

Cool liquid. Skim fat from surface of liquid and reserve. ( I threw it out.)

Return liquid to a pot on the stove. 

Boil until liquid is reduced by half, about 15 minutes or more.

Strain cooking liquid. (I didn’t.)  
We liked it fine with the veggies in it. Lumpy and delicious.


Simmer until sauce thickens enough to coat back of spoon and is reduced to 2 cups, stirring frequently, maybe another 15 to 30 minutes.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Return oxtails to sauce, serve or cover and refrigerate.)

Rewarm oxtails in sauce over low heat. 

Serve over mashed potatoes or whatever.

Note:  The flavors are even better the second day.  Good to make the night before, I think.