Oxtail.................?

sb44

purpleivy wrote: »

I looked at the packs of oxtail in Mr M this morning, nearly £5 a kg. I thought it was supposed to be offal and therefore cheap? Liver is loads cheaper than that I think and a lot less hassle..... doesn't taste as good I suppose. I lurve Oxtail!

I think it should have been just under £3 as I paid £1.60 for a pack that contained about 6 pieces.

thriftlady_2

Don't think I've tried oxtail in the SC but I would imagine it to be an ideal candidate for it. I like it braised long and slow in the oven till the meat falls off the bones.

shykins

i did this once and was really looking forward to eating it but it was VERY fatty and slimy when it came out and didnt taste at all nice i cant tell u how disappointed i was

it may have been better had i cut some of the fat off but its not something i would try again, in fact in the end none of us could eat except the dog who loved it lol

thriftlady_2

shykins wrote: »

i did this once and was really looking forward to eating it but it was VERY fatty and slimy when it came out and didnt taste at all nice i cant tell u how disappointed i was

it may have been better had i cut some of the fat off but its not something i would try again, in fact in the end none of us could eat except the dog who loved it lol

Did you use a Slow cooker Shykins ? I'm not a great fan of them because they don't concentrate the flavours and reduce the sauce. I've always done oxtail in the oven and it comes out beautifully if you cook it a good 3 hours very low. The fat goes sticky and jammy rather than slimy and the meat becomes dark and falls off the bones. Some alcohol like red wine or ale is good;)

Primrose

I usually cook these in a long slow oven until the meat is so tender that it falls off the bones. But with the cost of fuel I'm looking for a cheaper option and wonder whether I can achieve the same end result of tender meat using a microwave or pressure cooker. In the past I've occasionally cooked meat in a pressure cooker and found it tough, and wonder whether microwave cooking would end up with a similar result?

HariboJunkie

To achieve the tender meat you really need to cook it slowly so I reckon the microwave wouldn't work. A slow cooker would be ideal if you had it. Failing that, if you have a decent casserole pot like Le Creuset, cooking on a low heat on the hob would use less fuel than the oven I would have thought.

ClaireLR

Primrose do you have the recipe for the casserole please? I sometimes see Oxtail on the whoopsie shelf in Morrisons and wondered what I could do with it.

SUESMITH_2

long slow cooking or a pressure cooker as that will use the least fuel of all; did you cook your meat for long enough when you pressure cooked it? i only ask because i cook brisket in mine and its lovely and tender and moist

Money_saving_Diva_2

Oxtail Casserole/Stew

1 oxtail about 2-2.5 lb. Cut up
2 tblsp. cooking oil
Salt and Black pepper
4 rashers (slices) Bacon (Sugar cured, rindless)
2 medium onions sliced
1 clove garlic crushed
4 carrots pared and sliced
1 tin peeled chopped tomatoes
1 pint (16 fl. Oz) hot water
2 stalks spring onions finely sliced
1 sprig thyme
splash of red wine if you like

• Trim away excess fat and brown oxtail on both sides removing when brown.
• Pour off excess fat.
• Dice bacon and fry for a few minutes.
• Return oxtail to pot with bacon, add carrots, onion, garlic, tomatoes and hot water.
• Cover and simmer gently for 3 1/2 to 4 hours or until oxtail is almost tender.
• At this stage add more liquid if necessary and season.
• Cover and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.

Serves 4.

Diva.x

Primrose

My recipe is very similar to Diva's except that I omit the bacon and add three or four crumbled Beef Oxos to the liquid, and some chopped celery or celeriac if I have some. Even if you remove most of the surplus fat from the meat before cooking, it can still generate a lot of surface grease to the liquid. It adds to the flavour of the caserole but if you're worried about surplus calories, cook the previous day and let it cool. You can then scrape the hardened layer of grease off before reheating. Don't let this fat put you off. Oxtail makes a delicious meal, especially on those cold winter days. I always caserole my oxtail on the bone.