6 to 8 servings
YouTube instructional video is at the bottom.
What you’ll need
4-pounds Oxtails
Better than bouillon beef base
All-purpose flour
Vegetable or canola oil (Optional)
Seasonings
1 yellow onion
Celery
Green bell pepper
Garlic
Salt
Black pepper
Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning
Chef Paul’s poultry magic
Dried thyme
Preparation of ingredients
Seasonings
Step 1- Chop 1 yellow onion, 2 ribs celery, 1 green bell pepper, and 2 cloves garlic.
Oxtails
Step 2- Rinse oxtails off with cold water. Trim off the excess fat with a sharp knife. Place the fat onto a serving plate and the oxtails into a large bowl and set aside.
Step 3- Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning, and 1/2 teaspoon Chef Paul’s poultry magic into the bowl with the oxtails in it. Coat the seasonings onto the oxtails with your hands. Place into fridge for 2 to 4 hours or overnight.
Rendering the fat
Preheat fire to medium heat.
Step 4- Heat a large saucepan for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the trimmed fat from the oxtails into the saucepan and stir. As the fat cooks, it will release oil. Let the fat sauté for 12 to 15 minutes stirring occasionally. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 5- Add the cooked fat along with the oil rendered from the fat into a mesh strainer with a medium-sized bowl underneath it. The rendered fat (oil) that is left in the bowl will be used to make a roux. You should have close to 2/3 cup rendered fat.
Beef base mixture
Step 6- Add 7 and 1/2 cups hot water and 2 to 3 teaspoons better than bouillon beef base into a medium-sized bowl. Stir with a whisk until combined and set aside.
Searing the oxtails
Preheat fire to medium heat.
Step 7- Let saucepan heat for 1 to 2 minutes. This is the same saucepan you rendered the oil from the fat and a very small amount of the oil should be leftover in the saucepan. Add your oxtails and let sear for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Place the seared oxtails onto a serving plate and set aside.
Deglazing the saucepan (After searing the oxtails)
Step 8- Add beef base mixture into the same saucepan you seared the oxtails and stir with a wooden spatula. Glide the spatula along the bottom of the saucepan as you stir. Let simmer for 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
Step 9- Pour beef base mixture into a mesh strainer with a medium-sized bowl underneath it. Whatever contents are left over in the mesh strainer discard that and set the bowl with the beef base in it on the side.
Making the roux 1
Preheat fire to medium heat.
Step 10- Add 1/3 cup rendered fat (Oil) from the oxtails or 1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil. Let get hot for 1 minute. Add 1/3 cup all-purpose flour. Stir continuously with a wooden spatula for 6 minutes or until the roux is a brown color.
Sauteeing the seasonings | Roux 2
Step 11- Add 1 1/4 cups chopped yellow onion, 2/3 cup celery and 2/3 cup chopped green bell pepper into the roux. Stir all ingredients together. Let sauté for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
Beef gravy base
Preheat fire to medium heat.
Note- Cooking times vary depending on the size of the oxtails, the pot and your stove. It can take more or less time to cook.
Step 12- Add the sauteed seasonings with the roux, beef base mixture, 2 cloves chopped or pressed garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning, 1 teaspoon chef Paul’s poultry magic, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme and seared oxtails into a large 8-quart pot. Stir all ingredients together. Cover with lid and let simmer for 2 hours and 45 minutes or until the oxtails are tender. Let this cool for 30 minutes to an hour before serving.
Quick tips- The gravy will thicken as it cools. You can also serve this the very next day so the flavors can settle and increase overnight. To reheat the dish preheat fire to medium heat. Let the dish heat for 12 to 15 minutes or until the mixture is hot. Let cool for 10 minutes then serve.
Additional step
Removing additional fat from the dish
Step 13- Place pot with the oxtails in it into the fridge overnight. The additional fat (Oil) from the oxtails will float at the surface of the gravy and will turn solid as it cools.
Step 14- Take a sharp knife and make an incision along the top of the solid fat. Remove the fat from the top of the gravy using a fork and place it into a small bowl. You can use the solid fat to make a roux for a different dish. To store keep the fat in the fridge or freezer or until ready to be used.
YouTube instructional video
