Prep Time::20 mins
Cook Time:: 3 hrs 15 mins
Total Time:: 3 hrs 35 mins
Servings::6
Ingredients
10 cups water
1 cup chopped celery
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
2 cubes beef bouillon
1 teaspoon minced garlic
6 whole black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
¼ cup canola oil
3 pounds beef oxtail, cut into pieces
1 large onion, chopped
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
¼ cup cornstarch
½ cup water
Directions
Place 10 cups water, celery, tomato paste, bouillon cubes, and garlic in a large Dutch oven; stir until tomato paste has dissolved. Add peppercorns and bay leaves; bring to a simmer over medium heat.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oxtail; cook until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer oxtail to Dutch oven. Discard all but 1 tablespoon oil from skillet. Reduce heat to medium; add onion to skillet. Cook until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes; transfer to Dutch oven.
Cover Dutch oven. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 2 1/2 hours. Season stew with salt and black pepper. Continue cooking, covered, until oxtail is tender, but not falling off of the bone, about 30 minutes more.
Transfer oxtail to a serving dish. Add kidney beans to Dutch oven; return to a simmer. Dissolve cornstarch in 1/2 cup water. Stir into Dutch oven; simmer until thickened and clear, about 1 minute. Pour sauce over oxtail.
Cook's Note:
Oxtail should be ready when a knife easily slices through the meat. It should not be overcooked; otherwise, it will fall off the bones and become stringy. If it is not cooked long enough, it will not come off the bones easily enough. I find that 3 hours of cooking is normally perfect.