Roman-Style Oxtail Ragu
Oxtail makes for a wonderfully sticky, rich ragu. This Roman-style version is perfect for the slow cooker but works just as well on a stovetop or in the oven.
Ingredients
1.6kg Greenlea beef / oxtail
Olive oil for frying
2 onions, diced
1 stick celery, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
A few sprigs of thyme
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp salt
1 cup red wine
2 tins chopped tomatoes
¼ cup raisins
3 Tbsp pine nuts
25g dark chocolate, roughly chopped (or use 1 Tbsp cocoa)
To serve:
½ cup flat leaf parsley
300-350g pappardelle, cooked to packet instructions
Freshly grated parmesan
Cook’s Tip: It’s best to make this a day ahead, as the fat will set overnight. Refrigerate the meat and liquid separately, then remove the hardened fat from the sauce before reheating.
Method
Rinse the oxtail well and pat dry. In a large pan, heat the oil and brown the meat all over. Drain off any excess fat and set the meat aside. In the same pan, fry the onion, celery, and carrots with the thyme, salt, and cinnamon until soft. Return the oxtail to the pan and add the red wine, then simmer until reduced by half. Add the tomatoes, along with 250ml water, and simmer, covered, for 3-3½ hours or until the meat is very tender. Add the raisins and pine nuts after 2 hours. If necessary, add a little extra water during the cooking time
Remove the oxtail from the sauce and, once cool enough to handle, shred the meat from the bones. Skim any excess fat off the surface of the sauce, then return the shredded meat to the pot and reheat gently. Add the chocolate and season to taste. Stir through the parsley and serve with pappardelle and freshly grated parmesan
In a Slow Cooker:Preheat the slow cooker for 20 minutes. Prepare the stew in a pan, using just one tin of tomatoes and ½ cup water. Once simmering, transfer to the slow cooker, add the raisins and pine nuts, and cook for 8 hours. Then proceed with the main recipe