Oxtail Stew

Ingredients

Oxtails

• 5 lbs oxtails
• 1 C flour
• 1 tbs Colman's mustard
• 1 tbs Cajun seasoning
• 2 tbs olive oil or bacon fat
• 2 large onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 bell pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• ¼ C tomato paste
• 3 tbs chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 750 ml dry red wine
• 1 15-oz can diced tomatoes, with juice
• 2 C beef or vegetable broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 8 oz button mushrooms
• 2 tbs red wine vinegar
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Buttered Noodles

• 1 12-oz package wide egg noodles
• 4 tbs unsalted butter, divided
• 1 small shallot, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely diced
• 2 tbs minced chives
• 2 tbs grated Parmesan
• 1 tbs lemon juice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Oxtail Stew

1. Wash and dry the oxtails and season with salt and pepper. Combine the Cajun seasoning, Colman's, and flour in a zip-lock bag, add the oxtails, seal the bag and shake to coat.
2. Add the olive oil or bacon fat to a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown the oxtails on all sides, in batches, until well browned.
3. Add the onions, carrots, celery, bell pepper and garlic to the pot and sauté until the onions are tender and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and thyme and toast.
4. Deglaze the pot with the bottle of red wine and stir up all the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Boil until the liquid is reduced by half. Stir in the beef broth, tomatoes with their juices and the bay leaves.
5. Add the oxtails back into the pot along with any accumulated juices that may have collected on the plate. Bring the stew to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cover and cook until the beef is tender and falling off the bone, about 3½ hours.
6. Stir in the mushrooms and cook uncovered, for 30 minutes more. Taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper, if needed, and stir in the red wine vinegar to brighten the flavor. Remove the meat from the pot and pull the meat off the bones, then add back to the pot. Discard the bones. Transfer the stew to a serving dish and serve hot over Buttered Noodles.

Buttered Noodles

1. Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water over medium heat, according to the package directions. Drain in a colander and set aside.
2. Melt 2 tbs butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and sauté until tender. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the remaining 2 tbs butter and melt. Stir in the chives, Parmesan and lemon.
3. Add the noodles to the skillet and toss to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve