members recipes

Ingredients
750g Oxtail
750g Beef shin
Marinade
Beef stock
1 Brown onion
5 Carrot
3 cloves Garlic
Salt
6 Cherry tomato
1 large Plum tomato
5 Mushroom stalks
1/2 tsp sherry vinegar

750g Oxtail
750g Beef shin
Marinade
Veal stock
Chicken stock
1 Brown onion
5 medium Carrots
3 Garlic cloves
Salt
6 Cherry tomato
1 large Plum tomato
5 Mushroom stalks
1/2 tsp sherry vinegar

Method
This is probably the longest, and easiest part of the dish (unless you want to count leaving the brine or marinade in the fridge for a day).

The ingredients are split into 2 groups. One is for the beef stock based recipe, the other for the veal stock.

Regarding stocks, you should have about 1 part chicken stock to 3 parts veal stock. Since the chicken stock is (if done right) very flavoursome anyway, and since you don't want too much chicken flavour in the final dish, a wise option would be to use as much as is needed, rather than reduce the stock.

Initially I coined this a 4-day stew. However, after sampling the left overs the day after eating, it occurred to me that an extra day makes a huge difference to the dish.

The overnight resting period will develop the stew flavours. Furthermore, since cooked meat is more easily affected than raw meat by marinading, the process will result is meat that is tender through to the centre. (Raw meat marinading does not penetrate to the centre of the meat). Finally, any juices lost during cooking as the collagen melted will be soaked back up by the meat.

[b]Method[/b]

Strain the marinade through a chinois. Pick out all the pieces of meat and divide them between 2 roasting trays.

Reduce the marinade by a quarter, cool, then share it between the two trays.

To one tray, add the beef stock and, to the other, add the combined veal and chicken stocks.

Add some cold water if the meat is not covered.

Add the vegetables

Place in the oven and set the temperature as low as possible (ideally 60C). If you're not sure of your oven temp, set it to the slow cook setting and leave the door ajar, with a doorstop to stop it swinging open

Cook the stews for 20 hours.

If you maintained a 60C temperature, the meat should be tender, the collagen should have melted out, and the colour of the meat should be like an excellent quality ham.

Now strain the stews. Pick out the meat and pour the sauces into large pans. Discard the vegetables. Reduce each sauce rapidly over high heat (this will give the proper consistency, without sacrificing flavour to thickening agents or a slow reduction process).

When the sauces have reduced by 3/4 - 4/5, taste them. They should be exceptionally, almost unbearably rich. The final ingredient in the dish will sort that out, and serve as an interesting demonstration as to how contrasting taste pairings make a dish work.

While the sauces are reducing, pick the oxtail meat from the bones. Trim off any excess fat (we have kept it on during cooking to flavour the stew).

Allow the sauces to cool to room temperature, then divide the meat between them. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, gently reheat the stews.

Add 1/2 tsp sherry vinegar to each stew to cut through the richness.

Season to taste with sea salt and serve with appropriate garnishes and accompaniments.