Don't be afraid of oxtail. Just knowing that it comes from the tail of a cow (it used to be the ox, but most oxtail sold in butcher's shops is from cow now) puts some people off. Have a sense of adventure and try it. Don't just stick with the same old foods. This recipe may sound intimidating, but this is really just great peasant food.
There's not a lot of meat on oxtail bones, so you might think it's not worth your time to make it. However, oxtail has a lot of muscle on it, which gets broken down when you braise it. The meat that is there falls apart and becomes gelatinous. That makes this oxtail so damned good. You only need a small amount to feel satisfied, so it's a dish rich in taste for not much price.
Plus, when you braise the oxtail, you can braise it in water or chicken stock and have a flavorful stock left over for other dishes. At Papillon, our wild mushroom raviolis bobbed in oxtail broth.
Making this recipe will take time, but that's where flavor is born. It's worth your time.
You could replace the oxtail with veal or venison shanks for osso buco, or with braised chicken legs. You could use any hearty pasta that will retain its shape in this dish.
Suggestions:
You could serve this over rice or mashed potatoes. If you want to make a stock with oxtail instead, that stock would make a hearty soup.
