Braised Oxtail for Halloween?

braised oxtail with korean jeju mandarin orange, yuzu, and gooseberry

Braised Oxtail

in a sauce flavored with
Shiitake, Star Anise, Red Wine, Tamari, Garlic
Radish, Ginger, Chile, Brown Sugar, Beef Stock

garnished with
Dried Korean Jeju Mandarin Orange, Cape Gooseberry
Yuzu Zest, Cilantro, Scallion

Serve braised oxtail for Halloween? Well, you certainly could. With its rich spicy flavors and warm autumn colors… Oxtails are browned then braised for 3 hours in a two day process resulting in a sauce that is deep and layered and unctuous. Shiitake imparts earthiness while hot chiles give it a kick.

The oxtail is butter-tender but it is really the garnish that puts this dish over the top. Dried Korean Jeju mandarin orange slices add that crispy texture and a sweet-tart component that brightens the meat. Cape Gooseberries add a flavorful pop while yuzu zest adds bitter-citrusy freshness and cilantro and scallions bring the vegetal notes.

 Braised Oxtail Recipe

Autumn Braised Oxtail
Autumn Braised Oxtail

Season 3 lbs. oxtail with salt and pepper. Brown in a small amount of canola oil. Place the meat in a soup pot in a single layer. Add the following ingredients.

  • 3/4 c. red wine
  • 1/3 c. tamari
  •  1 c. moo (Korean radish), large dice
  • 2″ knob of ginger, sliced
  • 4 star anise
  • 1 medium onion, quartered
  • 4 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 2 T. brown sugar

Then add enough beef stock to barely cover the meat. Bring to a boil then immediately turn down the heat and simmer, covered, for 1 1/2 hours. Turn the oxtails over, and continue cooking for another 1 1/2 hours. Add a bit more beef stock if necessary.

oxtail sauce
Oxtail Sauce

After three hours of cooking, remove the pot from heat. Let cool then refrigerate over night.

Braised Oxtail
Braised Oxtail

The next day – set the meat aside and remove the congealed fat from the top of the sauce. Reheat the sauce then strain through a fine-mesh strainer. Discard the solids and place the sauce in a clean pot. Bring to a boil and add 1 c. sliced shiitake and two hot chili peppers cut in half. Simmer for 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning – and salt and pepper if necessary. Then add the oxtail back to the pot and heat through.

Oxtail Garnish
Oxtail Garnish

The beautiful volcanic Island of Jeju, located off the coast of South Korea, is known for growing an exceptionally sweet, slightly tart variety of mandarin orange. Trader Joe’s markets these mandarins in a crispy form – retaining all their original flavor when they are dried using a special technique.

I was thrilled to receive a sample of Trader Joe’s Crispy Jeju Mandarin Orange Slices at the Korean Food Fair held in Los Angeles last week. One of the goals of the event was to bring a greater awareness of the healthfulness of Korean foods to the American markets. Along with their exceptional flavor, Jeju Mandarins are treasured for their healthy goodness. Their bright sweet flavor and crunchy texture certainly enhance this oxtail dish.

Braised Oxtail with Korean Jeju Mandarin Orange
Braised Oxtail with Korean Jeju Mandarin Orange

To plate: ladle sauce and shiitake into large shallow bowls. Place 1 or 2 pieces of oxtail in the center. Sprinkle with grated yuzu zest, sliced scallion, and cilantro leaves. Arrange dried oranges and cape gooseberries around the meat.

gooseberry pumpkin
Gooseberry Pumpkin

Happy Halloween!

Fall Fest

FNdish_fall-fest-logo-new_s4x3_lg

featuring

Halloween Produce

Cape Gooseberries
Cape Gooseberries

Fall Fest is a season long franchise where Food Network editors team up with bloggers to share recipes about everyone’s favorite Autumn fruits and vegetables. Be sure to check out the Pinterest Board with over 100,000 followers called Let’s Pull Up A Chair! And if this Braised Oxtail with a “Gooseberry Pumpkin” got you in the mood for all things Halloween, you might enjoy taking a peek at other spooky recipes from some fabulous bloggers below…

Feed Me Phoebe: Leftover Jack-o-Lantern Salad i.e. Pumpkin & Arugula Salad with Miso-Lemon Dressing
The Heritage Cook: Jack-o’-Lantern Black & Orange Soups
The Lemon Bowl: Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Soup
Virtually Homemade: Apple Caramel Cake Pops
Weelicious: Roasted Pumpkin and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds 
Jeanette’s Healthy Living: Ghoulish “Bloody Brains” Roasted Cauliflower and Beet Hummus
Devour: Caramel Apples for Halloween
Taste With The Eyes: Braised Oxtail for Halloween?
Made By Michelle: Clementine Pumpkins
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Silky Pumpkin Hummus
Red or Green: Spooky Black Bean Dip & Chile Roasted Sweet Potato Appetizers
Dishing: Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms
Domesticate Me: Spiced Pumpkin Punch
Cooking With Elise: Wicked Good Halloween Recipes
The Sensitive Epicure: Trick or Treat, Spaghetti or Squash? Both
FN Dish: Have a Homemade Halloween

8 thoughts on “Braised Oxtail for Halloween?”

  1. I didn’t think braised oxtail could look so beautiful, but you managed to bring out the gorgeousness here with all those fall-colored garnishes. I’ll take it any season.

  2. Oh my, Lori ~ how did you know I impulsively bought some oxtail yesterday with no recipe in mind 🙂 ? I love it but have never cooked it in an Asian manner nor made it a two-day process [hmm, obviously I still have a lot to learn!]. Simply cannot wait to try!! And you have made a ‘plain’ dish look so very appetizing . . .

  3. This is a gorgeous dish both in flavourful herbs and spices but also visually stunning. Thank you for bringing a smile to my day with your pumpkin Cape Gooseberries. Have a super weekend. BAM

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.