THE DEEP, EARTHY flavors of dried porcini are what take this oxtail ragu up a notch.
For best results make this at least a day in advance before serving. Overnight refrigeration intensifies and marries the flavors.
Oxtail Ragu with Porcini
2 lbs oxtails
2-3 oz dried porcini, pulverized
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 bottle white wine
2 tbsp tomato paste
several sprigs fresh thyme
2-3 dried bay leaves
olive oil
basil for garnish
1. Using a food processor, pulverize a handful of dried porcini (2-3 oz) into dust. Cover with warm water, about 2 cups. Let sit for 30 minutes.
2. Season oxtails with salt and pepper and dredge in flour. With a large pan over medium-high heat, brown in olive oil and then set aside.
3. Pre-heat oven to 320 degrees. Reduce burner heat to moderate and add more oil if necessary before sauteing onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. When soft and translucent, deglaze with wine. Stir in tomato paste.
4. Arrange oxtails in a dutch oven or other heavy, lidded cooking vessel. Tuck sprigs of thyme and bay leaves between and around meat. Add contents of saute pan and rehydrated mushrooms with their liquid. The oxtails should be immersed to halfway mark; if not, add water or stock. Cover and put in oven for four hours, turning occasionally.
5. Maintain braising level by adding water or stock. Meat is done when it’s fall-off-the-bone. Carefully remove meat and let cool. Also remove thyme stems and bay leaves. Next separate meat and discard bones and any large pieces of gristle. Use immersion blender to blend and thicken sauce. Return meat to pot and bring to simmer on stovetop for a half-hour or so until reaching desired consistency.
For the gnocchi I used 101 Cookbook’s How to Make Gnocchi Like an Italian Grandmother Recipe.
A couple points about this recipe. I used organic Yukon Gold potatoes. Some have wondered why you peel the potatoes after boiling; while mine is not to reason why, I found the peeling easier at this stage than before boiling. The taters undressed without the slightest hint of coyness, dropping their gowns sometimes in a single peel. Also, the fork method of deconstructing the halves works perfectly well, and the difference between mashing (don’t) and simply grating without any lumps (do) will become obvious even to the newbie.
When it came time to mix in the egg and flour, I used slightly less beaten egg than called for in the recipe and slightly more flour. Also, I built a volcano out of the potato and poured the egg and flour into the crater. Keeping the chopping block well-sprinkled with flour from this point on is essential.
The gnocchi were light and scrumptious. I drizzled some olive oil on a plate, carefully arranged a dozen gnocchi, and ladled the oxtail ragu over the whole enterprise. The ragu juices mixed with the olive oil to form an appetizing orangish gravy on the bottom. I garnished the dish with chopped basil.
Great job on the gnocchi! As for the oxtails, I’m glad unctuous isn’t an over-the-top description for oxtails since indeed they are. Now you should take your leftover oxtails, assuming there are any, and use them for stuffing ravioli. I recently did this and they may have been the best ravioli ever.
Holy cow tail.. this looks awesome. I have only ever tried to make gnocchi once – and well, they could have easily broken windows.. no scratch that, they could have cracked pavements.. I am still not ballsy enough to try again…
I like the revisions to the ragu a lot – certainly when I do the ragu again I am going to follow your modifications – they sound lovely.
Is there any left? It looks incredible… I didn’t have the guts to go for the whole gnocchi extravaganza when I made oxtail in January but now I wish I had 🙂 You managed really good pictures of that ragù, mine look so sad by comparison!I thought there was no way oxtail could look glam, but I stand corrected 🙂
(btw – the word verification for this comment is “boyeater”, can you believe it?? :-D)
Laurie – Unctuous ravioli it is!
Matt – After such beginner’s luck, I may decide to never make gnocchi again. As for the ragu, now I want to try it again with red wine and do a taste test. I figured the white would lighten it a bit and bring out the flavor of the mirepoix.
Colloquial Cook – Thanks for stopping by. Like making gnocchi, getting a decent picture of meat is up to the Fates. But I wonder who’s at the controls of the comment verifier?!
You know, I’ve never made gnocchi as good as my first ones, ever. Dunno what it is. Maybe I got cocky after I found out how “easy” they are.
I’ve been inspired to try my hand at gnocchi!
When we were in Italy last year, we were surprised at how sub-par some of the gnocchi were. The carbonara too! I figured it must be really hard if the Italians can’t get it right.
Maybe I’ll have beginners luck too.
I just saw a clip on the Today show on how not to be afraid of gnochhi and so I’m beginning to think I’ll try it soon. One of my favorite meals of all time was served at a now closed restaurant in Twisp, WA. called the Fiddlehead Bistro. They served me a ricotta gnocchi with braised short ribs that was truly unforgettable. If I could replicate that recipe I could die happy.
Heather – More evidence that I should quit while I’m ahead… Like that will happen.
Darlene – Give it a go. 101 Cookbooks lays it out in simple terms. Maybe a sacrifice at dawn too…
Jenifer – Thanks for stopping by. I remember the Fiddlehead in Twisp. Definitely one of the best places for miles around while it lasted. Now you’ve got me thinking about ricotta gnocchi. More sacrifices…
i really like how your gnocchi are shaped. you definitely did this dish justice.
WANF – Thanks for stopping by. I’m really curious to see how the ones I popped in the freezer turn out. I forgot to research that part of the gnocchi equation…
I’ve never fully understood why people think that gnocchi are so tough. The only ones I have screwed up badly were made of kabocha squash (I shudder to remember those disasters). But potato gnocchi have always been kind to me. I do the cut-and-flip-off-the-fork deal with mine, so they look pretty different.
As for oxtail, with you and Matt doing them, I may have to whip out my tatin de cua de bou recipe…
That ragu looks really good!