Basque Oxtail Stew In Brown Gravy

Total Time: 3 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 8 lbs meaty oxtails
• cayenne pepper, as needed
• black pepper, as needed
• salt, as needed
• 1 onion, diced
• 7 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup salad oil
• 3/4 cup flour
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 1 lb carrot, peeled and sliced
• 1 teaspoon kitchen bouquet
• 1 tablespoon beef base
• salt, as needed

Recipe

• 1 line a roasting pan with foil. rinse the oxtails with water and place them in the roaster.
• 2 sprinkle lightly with cayenne (i usually use paprika), black pepper and salt.
• 3 bake, uncovered, at 450 degrees for one hour, turning them over occasionally so that they become nicely browned.
• 4 remove from oven and drain off all the fat. set aside.
• 5 combine the onion, garlic and oil in a blender (or food processor). process until the onion is finely chopped. place this mixture in a 2 gallon vessel and cook over medium heat until it becomes translucent.
• 6 add the flour and wisk for about 30 seconds.
• 7 add 5 1/2 cups water. whisk until the flour dissolves.
• 8 add tomatoes, kitchen bouquet and beef base.
• 9 bring gravy to a slow boil.
• 10 add the oxtails and carrots and simmer for 2 - 2 1/2 hours until the meat comes off the bones easily. check for salt. serve hot.
• 11 note: the recipe lists tomatoes in the directions but not in the ingredients, so i just added 2 diced tomatoes when i have made this. i also add some celery, but that isn't in the original recipe.