Slow-Cooked Oxtail Pie

Plan ahead for this worthwhile pie, the stew should cook overnight to tenderize the tough-but-flavorful oxtail and the whole filling has to rest for several hours before adding the crust.

This one was two days in the making (everybody knows a good curry tastes a thousand times better the following day!) Couple this with the fact that a good pie is my single favourite food, I was sure I would be on to a winner with this one – and I was. Steak pies are a very common thing, but I wanted to spruce it up a little and I did this by using oxtail as the main ingredient. This is a cheap ingredient (one tail cost me about 6 quid) which, if cooked in the right way, is unbelievably full of flavour. It has definitely grown in popularity recently – I guess this is due to its cost during this terrible financial crisis we are in! Whatever the reason, this is a great ingredient and I think this way of cooking and serving it really does make for something pretty delicious.

The oxtail is a really tough cut of meat because it is so gelatinous and also because the animal is constantly moving its tail and making a strong muscular tissue. As such, it needs long slow cooking to be able to make it nice to eat. I took this idea a little further and cooked it REALLY slowly. We don’t have a slow cooker, but then I realised that the technique of slow-cooking must be older than the invention of the modern day slow cooker! So I did a bit of research and worked out a good temperature that can be used to cook this in a conventional oven. I decided on 110/120C for about 9/10 hours. I put it in the oven before I went to bed and by the morning it was perfect (plus a good nights sleep to the smells of slow cooking cow). Some people caution against leaving the oven on for so long but I really can’t see what can go wrong at these temperatures. It is so low that the stew will not even be bubbling so it can’t cook itself dry or anything like that. If you really don’t want to try this, then I guess a higher heat of about 160C for 3-4 hours would be OK.

To me, a good pie should be a thick and rich filling either topped off or fully encased in a buttery pastry, with a velvety gravy poured on afterwards. Too many times I see pies just as a stew with a pie lid on top. I think you should be able to cut a piece and it can stand by itself and not run all over the plate! See my method for instructions on how to achieve this.

As mentioned, this took me two days to make. After the cooking of the stew, let it rest for at least 10 hours before making it into a pie. So plan ahead for this one!

As for the pastry, I opted for a basic rough-puff, mainly due to its high butter content. This is not a recipe for anybody who is counting the calories! It is rich and strong, but well worth all the effort.

One final thing – I used beer in this recipe, not red wine. I’m English, not French.

Slow-Cooked Oxtail Pie

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• Author: Elizabeth Ellory
• Total Time: 510 minutes
• Yield: Serves 6
• Diet: Omnivore

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Description

Tender oxtail simmered to perfection in a rich ale stew, then topped with a flaky crust. A hearty, make-ahead meal perfect for a cozy night in.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 oxtail
• 2 white onions
• 4 cloves garlic
• 7 oz (200 g) button mushrooms
• 10 juniper berries
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 large bottle ale
• 1.7 cups (500 ml) beef stock
• salt and pepper
• butter/oil for frying
• 9 oz (250 g) plain flour
• 9 oz (250 g) butter
• pinch salt
• 0.4 cups (100 ml) cold water

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Instructions

1. Brown the meat in a very hot, ovenproof pan.
2. Remove the meat, add mushrooms, and brown quickly.
3. Reduce heat, add sliced onions, and cook until soft.
4. Add chopped garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
5. Return meat and mushrooms to the pan.
6. Add juniper berries, bay leaves, ale, stock, and seasoning; bring to a boil.
7. Ensure meat is covered in liquid, cover the pan, and bake at 230-248°F (110-120°C) for at least 8 hours.
8. For the pastry: Sift flour and salt into a bowl, add cubed butter, and use your fingers to combine.
9. Slowly add water until a rough dough forms. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
10. Roll out the pastry into a rectangle, rolling in one direction only. Fold the top third down, then the bottom third up. Turn 90 degrees and repeat.
11. Refrigerate for another 30 minutes.
12. Roll the pastry into a 0.5cm thick rectangle.
13. Prepare the pie filling: sieve the mixture, reserving the liquid for gravy.
14. Place the filling in a dish, top with pastry, and bake in a preheated oven at 356°F (180°C) for 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
15. To finish the gravy: heat through in a pan. If needed, thicken with a cornflour paste or a roux.

Notes

• For a deeper flavor, marinate the oxtail in the ale for at least 2 hours before browning.
• Leftover pie can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated gently.
• Substitute stout or porter for the ale for a richer, darker stew.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 480 minutes
• Category: Main Course
• Method: Braising
• Cuisine: British

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1.5 cups
• Calories: 600
• Sugar: 5
• Sodium: 800
• Fat: 40
• Saturated Fat: 15
• Unsaturated Fat: 20
• Carbohydrates: 40
• Fiber: 5
• Protein: 50
• Cholesterol: 150

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