Five-Spice Oxtail

How to prepare five-spice oxtail

1. Cut the oxtail into pieces and leave out for 30 minutes to come to room temperature.
2. In a pot/Dutch oven that's not too wide (just enough to fit the meat in a single layer), heat the oil and brown the oxtail pieces until nicely golden on all sides.
3. Remove the pot from heat and add the grated ginger, crushed garlic and finely chopped hot pepper. Sauté for 1 minute, until they start to smell fragrant.
4. Add the soy sauce (I used 20ml regular soy sauce and 20ml low-sodium soy sauce) in which you've dissolved the sugar and Chinese five spice. Bring to a boil for 1 minute.
5. Add the broth (just enough to reach halfway up the meat pieces; I used a cup from the oxtail soup I had just made). Bring to a boil.
6. Cover the pot with a lid or foil and put in the oven at 150°C for 3 hours. Turn the meat in the sauce every hour so it cooks evenly. After the first hour you won't see much change, the sauce is still liquid. After the second hour the sauce is darker and has reduced a bit. After the third hour the sauce is very reduced, reddish, and the meat easily falls off the bone.
8. Remove the pot from the oven and tilt it. You'll see quite a lot of oil on top. With a spoon, remove as much oil as you can (without taking the brown sauce) and discard it.
9. Taste the sauce and add vinegar to taste, just enough to balance the sweetness (I added 1/2 tablespoon).
10. Put the pot on the stovetop over medium heat and simmer until the sauce reduces and looks like caramel and the meat pieces become glossy (about 2-3 minutes). During this time constantly turn the meat pieces in the sauce to coat them on all sides.
11. Serve the meat with sesame rice and steamed green vegetables. It's good reheated too.

Print