Oxtail is becoming one of those trendy cuts, that is expensive to buy now. You can get easily as good a result with shin of beef, or Osso Bucco, in fact not only are these cheaper,probably 1/3 less per kg. but meatier too, & they still have the glutinous quality that oxtail has.
I think to make this worth while, its good to cook up a big potfull & then freeze pots for later.
1.5 kg meat
1/4 cup oil
2 lge parsnip
1 root of celeriac or 5 sticks of celery
4 lge carrots
3 lge onions
5tblsp Pearl Barley
4 whole cloves
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley
4 Bay leaves
1 tblsp each, Rosemary & Thyme
up to 4L. stock or stock & water mixed, or water & stock cubes
Salt & ground Black Pepper to taste (lots of pepper is good!)
METHOD:
Heat the oil in a heavy pan & brown the meat as much as you can, then put it into your large saucepan.
Peel & slice the onions, & cook in pan after the meat, until lightly browned. Add to pot.
Scrub & chop the rest of the veges & add to pot with all the other ingredients.
Bring to boil, then turn down to a low simmer, skim off any scum that forms on the surface.
Cook for about 2 1/2 hours.
Pick out the meat & break into small pieces, I’ve started adding big handfulls of chopped watercress at this stage & cooking up for another 30 mins or so.
Eat with crusty bread or cool & store in the fridge, or freeze. Great for those chilly days when lunch is needed in a hurry.