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.

shin-of-beef-browning-in-pansoup-makings

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.