Rosie Cooks Oxtails.

I've been trying hard to cook things that are in my freezer. I need to clean it out so I can fill it up with my Christmas baking.

So naturally, Mr. Hawthorne brought home more fresh meat. Just what I need. "But it was on saaaaaaaaalllllleeeeee," he whined. Mr. Hawthorne cannot resist marked-down meat. That's why my freezer is in the condition it is.

I'm making an oxtail meal for lunch today.

Mr. Hawthorne first trimmed some of the fat off, then, I seared the meat in a little oil on all sides. You don't need much oil since there's a good amount of fat in the meat.

Recipe adapted from Emeril's "Caribbean-Style Oxtails." I don't know what makes this Caribbean. I wouldn't consider a half teaspoon of allspice enough to make this Caribbean, but whatev... Ingredients: 2 celery stalks, diced 2 carrots, diced 1/2 large onion, diced 4 garlic cloves, minced 2 tsp fresh ginger, minced 2 TB tomato paste 1 12 ounce bottle beer 2 1/2 TB flour 1 can beef stock 1/2 tsp allspice s & p, freshly ground, to taste When the oxtails are seared, remove from pot and add onions, carrots, and celery. Saute for about 1 minute, stirring. Add tomato paste, stirring well to incorporate. Sprinkle flour over veggies and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes to cook the flour. Add beer, bring to boil, and cook 5 minutes. Add stock and allspice, stir, and return oxtails to the pan. Return to boil, lower to simmer, cover, and cook until oxtails are tender - about 2 hours.

Minced garlic, diced carrots, celery, and onions.

I added my veggies to the pot and cooked, stirring, about 3 minutes. I should have taken the oxtails out here and set aside, but Emeril's recipe omitted that part.

Minced garlic and ginger.

Next the ginger and garlic joined the fun. Cook another minute, stirring.

2 TB of tomato paste

And here's when I brightened up and decided to take the oxtails out.

After the paste was well-incorporated, I sprinkled in the flour. Cook 3-4 minutes, stirring.

Add in the beer.

Bring to boil and let cook for 5 minutes.

Add in allspice.

Add in beef stock.

Return oxtails to pot.

Bring to boil, reduce to simmer, cover, and cook until oxtails are tender - about 2 hours. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

I served the oxtails with a sprinkling of parsley, cornbread with a sprinkling of scallion, rice, and Rosie's Greens.

Nice texture on the cornbread. Mr. Hawthorne liked it. Zzzadig, I took your advice and used white self rising this time.

I liked the sauce very much. Couldn't taste any allspice, but that's OK. Allspice is not one of my favorites. Very good flavors in the meat though. Loved the sauce in the rice Bottom line: Oxtails are full of fat. Good flavor, but a lot of fat. For the same flavor but less money and fat, I'd use a chuck roast.