Name: Coda alla vaccinara (slaughtermen’s braised oxtail)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 195 min
Total time: 215 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1.2 kg large oxtail pieces; 2 tbsp olive oil; 30 gm pork back-fat, finely chopped; 2 onions, finely chopped; 2 celery stalks, finely chopped; 1 carrot, finely chopped; 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 200 ml dry white wine; 800 ml veal stock; 400 ml tomato passata; ½ celeriac (about 400gm), cut into 1cm pieces; 4 rosemary sprigs; 2 fresh bay leaves; 1 tsp red wine vinegar; Pinch of caster sugar; To serve: crusty bread and a simple leaf salad; Gremolata; ½ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley; Finely grated rind of ½ lemon; ½ garlic clove, finely chopped

Coda alla vaccinara (slaughtermen’s braised oxtail)

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for coda alla vaccinara (slaughtermen’s braised oxtail).

Serves 6

Prep

20M

Cook

3H 15M

Total

3H 35M

Coda alla vaccinara remains one of the more traditional meat dishes of Rome today – alongside abbacchio al forno (roast suckling lamb).

Ingredients

1.2 kg large oxtail pieces

2 tbsp olive oil

30 gm pork back-fat, finely chopped

2 onions, finely chopped

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

1 carrot, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

200 ml dry white wine

800 ml veal stock

400 ml tomato passata

½ celeriac (about 400gm), cut into 1cm pieces

4 rosemary sprigs

2 fresh bay leaves

1 tsp red wine vinegar

Pinch of caster sugar

To serve: crusty bread and a simple leaf salad

Gremolata

½ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Finely grated rind of ½ lemon

½ garlic clove, finely chopped

Method

Main

1.Combine oxtail in a saucepan with enough cold water to cover, bring to the simmer over medium heat and cook to remove some of the fat (45 minutes). Drain and set aside.

2.Preheat oven to 180C. Heat oil in a wide saucepan over high heat, add back-fat and stir occasionally to render (2-4 minutes), remove fat pieces with a slotted spoon (discard), then add onion, celery, carrot and garlic and stir occasionally until golden (10-12 minutes). Deglaze pan with white wine and cook until reduced by half (2-4 minutes). Add oxtail, stock, passata, celeriac, herbs, vinegar and sugar, season to taste, bring to the simmer over low heat, cover closely with a round of baking paper and roast until meat is falling from the bone (1½-2 hours). Remove oxtail and vegetables with a slotted spoon and keep warm, then simmer sauce over medium heat until slightly reduced and flavourful (15-30 minutes).

3.Meanwhile, for gremolata, combine ingredients and set aside.

4.Return oxtail and vegetables to the pan and serve warm with gremolata, crusty bread and a leaf salad.