Italian Beef Tail Stew Coda alla Vachinara
Main Dishes • Italian
Description
The history of braised oxtails dates back to medieval Rome and local slaughterhouses. 'Vachinari' were butchers who received all the offal from their workplaces; they would prepare a hearty stew from the production scraps. This dish was once considered food for the poor, but now it is a local specialty. There are two main variations: one with chocolate sauce, pine nuts, and raisins, and one without.
Ingredients
- Oxtail 1½ kg
- Olive Oil 0 fl oz
- Bacon 5 oz
- Celery stalk 6 pieces
- Clove 5 pieces
- Garlic 2 cloves
- Carrot 1 piece
- Onion 1 head
- Bay leaf 1 piece
- Passata Tomato Sauce 0 oz
- Red Grape Juice 15 fl oz
- Baking Tomatoes 30 oz
- Nutmeg to taste
- Ground Cinnamon to taste
- Ground Black Pepper to taste
- Salt to taste
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1
Cut the tail into 5 cm pieces, then season with salt and pepper.
Step 2
Then, sauté in olive oil on all sides until golden brown. Transfer to a clean dish.
Step 3
In the same pot, sauté the chopped bacon.
Step 4
Add the chopped onion, celery stalk, carrot, and garlic, along with the cloves and bay leaf. Sauté, stirring, for 5–6 minutes.
Step 5
Add the tomato paste and stir.
Step 6
Pour in the wine, bring to a boil, and cook for another 5 minutes.
Step 7
Return the meat to the pot, add the plums and one and a half cups of water, cover with a lid, and cook on low heat for 2 hours.
Step 8
After 2 hours, add the remaining celery, cut in half.
Step 9
Season with salt, pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cook for an additional 40 minutes without covering.
Step 10
Serve with crusty bread.
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