Ann, this might help: Years ago, I lived in a tiny cottage behind a big house, with fields behind. We had a terrible hot spell, and a black snake (though probably not the same as a Tennessee snake) got into the cottage and took up residence between the metal shower stall and the wall (I discovered this while taking a shower, but I'll say no more about that...). My mother took to calling me on the phone and saying, "And how is Mr. Snake today?" And, of course, after she did that there could be no killing - I would see his little head poking out from his nook behind the shower, and I would be hopelessly anthropomorphic... So just try to think of them as Mr. Snake (or, of course, Mrs. Snake), and maybe you will feel more kindly towards them.

I checked my older cookbooks for ideas and soup or braising seems to be the two most common uses, which is what I've used them for in the past. I'll post another recipe for braising since it's different from yours. The thyme in your recipe sounds lovely. -Grainlady BRAISED OXTAIL (source: The American Woman's Cook Book) 1 oxtail (cut into 2-inch pieces) 2 T. fat 2 small onions, sliced 1 carrot, chopped 1 T. chopped celery 2 T. flour 1 c. hot water 1 c. tomatoes 3 bay leaves 3 whole cloves Salt and Pepper Brown pieces of oxtail in fat. Add onion, carrot and celery and cook until brown. Sprinkle with browned flour. Add hot water, tomatoes, bay leaves, cloves, salt and pepper. Place in casserole and cook in 350-degree F. oven until very tender. Serves 5 or 6 Variation - Use beef stock instead of tomatoes and water, and omit cloves and garlic. Serve with noodles. (Grainlady note: I'd add 1 T. vinegar to the recipe if using beef stock instead of tomatoes.) Can also be served over butter noodles or mashed potatoes.

I am much too late to be of any help to starlightfarm with her salmon dinner, but here is a really good recipe for a whole salmon. Salmon Baked in Foil Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune 1 whole salmon, 6-8 lb and cleaned 1 c sliced carrots 1 c sliced onion 1 c sliced celery ½ tsp fresh thyme Salt to taste 8 peppercorns, crushed 1 garlic clove, crushed 1 bay leaf 2 c dry white wine Preheat oven to 400F. Cover a baking sheet with foil. In bowl combine carrots, onion, celery, thyme, salt, peppercorns, garlic, bay leaf and wine. Place cleaned salmon in center of baking sheet, stuff with vegetable mixture and seal foil tightly around salmon. Bake 50-60 minutes or until salmon is opaque in thickest part. Remove from oven and cool. Once cool, remove skin from fish and serve warm or chilled with Hollandaise or your choice of sauce. Makes 8-10 servings. Linda

I don't think oxtail is good for smoking and it would take a long time. Pressure cooker is your best bet. My standard process: - Brown oxtail on all sides - In pressure cooker w/ some onion, carrot, salt, pepper, and enough red wine to cover - Pressure cook at high pressure for 90 min - Release pressure, remove oxtail and set aside. Remove solids (onion etc) and discard. - In uncovered cooker, boil liquid hard for 30 min or until thickened a little, if desired whisk in a little flour or cornstarch and boil for another 10 min to further thicken - Put oxtail back in the liquid/sauce to warm and coat - Serve oxtail with plenty of the sauce, optionally with rice or pasta or sliced crusty bread. Some minced chives for color. Total cooking time will be about 2 hours.