Well, actually, Jessica, hooves are the "chicken feet" of beef, they are very gelatinous.

However, oxtails do add a lot to soup, both in flavor and in texture. Like you, I think oxtails are too much work for too little reward, but Elery added them to lentil soup a few weeks ago and they were very good.

It's funny, oxtails were scrap until a few years ago, then suddenly everyone wanted them and the price went crazy! $5 a pound for something the butcher used to give away as soup bones or dog food or keep to eat himself because no one would buy them...

Annie

Jessica, Thank you for this, oddly I was wondering the same thing recently--actually I was wondering "what" were the chicken feet of beef. For real Annie? I'll pass on the hooves if so.

It was Gardengirl/Kathy.

Thanks for sharing Jessy, the soup looks delicious. I lost my Lorna Sass cookbook so would it be too much trouble to post the recipe? Also, the oxtails I've found here are almost all fat. Do you find them that way where you live? I've only cooked them once and they were extremely greasy. I know you didn't serve anything as greasy as mine were so how did you deal with the fat?

I've made oxtail soup in the past and we loved it - even my boys when they were little. So much flavor from that "cut." I'll have to pressure cook some soon - when I have 4 or 5 hours to spare to pick the meat off the bones. ;o)

Too little reward for the work? Not in this house! Oxtail stew or a soup is one of our favorite winter warming meals.

As for the high fat, this is a dish you make on a Saturday and chill overnight for Sunday. Skin the cold fat off, reheat and serve. The overnight chilling time realy brings out the flavor. And for me, the best part of tails is nibbling off the cartilage at the top and bottom of each little bone, and pulling that sweet meat away.

The price jumped up as we started to export them to Asia. With the increased Asain population here, and a larger demand, the price has jumped up. The same is true for the chicken feet. Tails are running close to $5/#, and the chicken feet are at $2.50/# here. Twenty years ago, as Annie said, they were throw aways or butcher extras.

Jessy, could you share your recipe?

Peppi

Yes, they make the best beef stock. As for too much trouble, well they do take a lot of cooking to get tender, but since you used the pressure cooker that takes care of the time factor. Just eat more pieces! I take them out of the broth and let them cool down, then strip the meat off the bones and add them back to the soup or stew.
You can also make the soup in a large slowcooker - if you don't mind the house smelling like a fabulous beef broth for a couple days!

Our Costco carries them every winter, and you can also find them at the Korean markets. Although the quality and price of the Costco offerings is better, and less fatty.

I think oxtail meat is tastier than the beef cheeks of haute cuisine, and even better than ossobuco.

Oooooh...Oxtail stew!

When I can find them around here, I like to add a package to a beef stew to get that lovely, rich and thick they add. I used to just make the stew from oxtails, but as they have gotten quite expensive I now tend to combine them with another, less expensive cut.

I learned to make them with black bean sauce, Chinese style, but haven't written out the recipe. I found one on "About" that sounds right, though at the finish, I drizzle a very small amount of sesame oil on top and sprinkle with finely sliced green onions. I also cook down the liquid (depending on how much is left) after removing the tails, and thicken it with a bit of cornstarch as a sauce.

Here is a link that might be useful: Chinese style Oxtails

Well, yes, Cathy, although it's actually the "foot" and not just the hoof. The hoof is more like a fingernail, the whole foot is used for the gelatinous properties.

Calf's foot jelly used to be considered a healthy food for invalids and although most jello and gelatin today is made from pig's skin, the calf hooves and feet were (and may still be) a component. That's what they used in aspic too, a million years ago, before commercial gelatin.

Annie

My mother used to make an Oxtail Stew that was wonderful.
This was back in the 40's and 50's, and I had no interest in cooking.
Now I wish I had paid attention.
Not just to her Oxtail stew, but to many other things she made, too.
I've tried it, but it was nothing like what she made.
Would any of you be willing to share your recipes?

Rusty

(busy day will post recipes later)

Just a tip, oxtails are noticeably cheaper in ethnic markets, at least in the SF Bay Area. Both Latino and Asian markets offer it a couple of $$ cheaper/lb.

For soup, I use a 2-day process. (I still have not broken down and bought a pressure cooker!)

I soak the oxtail pieces in cold water for about 20 minutes. Then dry the pieces thoroughly with paper towels. I start with dredging the oxtail pieces in flour, shaking off the excess, then browning them in batches in a heavy pot. Remove them when browned, then deglaze the pot with red wine or just water if you wish. Put the browned pieces back in the pot, add whatever you would normally add for a beef broth - carrots, onion and turnip (turnip pieces just melt in the soup, adding sweet flavor, thickness and layer of flavor), celery, etc. Fill the pot with cold water (or cold water and half a bottle of red wine), bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to a simmer, put the cover on and simmer away for 3 hours.

Let the pot cool down, remove the oxtail pieces with tongs, set aside, then strain the soup into another large pot (don't throw it down the sink, LOL!) Throw away the spent veggies or add them to your dog food mix. Add the oxtail back in and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, there will be a layer of fat and jelly covering the soup - remove the waxy fat and keep as much of the jelly as you like. If you added less liquid, the resulting oxtail broth will be completely jelly. Don't worry, this will break down into liquid again.

Bring the soup back to a boil, then turn down again to simmer for an hour. Remove the oxtail pieces, let them cool until you can handle them, and strip off the meat. (At this point, if you are really motivated, you can strain the soup one more time.) Throw away the bones and put the meat back in the soup.

Now add any of your desired soup ingredients to the pot: chopped vegetables, herbs, salt and pepper, etc. I like a simple broth that I add rice to at the table, but you can add uncooked rice or pasta to the pot. Cook until the added ingredients are done to your tastes.

To make the soup more Asian, add ginger and garlic slices and scallions to the end soup.

To make it more European, add a can or two of stewed tomatoes and some Italian dried herbs or Herbes de Provence.

If you like Vietnamese Pho, this broth makes a great Pho noodle soup base - add the cooked noodles to the individual serving bowls and cover with broth and meat. Serve with a platter of bean sprouts, cilantro, basil, Thai basil, chopped jalapenos for people to add as they wish.

For a couple of Korean style soups, you can add either gyoza-type dumplings or bite-sized pieces of rice-cake to the soup.

I'm back and have a bit more time to respond!

Annie, I haven't seen hooves sold in stores around here. I am taking baby steps in getting past the fear factor...chicken feet first, the world next LOL.

Cathy, thanks for the shout-out to Gardengirl/Kathy.

Beverly, sorry about your lost book! Does your library carry it? Let me know if I can copy/mail you anything fom mine. Oxtail Recipe below. Can you describe how you cook yours to see how the grease factor works? Since I've seen this as mostly stew/braise/soup? Also, I haven't seen much fat in mine. I guess I should, for our health, since heart disease does run in my family.

Teresa - '4-5 hours picking meat off the bones' - I'm sorry. I immediately thought of you passing the time at your Saturday farmers market. Sheesh, LOL

Peppi, I shared mine, now you share YOURS.

Gina darling come on over and use my PC. I'm still trying to talk AnnT into buying one. I am turning blue waiting for her to do that so we can get her report. HURRY UP AND GET A PC, ANN!!!

RachelEllen, I like that Asian version. Then again, I love Asian EVERYTHING. Well....I love everything. Pretty much.

therustyone - ((HUGS)) I miss my mom too. Her recipes in her handwriting are cherished.

More kudos to Gina for posting that tutorial. WTG!

Jessica's Beef Barley Oxtail stew - Pressure cooker

1 large onion
2 large carrots
2 celery stalks
1 lb. beef of your choice - I used diced leftover roast
10 oz small oxtail pieces
Two bay leaves, assorted spices ( I threw in a tablespoon of dried savory)
S&P to taste
1 cup barley, rinsed
6 cups +/- liquid (beef stock etc.) - may need to add boullion to your taste, mine was too bland
Chopped Italian parsley

Notes: Use small oxtail pieces if you can to 'match' cooking time with the barley. I did not brown the oxtails first, but I would have to enhance flavor. This was 'gotta get dinner done FAST' mode. Also, mushrooms would be a fabulous addition. My kids haven't graduated to fungus, yet.

Chop onions, carrots, celery. Saute in pressure cooker until limp/translucent.

Add beef of your choice and oxtails, stir for a few minutes. Add seasonings, rinsed barley, liquid. Those who are comfortable with Pressure cookers can adjust liquid for thicker/thinner stews.

Close pressure cooker, bring up to pressure, cook for 23 minutes. When done, place pot in sink and do a 'quick release' (rinse outside of PC with cool water) to reduce pressure.

Open carefully, stir, taste for barley 'doneness'. If satisfied, add chopped Italian parsley, stir and allow to sit for ten minutes for flavors to meld. Serve and enjoy!

I'm here! Thanks for the shout-out EJ!

Haven't played much w/chicken feet since those one or two times....a lot of work and most definitely worth it if I want to make a really "WOW!" chicken broth-based dish. Try it EJ! We're here holding your hand (or foot)...LOL!

Aren't Oxtails prepared the same way as short ribs? I've never had them, but they sound a lot like short ribs in meat content and fat. Do they taste the same? This reminds me to renew my Costco/Sams membership.

Hey Kathy good to see ya!!!

Go back and read my first sentence! I use chicken feet! Its the cow hooves I'm not warming up to, yet.

(But I don't serve them with the soup...)

Jessica, if it helps at all, I had cows butchered today. I did NOT keep the feet...hooves either.

Annie

Beef barley soup, oxtails, pressure cooker....some of my favorite things!

Thank you for sharing the recipes.
I've copied & pasted them to my "CF Recipe File"
Now if the weather would just cooperate and cool off some,
Ill be trying them.
Need for the local stores to cooperate, too, with the oxtails.

Rusty

Jessy, I have no written recipe for oxtails, just the one my Oma handed down to Mom and then to me. Nothing was ever written, so here is my best guess. Since the browning of both meat and tomato paste is key, do not skip this step. I see no reason why you could not PC this or even use a slow cooker to finish.

Braised Oxtails

Several pounds of oxtails
Olive oil for browning (or butter)
1 to 2 cans tomato paste
3 or more large onions
1 to 2 cloves garlic chopped
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper
Beef stock/broth to cover
Flour to thicken
Madeira or hearty red wine to taste

Season oxtails with salt and pepper, then brown them in a Dutch oven until nicely caramelized. Work in batches to avoid steaming the meat. Next add at least one can of good tomato paste and allow that too brown on the tails. Watch carefully as the paste can burn quickly. Once the paste is darker, add enough beef stock to cover the oxtails, as many chopped onions as you like, no more than two cloves of garlic and a bay leaf.

Allow this to simmer until the meat is tender and near falling of the bones. Remove from heat, remove the oxtails from the sauce, and let the sauce chill overnight so that the fat can be easily removed. Prior to serving, reheat the defatted sauce and meat, thicken with a roux/cornstarch and be sure to add some Madeira wine or a good hearty red. Serve with crusty bread and a side salad.

(Once the oxtails are cool you may wish to remove the meat from the bone or not. It is ok to serve them intact, but have a "bone bowl" on the table along with plenty of napkins for sticky fingers. Be sure to nibble off the cartilage at the end of each bone)

NOTE: I added a carrot one time and it made for a very sweet sauce, so I do not recommend this addition.

Peppi

Jessy, thanks for the recipe and the offer to send some from the book. I had never used any of the recipes from it.

I've slept since I tried the oxtails, but I think I was going to make Oxtail Soup and I pressure cooked the oxtails and the water was greasy and tastless. I suppose what I should have done was let it get cold and skim the fat off like I do chicken broth. It was too tasteless so I just threw it all out.

Peppi, thanks for that recipe and Jessica, thanks for the pressure cooker suggestion.

Beef was butchered yesterday and I made sure I told Dallas to keep those oxtails for me! I passed up the liver, the heart and the tongue. I used to keep those as treats for the WeinerDog but I don't eat any of them anymore. I especially love liver with onions and bacon but my cholesterol level is not amused....

Annie