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Chinese Braised Oxtail (红烧牛尾)

Chinese Braised Oxtail (红烧牛尾)

By Maggie Zhu
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Chinese braised oxtail is a red-cooked beef dish where I simmer collagen-rich oxtail with light and dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, ginger, and warm spices like star anise and cinnamon until the meat goes silky and the sauce goes glossy. I pressure cook it first, then finish it in a wok so it tastes like a real Chinese braise, not a soup.

Ingredients

  • 3 lb oxtail , cut into 2” (5 cm) pieces (*Footnote 1)
  • 8 large slices ginger , divided
  • 5 green onions , halved lengthwise and divided
  • 4 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
  • 3 cloves garlic , smashed
  • 2 star anise
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • Salt to taste (Optional)
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Trim the oxtail: Oxtail can sometimes be very fatty. Trim off any very large pieces of excess fat if needed. However, avoid trimming so much that the lean meat is exposed, because the layer of fat helps protect the meat from drying out during cooking.
  • Parboil: Place the oxtail in a large pot and add enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the water comes to a simmer, drain and rinse the oxtail thoroughly to remove any brown bits.
  • Pressure cook the oxtail: Arrange the oxtail in the Instant Pot in an even layer, if possible. Add 4 slices of ginger, 2 green onions, 2 tablespoons of the Shaoxing wine, and 4 cups of water. Seal the lid and cook on High Pressure for 30 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully open the valve to release the remaining pressure.
  • Skim the broth: Transfer the oxtail to a plate. Strain the cooking liquid and reserve all of it. Skim off and discard as much fat from the surface as possible.
  • Saute the aromatics: Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining 4 slices ginger and 3 green onions, along with the garlic, star anise, and cinnamon. Stir and cook until very fragrant, about 1 minute.
  • Add braising seasonings: Add the oxtail and toss to coat evenly with the oil and aromatics. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and sugar. Pour in 2 cups of the reserved cooking liquid (*Footnote 2). The liquid should cover most of the oxtail. It’s OK if some pieces are partially exposed.
  • Braise in the wok: Bring to a boil, then turn to medium or medium-low heat to maintain a vigorous simmer. Cover and braise for 20 minutes. Uncover, then continue to braise over medium to medium-high heat until the sauce has reduced by about half and turned glossy, about 10 minutes. The sauce will still be quite thin at this point, but it will thicken and coat the oxtail nicely as it cools slightly. Taste an oxtail with some of the sauce and adjust the seasoning with salt, if needed.
  • Finish up and serve: Turn off the heat. Garnish with sliced green onion, if desired, and serve hot with the braising liquid.

Notes

  1. You can usually find oxtail at a butcher or some grocery stores. If purchasing a whole oxtail, you can ask the butcher to cut it into sections. The oxtails are usually cut if it’s sold packaged and you don’t need to cut it further.  
  2. I prefer to use only 2 cups of the broth because too much liquid takes longer to reduce and dilutes the seasonings. When using a wok, 2 cups of broth plus the liquid seasonings should be enough to mostly cover the oxtail. If using a pot or Dutch oven, you may need to add more broth to reach a similar level. In this case, the sauce may take longer to reduce. If the oxtail reaches your desired tenderness before the sauce has reduced enough, remove the oxtail and continue cooking the sauce on its own.

Nutrition

Calories: 595kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 71g, Fat: 30g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 14g, Cholesterol: 249mg, Sodium: 960mg, Potassium: 63mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 103IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 70mg, Iron: 10mg