My local paper published a receipe recently for Oxtail Soup which they
claimed was one of the best receipes they have ever received from a
reader. I quote a section below:

"Place V8 juice and water into a stock pot. Add oxtails, chuck roast,
peppercorns, bay leaves, bouillon, two carrots, the whole onion and the
halved celery.

Cook on medium-low to low until meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
Remove meat, carrots, onion and celery"

My question is should you not brown the Oxtails and chuck roast first
before you add the liquids? Also would you not brown the onions,celery
and carrots in the liquid created by browning the meats or is cooking
without browning better.

Thanks

Tom

Yes, you absolutely should brown meats before braising/stewing them.
Maybe because it's going to be a soup rather than a stew they think
it's okay to omit that step. I disagree. The caramelization adds a
flavor dimension that can't be achieved any other way. A recipe that
just boils meat without browning it is a bad recipe, no matter what the
idiots at your local paper think.

As to browning the veggies, it doesn't make as much difference as
browning the meat does, but there still is an effect. I nearly always
do brown them. In oil, though, not in "liquid created by browning the
meats." If you're actually getting much liquid from browning the meats
it's usually a tip-off that your temp is too low and the meat is
exuding too much liquid, which prevents the good browning you're
looking for. Turn the heat up and don't crowd the pan with meat. Do
it in batches, if necessary. Sometimes it means the meat has been
injected with water and there's not a lot you can do about that (except
to buy better meat). Even here, though, higher heat and not crowding
will brown better. -aem

I'd brown the meat but not the vegetables. That's just me. and I think
that 90 minutes for oxtails to be tender is a gross underestimation.
They take about 45 minutes under pressure to tender up.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://jamlady.eboard.com
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller

I love swinging tenderloin. We make a recipe similar to yours but it
additionally calls for about 1/2 teaspoon of cloves.

I brown the vegetables but not the meat. And make that three hours
and then stick your fork into the largest piece. Chances are, you
will cook it for another thirty to forty five minutes. But, Boy!!!!
Will they be good by then.

Oxtail Soup:

2 oxtails, disjointed
1/4 c.oil
flour seasoned with salt & pepper
3 quarts water
1/2 c. chopped carrots
1 c. chopped celery
1 c. chopped onion
2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley

Dust oxtails with seasoned flour. Brown well in deep pot in oil. Add 2
quarts water, 1 tsp. salt and a bouquet garni of fresh parsley, bay leaf,
sprigs of marjoram or thyme and 3-4 peppercorns in a cheesecloth bag.
Simmer for 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove oxtails to a platter and
let cool to the touch. Skim fat from soup. Bone the oxtails and add the
meat to the soup. Stir in remaining 1 quart water and the vegetables.
Simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30-45 minutes. Remove bouquet
garni. Taste soup and adjust seasonings. Stir in parsley and heat through.
Serves 8

Jill

Ummm, so it really isn't oxTail "soup", it's oxTail *broth*.....?

I can hardly believe in this thread, not once has *barley* been
mentioned...
To me that's what a good "bowl of bones" *is*....

Recipe or url please? Maybe one would get better results by
browning, but laziness sometimes prevails. I would probably
not use the chuck, just because I think oxtails are wonderful
with no such augmentation.

--
Jean B.