COVID Comfort Food: Oxtail Stew


One of the things I love most about being primarily plant-based, yet having the ability to listen to my body is the DUALITY of it all. I never want to be put into a box of being "vegan" or "vegetarian", I quite honestly enjoy being able to choose what I want to eat, based on how I am feeling. For instance, as I am typing this blog post on oxtails, I am on a strict 21 day plant-based fast, which at this rate, may extend itself to 30 days. I speak (and blog) about fasting often. It is my way of spiritually grounding myself, while resetting my digestive tract, once every quarter. It also allows for me to gain better focus and concentration, without being consumed by the thought of food and moreover, alcoholic beverages. Your girl loves a good cocktail! 

Consuming meat can also be a cultural thing, ya know? My father is West African and he is a meat eater through and through. I grew up eating various African dishes, where meat is considered a delicacy. My mother is Southern African-American and grew up on a farm, where they ate everything from the rooter to the tooter. LOL!!! In both scenarios, meat was a part of survival. So in essence, I try to enjoy the best of both worlds of consuming meat and plants, without being too hard on myself about "being" anything other than who I am. It is a tightrope, but I listen to my body first and foremost!

Anyways, enough on the background storying, let's get into these here oxtails! 😁

Ingredients:
  • 3 lbs. Grass-fed Oxtails, cleaned
  • 1 White Onion, diced
  • 1/2 Red Pepper, diced
  • 4 Garlic Cloves, minced
  • 1 nub Ginger, minced
  • 1 Scotch Bonnet Pepper, whole
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 tbsp Ghee
  • 3 c Water
  • Seasonings (season to personal taste): Himalayan Pink Salt, Cracked Black Peppercorn, Dried Parsley, Dried Thyme
  • 1 tsp Browning Sauce (I use this brand: https://www.amazon.com/Kitchen-Bouquet-Browning-Seasoning-Sauce/dp/B01GI20R4C)
Instructions:
  • I usually clean my oxtails with Apple Cider Vinegar, but you can skip this part. Just ensure you start with very clean meat. Add olive oil to coat the oxtails.
  • Add all seasonings, browning sauce and ginger.
  • Massage extremely well into oxtails and allow to sit, at room temperature, for an hour.
  • After an hour, turn stove on and heat Ghee inside of a Dutch Oven (or pot).
  • Add oxtails to sear and then remove them from the pot.
  • Add red pepper, onion and garlic to saute. Then oxtails go back into the pot.
  • Next, stir in water and Scotch Bonnet Pepper.
  • Let cook down into a stew texture for about 3 hours.
Usually I cook butter beans in my oxtail stew, but I did not have any on hand. As you can see by the photo, I served my oxtails with brussel sprouts and brown rice!

Enjoy!