Garden Vegetable Oxtail Stew with Barley

Tuck into a rich and hearty bowl of goodness! Oxtail has a deep and satisfying beefy flavour, and becomes beautifully tender when braised. Loaded with large chunks of vegetables, this stew is so incredibly satisfying.
Yield 8 Servings Prep. Time 30 min Cooking Time 180 min Total Time 210 min

Ingredients

Here are the following ingredients:

  • 2 lb (1 kg) Beef Oxtail, cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) pieces
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) salt (approx.)
  • ½ tsp (2 mL) fresh ground pepper (approx.)
  • 2 tbsp (30 mL) vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 tsp (10 mL) dried thyme
  • 4 stalks celery, coarsely chopped, divided
  • 2 large carrots, coarsely chopped, divided
  • 8 cups (2 L) reduced-sodium beef broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 parsnips, coarsely chopped
  • 1 large yellow-fleshed potato, peeled (if desired) and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks
  • ⅓ cup (75 mL) pearl barley, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup (250 mL) frozen peas
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) cider vinegar

Shopping List

Here are the following shopping items to buy:

Directions

Follow these cooking methods/directions:

  1. Pat oxtail dry with paper towel. Season all over with salt and pepper. Heat oil over medium-high heat in Dutch oven or large heavy-bottom stockpot or saucepan. Sear oxtail, turning with tongs, for about 10 minutes or until browned all over. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil.
  2. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, thyme and half of celery and carrots to pot. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until softened. Add broth and bay leaf; bring to a boil.
  3. Return oxtail to pot along with any accumulated juices. Cover, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 2 hours or until meat is very tender. During cooking, skim surface of broth to remove any pools of fat. Add a splash of water to stew during the last hour of cooking if it begins to thicken too quickly. Using tongs, transfer oxtail to a dish. Set aside until just cool enough to handle. Discard bay leaf.
  4. Add remaining celery and carrots to pot, along with parsnips and potatoes; bring to a boil. Stir in barley. Cover, reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, for 25 to 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender, barley is cooked through and broth has thickened.
  5. Meanwhile, pull meat from oxtail; discard bones and trim. Tear meat into small pieces.
  6. Season stew with salt and pepper to taste. Stir meat into stew with the peas. Simmer for 5 minutes or until heated through. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar.