Memorial Day Weekend Menu with Family

Ingredients

5 pounds meaty oxtails
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, cut into half moons, about 1/4-inch thick
2 stalks celery, cut into 1/4-inch thick pieces
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 (750 ml) bottle dry red wine
2 cups beef broth
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice
2 bay leaves
8 ounces button mushrooms
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Buttered Noodles, recipe follows, for serving
Directions
Wash and dry the oxtails. Add the meat to a large bowl and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Toss the meat in the flour until lightly coated.

Add the olive oil to a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown the oxtails on all sides, in batches, until well browned. Transfer the meat to a plate and pour off some of the drippings, if necessary.

Add the onions, carrots, celery, thyme, and garlic to the pot and saute until the onions are tender and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the tomato paste and toast. Deglaze the pot with the bottle of red wine and stir up all the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Stir in the beef broth, tomatoes with their juices and the bay leaves.

Add the browned beef back into the pot along with any accumulated juices that may have collected on the plate. Bring the stew to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cover and cook until the beef is tender and falling off the bone, about 3 1/2 hours.

Stir in the mushrooms and cook uncovered, for 30 minutes more. Taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper, if needed, and stir in the red wine vinegar to brighten the flavor. Remove the meat from the pot and pull the meat off the bones, then add back to the pot. Discard the bones. Transfer the stew to a serving dish and serve hot over Buttered Noodles.

Buttered Noodles:
1 (12-ounce) package wide egg noodles
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 small shallot, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced chives
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water over medium heat, according to the package directions. Drain in a colander and set aside.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and saute until tender. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and melt. Stir in the chives, Parmesan and lemon.

Add the noodles to the skillet and toss to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/patrick-and-gina-neely/ginas-oxtail-stew-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

Having guest this weekend, my husband is cooking for the first time Oxtail. A new dish for all of us, yes we had it before when our mother's cooked Oxtail. I think homemade Strawberry Shortcake will be perfect for dessert. Stay tuned, I will be sharing the Oxtails later. Hope everyone has an awesome Memorial Day weekend!