Oxtail is a cheap, tough cut, full of collagen. It cannot be rushed — but give it red wine and three slow hours, and it turns rich, dark, and tender enough to fall off the bone.
牛尾便宜又硬，膠質很多，急不得。但給它紅酒和慢慢燉的三小時，它會變得濃郁深色、軟嫩到幾乎脫骨。
The whole secret is building the flavor in layers: brown the meat, brown the vegetables, brown the tomato — then let the wine melt all of it into the sauce.
秘訣就是一層一層堆味道：肉煎上色、蔬菜炒上色、番茄炒上色——再讓紅酒把它們全部融進醬汁裡。
Ingredients: oxtail 4–5 lbs · salt and black pepper · vegetable oil · 1 large onion, 2 celery sticks, and 3 unpeeled carrots, cut in chunks · 3 garlic cloves · tomato puree about 200 ml (or 2 spoonfuls of tomato paste) · dry red wine 750 ml (cheap is fine) · chicken stock about 750 ml (chicken, not beef — beef stock can make the sauce taste muddy; chicken keeps it clean) · 3 bay leaves · for finishing: 3 peeled carrots in chunks and pearl onions (optional) · parsley.
材料：牛尾4–5磅 · 鹽和黑胡椒 · 植物油 · 大洋蔥 1 顆、芹菜 2 根、沒削皮的紅蘿蔔 3 根，都切大塊 · 蒜頭 3 瓣 · 番茄泥約 200 毫升（或番茄糊 2 大匙）· 乾紅酒 750 毫升（便宜的就好）· 雞高湯約 750 毫升（用雞高湯不用牛高湯：牛高湯容易讓醬汁混濁，雞高湯味道乾淨） · 月桂葉 3 片 · 最後加入：削皮紅蘿蔔 3 根切塊、珍珠洋蔥（可略）· 洋香菜（Parsley)。
Step 1. Dry & Season
步驟一：擦乾調味
Pat the oxtail dry with paper towels, and season with salt and black pepper. Dry meat browns; wet meat steams.
用廚房紙巾把牛尾擦乾，用鹽和黑胡椒調味。肉乾才煎得上色，濕的只會蒸。
Step 2. Sear the Oxtail
步驟二：煎牛尾
Heat oil in a cast-iron pot over medium-high heat. Sear the oxtail in one layer — in batches if needed — until deeply browned on all sides. Take the meat out, and keep the brown bits in the pot.
鑄鐵鍋中火偏大加熱油。牛尾單層下鍋，太多就分批，煎到四面深棕色。肉先取出，鍋底的焦香要留著。
Step 3. Brown the Vegetables
步驟三：炒蔬菜
In the same pot, sauté the onion, celery, unpeeled carrots, and garlic until lightly browned. Add the tomato puree and cook, stirring, until it turns brick-red.
同一個鍋，炒洋蔥、芹菜、沒削皮的紅蘿蔔和蒜頭，炒到微微上色。加入番茄泥，炒到變成磚紅色。
Step 4. Deglaze with Wine
步驟四：紅酒脫釉
Pour in a whole bottle of red wine. As it boils, scrape the bottom of the pot — the wine dissolves all the brown bits. Reduce the wine by about half, about 5 minutes.
倒入一整瓶紅酒。滾的時候刮鍋底，紅酒會把焦香全部融下來。煮到剩下一半，約 5 分鐘。
Step 5. Add the Stock
步驟五：加入高湯
Return the oxtail. Add chicken stock to cover most of the meat, and the bay leaves. Bring it back to a gentle simmer.
牛尾回鍋，加入雞高湯，蓋過大部分的肉，放入月桂葉。煮回到輕輕冒泡。
Step 6. Braise in the Oven
步驟六：烤箱燉煮
Cover and braise in a 300°F (150°C) oven for about 3 hours. Turn the pieces every half hour so they color evenly. (Beef shank with tendon needs only 2 hours.)
蓋上鍋蓋，放進 150°C（300°F）烤箱燉約 3 小時。每半小時翻一次面，上色才均勻。（牛腱帶筋只要 2 小時。）
Step 7. Remove & Skim
步驟七：撈菜撇油
Take the meat out for a moment. Lift out the braising vegetables — they have melted their flavor into the sauce, and what is left of them can go. Skim off most of the fat.
先把肉取出。撈掉燉菜——它們的味道已經融進醬汁，剩下的渣可以不要了。再撇掉大部分的浮油。
Step 8. Add Fresh Vegetables
步驟八：加入新鮮蔬菜
Put the meat back. Add the peeled carrots and pearl onions, cover, and simmer on low heat for 30 more minutes, until the carrots are tender and the sauce is glossy.
肉放回去，加入削皮紅蘿蔔和珍珠洋蔥，蓋上鍋蓋，小火再燉 30 分鐘，到紅蘿蔔軟、醬汁發亮。
To serve: spoon it over pappardelle, mashed potato, or rice, and sprinkle parsley on top. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon.
吃法：淋在寬麵、馬鈴薯泥或白飯上，撒一點洋香菜（Parsley)。醬汁能掛在湯匙背面，就是對了。
