Roasted bone marrow, braised oxtail beef fat bread crumbs

The rich, full-on flavours of these less-used beef parts can be challenging to home cooks. Follow this recipe for a creation that combines the gelatinous unctuousness of bone marrow, succulent strips of oxtail and crisped beef fat morsels. Serves 6

Prep time 1 hour 30 minutes + 24 hours soaking + 24 hours brining

Cook time 30 minutes + 8 hours simmering bone marrow

1 tbsp sea salt water

6 beef bones, split lengthways (available from Huber’s Butchery)

» Dissolve salt in water. Soak bones in

salted water for 12-24 hours – this will remove the blood from the bones. Change salted water every 4 hrs.

braised oxtail

350g salt

350g brown sugar

3.5 litres water

1 oxtail

1 carrot, roughly diced

1 leek, roughly diced

1 stick of celery, roughly diced 1 medium onion, roughly diced 20ml pomace oil

3 bay leaves

1 sprig of thyme

5 cloves garlic

2 litres stout

3 litres beef stock

» Make brining solution by dissolving salt and brown sugar in water. Add oxtail and brine for 24 hours. Take out oxtail and lightly rinse, then cut into segments. » Heat a large stock pot on high heat with pomace oil, then add oxtail and sear until golden brown. Remove oxtail from pot.

» When pot again heats up to mediumhigh heat, add carrot. When carrot starts to brown, add remaining vegetables and cook until all caramelised.

» Add bay leaves, thyme, garlic to the pot.

» Add oxtail to the pot, then pour in stout until the meat is fully covered. Reduce the mixture by half.

» Add beef stock and bring mixture to a boil, then turn to low heat and allow to simmer until oxtail is cooking and falling off the bones, up to 8 hours.

» Take pot off the stove and allow oxtail to cool in the liquid, then take oxtail out and pull meat off the bone. Set aside. » Strain liquid and reduce to make a sauce. Set aside. beef fat breadcrumbs 360g rendered beef fat 180g panko

30g chopped chives

» Heat fat in a pan on medium-high heat, then add panko and cook until golden brown.

assembly

30g chives, chopped » Roast bone marrow at 220°C for 5 minutes, until just cooked.

» While the marrow is cooking, bring reduced braising liquid to a boil in a pan, then add pulled oxtail and glaze with the sauce.

» Once bone marrow is roasted, place glazed oxtail on top, then heap on the beef fat crumbs. Garnish with chives and serve.