Crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside, these make the perfect finger food for your next party!
Ingredients
Braised Oxtail Filling
2 pounds oxtail
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
4 large tomatoes, chopped
1 cup stout
2 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
Optional: 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
Croquette Breading
1/2 cup rendered sauce
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup flour
About 2 cups shredded braised oxtail
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
Directions
Making the Braised Oxtail:
Season the oxtail with salt and pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven, over medium-high heat, until shimmering. Add the oxtail pieces in a single layer, without overcrowding the pot. Sear the meat, turning occasionally, until brown on all sides, about 8 minutes total. Remove the oxtail pieces and reserve.
Lower the heat to medium and add the onion and garlic. Cook until fragrant and softened, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and stir to combine. Pour the beer, beef broth and Worcestershire sauce. Add the bay leaves. Bring to a boil, scrapping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Return oxtail to the pot. Cover, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook for 2 to 3 hours or until the meat is falling apart tender. Remove the oxtail pieces and shred the meat, discarding the bones and any large pieces of fat. Reserve.
Bring the remaining sauce in the pot to a boil to reduce, over medium high heat, for about 15 minutes or until reduced by half. Remove the bay leaves. Spoon off fat from surface of pan juices and discard. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. If the sauce is too bitter, you can add a pinch of brown sugar to balance it out. Reserve.
Making the croquettes:
In a small bowl, whisk together the rendered sauce, milk and the flour.
Combine the shredded meat with the sauce/flour mixture in the dutch oven. Cook, over medium heat, until it comes together and starts releasing from the bottom of the pan, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the stove and let it cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for one hour.
Remove the meat mixture from the refrigerator and form 2-inch logs.
In a shallow bowl, whisk two eggs. In another bowl, place the breadcrumbs and season with salt. Working with one croquette at a time, dip in the eggs and coat with breadcrumbs.
Heat 2-inches vegetable oil in a medium saucepan, until a deep-fry thermometer reads 350 degrees F. Working in batches, fry the oxtail croquettes until golden and crispy, about 2 minutes per batch, turning as needed.
Transfer the fried oxtail croquettes to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
Serve hot with lime wedges and your favorite dipping sauce!
We like to suggest the following for dipping:
Roasted Garlic Aioli
Yogurt Dill Dipping Sauce
Spicy Mustard
Chipotle Mayo or Sriracha Mayo
Ranch Sauce
Russian Dressing