• 1 tsp coarse kosher salt, more as needed


• 1 tsp black pepper


• 1/2 tsp ground allspice


• 2 lbs beef oxtails, patted dry.  (Try to get the proximal (butt) end of the tail.  The pieces are bigger and have more meat per piece.  I fit four in an 8-qt. pot.)


• 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (I used beef tallow.)


• 2 shallots, peeled, trimmed and sliced lengthwise 1/4-inch-thick


• 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch lengths


• 1 (or 2) large portobello mushroom, cut into large slices


• 1 Tbsp tomato paste


• 6 large garlic cloves, finely chopped


• 1/2 bottle (750 milliliters) dry red wine.  (I used a $10 bottle of 2013 Folie a Deux California red wine.  It was pretty tasty!)


• 1 cup chicken stock


• 5 parsley sprigs, plus 1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves


• 2 rosemary branches


• 1 bay leaf


• Grated zest of 1 lemon

PREPARATION

1. In a large bowl, combine salt, pepper and allspice. Add oxtail to bowl and rub the mixture all over the meat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.


2. Heat an 8-quart Dutch oven, or a heavy soup pot with a lid, over medium-high heat. Add oil and warm through. Add oxtail pieces in a single layer. Sear, turning occasionally, until the meat is uniformly golden brown all over, including the sides. Transfer meat to a plate.


3. Add shallot to the pan drippings and cook over medium heat until lightly caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add carrots and mushrooms and cook 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and two-thirds of the garlic (save the rest for garnish) and cook 1 minute.


4. Heat oven to 300 degrees (The original recipe called for 325, which I felt was too high.) Pour wine and stock into pot. Bundle parsley sprigs, rosemary branches and bay leaves with kitchen twine and drop into pot. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook over medium heat until liquid has reduced by half, about 15 minutes.  Remove the herbs and vegetables.  Discard the herbs and set the veggies aside in the refrigerator.


5. Return oxtail to pot and bring to a simmer. Cover pot and transfer to oven. Cook, turning oxtails every 30 minutes, until meat is fork tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Put the veggies back in the pot for the last 30 minutes of cook time.


6. Transfer oxtails to a plate. Spoon off fat from surface of pan juices and discard (there will be a lot of it). Toss oxtails with remaining pan gravy. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. In a small bowl, toss together chopped parsley, garlic, lemon zest and a pinch of salt. Scatter mixture over oxtails before serving.