Fire It Up - Andrew Schloss [51]
OXTAIL/VARIETY MEAT
Barbecued Oxtail in Mole Sauce
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
The tail of an ox is packed with connective tissue that, given time and gentle heat, transforms into the most unctuous, mouth-filling substance to ever pass your lips—gelatin. An oxtail’s dark red meat has deep, beefy flavor. Together, the dark flavor and rich texture of slow-cooked oxtail scream for chocolate. We turned to Mexico’s chile-rich mole for help. Toasted and rehydrated ancho and guajillo chiles, along with grill-blistered tomatoes and garlic, meld into a pureed sauce that finds balance from flowing melted chocolate. We call for Mexican chocolate, such as Ibarra, which is flavored with cinnamon, almonds, vanilla, and sugar and is widely available. But if you can’t find it, use semisweet chocolate and add ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon along with a few drops each of vanilla and almond extracts. Serve the oxtail with plenty of rice to soak up the sumptuous sauce.
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups wood chips, such as hickory or oak, soaked in water for 30 minutes
Oxtails:
¼ cup Mole Rub
3 tablespoons canola oil
5 pounds oxtails, cut into 2-inch pieces
Mole Sauce:
3 ounces dried ancho chiles (about 6)
1 ounce dried guajillo chiles (about 4)
3 large ripe plum tomatoes
4 garlic cloves, skins on
¼ cup chopped Mexican chocolate (about 1 ounce)
2 tablespoons almonds
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
4 cups beef broth
DIRECTIONS:
For the oxtails: Combine the spice rub and oil in a 1-gallon zipper-lock bag. Add the oxtails, press out the air, and seal the bag. Refrigerate for 8 hours.
For the mole sauce: Light a grill for indirect medium heat, about 300°F, with smoke. Brush the grill grate and coat with oil. Tear open the chiles and discard the stems and seeds. Open up the chiles and press flat with the palm of your hand. Brush the grill grate and coat with oil. Grill the chiles directly over the heat, holding them flat with a spatula, until charred in spots, about 30 seconds per side. Remove to a bowl and cover with hot water. Let soak for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, grill the tomatoes and garlic directly over the heat until the skins are blackened, about 10 minutes, turning now and then. When cool enough to handle, peel the tomatoes and garlic and transfer to a food processor. Pluck the rehydrated chiles from the liquid and add to the processor along with the chocolate, almonds, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, black pepper, and 2 cups of the broth. Process until very smooth, and then press the mixture through a mesh strainer into a bowl. Stir in 1½ cups of the remaining broth and set aside.
Remove the beef from the marinade, pat dry, and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Grill the oxtails directly over the heat until browned all over, 10 to 15 minutes total. Meanwhile, pour the mole sauce into a medium-large disposable aluminum pan (just big enough to hold the oxtails) and put directly over the heat. Simmer for 5 minutes. Drain 1 cup of the wood chips and add to the grill. Transfer the browned oxtails to the pan and move the pan away from the heat. At this point, you should start to see smoke from the wood chips in the grill. Cover the grill and cook until the oxtails are tender, about 2½ hours, adding a handful of the remaining wood chips about once an hour. Add broth to the pan as necessary to keep the liquid level about halfway up the meat.
To remove the pan from the grill, carefully slide a wooden board or a metal tray beneath it to stabilize it, and lift the pan with the board or tray. Let the oxtails cool in the liquid until warm.
Remove the warm oxtails from the liquid, set aside, and cover to keep warm. Pour the liquid into a medium saucepan, let it settle for a few minutes, and then spoon off any excess fat from the surface. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil until the liquid reduces to a medium-thick sauce, 5 to 10 minutes. Serve with