Korean Style Oxtail Recipe with Crispy Rice

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The smell of meaty oxtails simmering in an oniony brown sauce takes me right back to Granny’s Sunday suppers.

This recipe adds a Korean flavored twist to a downhome favorite that I grew up enjoying as a celebration food. Cooked correctly, the meat will wind up fork tender and easy to pull off the bone, but not so soft that it’s mush.

Most folks don’t take time to really brown their meat anymore and I think that’s a shame – the flavor is in the brown! You’ve got to do it here to achieve the rich flavor and thicken the sauce.

What is an oxtail?

Traditionally from the tail of an ox, today oxtail meat can be made from the tail cut of either beef or veal.

Nose to tail eating has made a resurgence in recent cooking trends and it is bringing southern favorites like oxtails and pork skins to the forefront in unique and delicious ways.

Oxtails are aq cut of meat similar to short ribs and require a longer cooking time in order to break down connective tissue tails are made of, but doing so usually results in a rich, hearty broth or sauce like the one you’ll experience here.

What ingredients do you need to make Korean style oxtails and crispy rice?

For the oxtails, few ingredients are required:

• 2 pounds beef oxtail, 4-6 pieces
• Kosher salt
• Fresh ground black pepper
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 two-inch piece ginger, peeled and cut into 3 pieces
  5 cloves garlic, smashed
• ¼ cup of your favorite Japanese BBQ sauce
• 1 quart beef broth

For the crispy rice you will need:

• 1 cup sushi rice
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
• vegetable oil for frying

How to make Korean style oxtails.

My best oxtail recipe is a stew with brown sauce, but I wanted to try a warm weather friendly dish this time around.

Pairing the tender meat with the crispy crunch of the crispy rice added the perfect crunchy texture to the dish, but even without the crispy rice plates as compliments, these Korean inspired oxtails will be a delight.

Be sure to set aside ample time for this dish, though. Cooking oxtail is simple but you can’t rush the tenderization process of cooking oxtails and the sushi rice is best if left to sit in the fridge overnight. Don’t consider this one a quick weeknight dinner idea for sure.

I like to start with the rice.

To make the rice, follow instructions on the bag.

Once finished, transfer rice to a medium sized bowl and fluff. Add in the rice vinegar.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread rice into a 1/2 inch layer using your hands.

Cover the rice with plastic wrap and refrigerate three hours or overnight for best results.

For the oxtails, start by seasoning the oxtail pieces with salt and pepper. I used a coarse salt here because it provides a heartier flavor in my opinion.

Next, place the flour in a medium bowl and dredge each piece of oxtail in the flour shaking off
the excess flour so it’s not overly clumped in any area.

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven on your stove top over high heat. When hot, reduce heat to medium and place oxtails inside. Brown on both sides, approximately 4-5 minutes. 

Add the ginger and garlic to your browned oxtails and stir. Then add the BBQ sauce and stock.

Give the mixture a thorough stir to incorporate the brown bits and bring to simmer. Lower the heat to low, cover and cook for 2 ½ – 3 hours.

Once cool enough to handle, remove from bone to create bite sized pieces you can use for garnishing the crispy rice.

While oxtails cool, remove your crispy rice rectangle from the refrigerator and cut into two inch squares.

Heat oil over medium heat and add squares. Fry on each side until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side.

Remove and drain on a crumpled paper towel.

To assemble, place a spoonful of oxtails on top of each crispy rice square and serve with additional sauce.