Oxtails and Butter Beans....

Here is another oldie to tide over while I get some delicious fall inspired recipes done. I do not cook for my blog, I cook for my kids. So I wait until we have it for dinner before I make what you see here on the blog. That way, I don't waste food and these four beauties of mine can let me know if the meal is a winner or a loser! This fall I will be sharing some of my family's Southern fall favorites. 

I remember growing up, my mom cooked a full dinner 6 days a week. Her only off day was on Saturdays. On Saturdays, we took a trip to the local mall (if you can call it that, it was more like a shopping center with a food court that consisted of two choices). My dad would give us our weekly allowances and while my two younger sisters made their way to the toy store, I ventured off into the bookstore and used my money to buy fresh great smelling books and paperdolls. 

On those Saturdays, we ate at a cafeteria in the mall, but I remember one Saturday, she said we were not eating at the Morrison's Cafeteria...she had food for us waiting at home in the crockpot. It was oxtail stew. I do not remember my mom making oxtails for us often but oh boy oh boy do I remember that Saturday. It was so hearty, so refreshing and I had myself a fresh new set of books to read after dinner.

I have no earthly idea why it has taken me so long to make oxtails but I do know I tried them today and oh wow....I will be making them again.

Quite a heavy meal for summer but gosh darnit, I did it and have already set myself a google calendar reminder to make it again this fall. 

So, here goes, my easy (because seriously, everything I make is easy, right?) recipe for Oxtails and Butterbeans.

You will need:

Oxtails

Vegetable or Olive Oil

1 can of Fire Roasted Rotel Tomatoes

4 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

Creole seasoning to taste

1 sliced or chopped carrot

1 can of drained butter beans

Black Pepper

Brown Gravy Mix

Rinse your oxtail and then season with creole seasoning. In a deep skillet, pour about 4 tbsp of olive oil. Heat the skillet on medium high and place your oxtail in it. Braise all sides of the oxtails. Then add in one can of fire roasted tomatoes (rotel makes a great can of fire roasted tomatoes), add a dash of Worcestershire sauce, 1/3 cup water. cook down on high for about 20 minutes. Lower to medium, then add brown gravy mix. pour over everything to thicken. Cook on medium for an hour, lower heat to low and cook one to two more hours depending on how tender everything is. Add in chopped or sliced carrots, can of drained butter beans. 

Serve with rice.

I cooked mine in a skillet but I think since the cooking time is long, it would be a perfect recipe to make in a crockpot. Taste the sauce throughout cooking to make sure it tastes the way you want it to, if not, add more seasoning.