Oxtail Mac & Cheese

Possibly on of the best mac and cheese dishes I have ever made. A touch of sweetness from the oxtail makes this meal a savory bite. Slow braised, fall off the bone oxtail melts in your mouth with a luxurious, creamy mac and cheese to top things off. Try it out and you wont be disappointed. 

Marinating Time: 1-24 hours 
Cook Time: 3 hours 
Total Time:  4-27 hours  
Servings: 4-6 

Ingredients 

Green Sauce 

• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1/2 bunch parsley
• 5 green onions
• 8 cloves garlic
• 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger
• 1 small onion
• 10 sprigs thyme (just leaves no stems) 
• 1 scotch bonnet pepper
• 8 allspice seeds (1 tsp ground allspice)
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup lime juice

 

Oxtail Marinade 

• Oxtail 3 lb 
• 2 tsp Jamaican Browning
• 2 tbs Brown Sugar 
• 2 tbs Soy Sauce 
• ¾ large Onion diced  
• 4 Scallions thinly sliced 
• 4 Garlic smashed into paste 
• ½ inch Ginger smashed into paste 
• ¾ Bell Pepper diced 
• 1 Scotch Bonnet 
• 10 Thyme stripped ( no stems) 
• ¼ cup Green Seasoning 
• 1 tsp Jerk Seasoning 
• 8 All Spice berries crushed
• 1 tsp salt 

Oxtail cooking 

• 2 tbs oil 
• 2 tbs brown sugar for browning 
• 1.5 tbs tomato paste 
• 2.5 tbs ketchup 
• ~6 cups beef broth
• 2-3 tbs brown sugar (optional-see notes - this is separate from browning)

Mac + Cheese

• 1 Box of Cavatappi 
• 1 cup reserved pasta water
• 1 sick butter (8 tbs) 
• 2 shallots 
• 4 garlic minced 
• 2 shots Hennesy (optional)
• 2 tbs Worcestershire sauce 
• 1 tbs paprika 
• 2 tsp ground mustard 
• 1.5 tsp cayenne pepper 
• 1.5 tsp jerk seasoning 
• 1.5 cups heavy cream 
• 1.5 cups milk
• ½ lb Yellow Cheddar shredded
• ½ lb Gruyere shredded 
• ½ lb Gouda shredded 
• 2.5 tbs mascarpone  
• Parmesan cheese for toping
• Breadcrumbs for topping

Directions: 

1. Make the Green Sauce*

1. Add cilantro, parsley, green onions, garlic, ginger, onion, thyme, scotch bonnet, allspice berries, salt, olive oil, and lime juice to a blender.**
2. Blend until smooth; add more olive oil if needed. Should be a thick paste texture. 
   

2. Marinate the Oxtail

1. In a large bowl, combine oxtail, Jamaican browning, brown sugar, soy sauce, diced onion, scallions, garlic, ginger, bell pepper, scotch bonnet, thyme leaves, green sauce, jerk seasoning, crushed allspice, and salt.
2. Toss until oxtail is well coated.
3. Marinate for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight (up to 24 hours).

3. Cook the Oxtail

1. Heat a large pot over medium heat.
2. Add 2tbs brown sugar and let it melt/darken for browning.
3. Sear marinated oxtail until browned on all sides; remove and set aside.
4. Add the marinade mixture to the pot; cook until vegetables soften.
5. Stir in tomato paste and ketchup; cook for 2-3 minutes.
6. Add beef broth, cover, and simmer for 2–3 hours until oxtail is tender and sauce thickens.***
7. Optional: Stir in extra brown sugar at the end for a sweeter sauce.****
8. Remove oxtail, shred meat, discard bones, and set aside.
9. Reserve sauce in the pot for later use.

4. Make the Mac & Cheese

1. Boil pasta until al dente; reserve 1–2 cups pasta water.
2. In a separate pot, melt butter over medium heat.
3. Add shallots; cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add garlic; cook for 30–60 seconds.
5. Deglaze with Hennessy; cook until alcohol evaporates.
6. Stir in Worcestershire sauce and cook for 1-2 minutes until everything is combined
7. Add in paprika, mustard, cayenne, and jerk seasoning to bloom spices; cook until fragrant.
8. Add heavy cream and milk; simmer 2–3 minutes or until everything is combined. 
9. Stir in mascarpone until smooth and velvety.
10. Reduce heat; add ¾ of the shredded cheeses in three batches, stirring until melted into a creamy sauce. Reserver 1/4 for topping 

5. Assemble & Bake

1. Toss pasta with cheese sauce, adding pasta water as needed for smoothness.
2. Spread shredded oxtail and reserved sauce into the bottom of a baking dish. Mix together. 
3. Layer mac and cheese on top.
4. Sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese, Parmesan, and breadcrumbs.
5. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly.

 

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Notes

*Green sauce can also be bought from the store to speed up the process. 

**If using whole allspice berries, make sure to grind them before adding them into the blender. 

*** Time varies. Keep on eye on it and start checking around the 1:30 mark every 30 minutes. 

****Personally, I like my sauce sweeter for this recipe to balance out the flavors of the mac + cheese. If you want it sweeter, add in brown sugar to the sauce at the end to give it a sweeter taste.