Creamy Oxtail Meatballs & Spaghetti.

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Creamy Oxtail Meatballs & Spaghetti is the result of weeks and hours of brainstorming how to transform oxtail. In Jamaica Oxtail is basically a staple yet has the novelty of a specialty dish. The value of oxtail is high, not just on your pocket but also your plate. It’s that dish we go to for special occasions or day of the week when we want to elevate from the ordinary meal. A lot of restaurants now serve Oxtail pasta so the challenge was coming up with a pasta recipe unlike what’s currently available. That gave birth to the Oxtail Meatball and Spaghetti. It’s creamy, cheesy and delicious. It’s light, unlike traditional cream pastas and it’s basically a two in one.

In our efforts to be different we can sometimes find something great or truly miss the mark. Therefore, I think it’s great to have a recipe that you can mix things up or make changes to become something else entirely. With this recipe you get a Creamy Oxtail meatball and Spaghetti or you can get your Basic Oxtail pasta because sometimes simplicity is best. Why recreate the wheel?

How to make both versions of this pasta?

Your most important tool is a pressure cooker. I can’t say this enough, a pressure cooker is a vital equipment in the kitchen. The pressure cooker will cook the oxtail quickly and the meat will fall off the bone which is what you want. There is very little meat on the oxtail so we can’t leave any behind. This step in the process is where you’ll decided which recipe to make.

Oxtail Meatballs: Once the oxtail is cooked, using a fork, pull the meat from the bone and cut in smaller pieces. Now you have the base for your meatball. All that’s left to do is add your fillings such as breadcrumbs and cheese as well as your binding agent, an egg. Mix, mash and mold and you have yourselves meatballs that are ready to cook in a creamy sauce. Using the gravy from the oxtail as a base, add your cream and cheese then lastly add the meatballs. Cook that down for a few minutes and you’re good to go.

Oxtail pasta: Once you’ve pulled the meat from the bone you can leave it in large pieces or cut a little smaller. This option is easier because now it’s ready to become part of the sauce. The difference with this version is you add the oxtail pieces back to the gravy and bring to a boil before adding the cream and cheese. Cook that down until it’s nice and thick and you’re ready to plate with the pasta.

Creamy Oxtail Meatballs & Spaghetti. Isn’t this interesting?

1. The oxtail meat is not very malleable so though it’s mixed and formed in a meatball it does not become one. Unlike ground beef or mince that absorbs the breadcrumbs.
2. Because all the ingredients maintain their own identify within the meatball you get an interesting mix of two different textures in every bite. For this reason I recommend using seasoned breadcrumbs for this recipe. I used the Panko Italian herb breadcrumbs and that flavour with the sauce created a tasty bite whenever I got more breadcrumbs than oxtail.

Now that we know what we want. Lets get cooking.

Price Range: $2,300- $2,500 JMD. _{(Price range based on type of supermarket, brand and season. Does not include Pantry Items and tax)}                                                                         

Eating in can be easy on the pocket yet just as fun and tasty as dining out.  Enjoy!

Brawta: Bread Crumbs, Cheese and Spaghetti. _{(Non pantry ingredients that are leftovers for future use.)}