Duoi Bo Ham Bia (Beer Braised Oxtail), No Added Refined Sugar
Vietnamese dishesStewsNationwide30 minutes marinating, 20 minutes in the pressure cooker
This gives you meat that falls apart, translucent tendon and a broth scented with cinnamon and star anise. The difficulty is clearing the beefy smell, since a careless blanch leaves the pot strong smelling and the broth cloudy.
The oxtail is blanched for 4 minutes in water with ginger, shallot, lemongrass and white rice wine, then rinsed in cold water. Beer poured over to cover replaces the braising water, so the meat softens quickly and the pressure cooker needs only 20 minutes.
This batch weighs about 3.6kg, at roughly 114 calories per 100g.
Method
Split the ginger in two, slicing and crushing one part and mincing the other. Peel 6 shallots, crush 4 and mince 2. Cut 4 stalks of lemongrass into lengths of about 3 finger joints and crush them. Peel 4 cloves of garlic and mince them.
Singe the oxtail clean and chop it into bite sized pieces. Bring 2 liters of water to a boil with 3 crushed slices of ginger, 1 teaspoon salt, 4 crushed shallots, 1 stalk of lemongrass cut into lengths and 1 tablespoon white rice wine. Drop in the oxtail while the water is still warm, and once it boils blanch it for 4 minutes, then lift it out and rinse it in a basin of cold water.
Marinate the oxtail with 1 teaspoon seasoning powder, 1/3 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon MSG, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 24g kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, 1 teaspoon minced ginger, 1/2 teaspoon minced shallot, 1 tablespoon minced garlic and 1/2 tablespoon chili powder. Mix well and leave it for 30 minutes.
Fry 4 tablespoons annatto oil with 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 1 tablespoon minced shallot, 1 tablespoon minced ginger, 1 crushed stalk of lemongrass, 2 star anise and 10g cinnamon until fragrant. Add 9g kOBE Monk Fruit Blend for color.
Add the oxtail and stir fry quickly until the surface firms up, then pour in all the marinade liquid. Once it boils, add 1 tablespoon white rice wine and stir.
Transfer everything to a pressure cooker, pour in 330ml beer to cover, add 2 crushed stalks of lemongrass, 2 slices of ginger, 1 chili and 1 onion cut in half, then close the lid and cook for 20 minutes. Without a pressure cooker, braise in a regular pot for 2 hours.
Make the dipping salt: pound together 1 tablespoon salt, 3 chilies, 1 stalk of lemongrass sliced, 3g kOBE Monk Fruit Blend and 1/2 teaspoon MSG, squeeze in half a lime, add 1/2 tablespoon chili powder and mix well.
Transfer the oxtail to another pot, lift out the onion and lemongrass, season with 1 more teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon fish sauce, add 1 onion cut into wedges and cook for 5 minutes more. Spoon it onto a plate and scatter over spring onion, cilantro and chili.
Tips
Look for oxtail with bright red meat, white tendon and fat of a fresh yellow color, firm and springy under a finger.
Asking the butcher to singe the oxtail saves the work at home.
Pour the beer in once the meat has firmed up, since adding it too early lets the aroma cook off before the oxtail is tender.
Blanching the oxtail and rinsing it in cold water is what keeps the broth clear rather than scummy.
The onion goes in twice: one braised through for sweetness and one in wedges added in the last 5 minutes for crunch.
Need kOBE Monk Fruit Blend?
The recipe above is sweetened with kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, measured 1:1 like sugar. See the product page or send us a message.