Oxtails Braised in Master Stock

Next on Demystified: Soy Sauce, dark soy is used as the base for refortifying a Chinese Master Stock. Among the three primary types of soy sauce, light, regular, and dark, dark soy sauce stands out for its long aging process, giving it a deep color and rich taste. It’s a key ingredient in Chinese master stock, a key technique in Chinese cookery. A Chinese master stock is a deeply flavorful and aromatic broth used in Chinese cuisine to braise or poach, particularly meats and poultry. It's called a "master stock" because it's typically reused and replenished over time, with new ingredients added as needed, which helps build layers of flavor.

Depending on which part of China you’re from, your master stock may include a combination of ingredients such as soy sauce, Chinese rice wine (Shaoxing wine), ginger, garlic, scallions, star anise, cinnamon, dried tangerine peel, and sometimes other spices and aromatics. The stock is simmered for a long time, allowing all the flavors to meld together and develop complexity. If you have any leftover stock from your braise, you can strain and reuse multiple times, with additional ingredients added as needed to maintain its depth of flavor. If promptly chilled, stored in the freezer, and reheated to 140-degrees Fahrenheit (outside the danger zone for food-bourne illnesses), it can be reused indefinitely. Just remember to sample the stock in your upcoming recipe to determine if it needs extra seasoning or spices once it hits 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

For this recipe, I braise oxtails in a master stock until they are falling off the bone tender and have absorbed as much flavor from the replenished stock. Typically, Master Stock is used for just braising or poaching meat with a high water ratio. Here, I use a lower water ratio to render out the abundant fat and collagen into a luxurious, viscous sauce so I have a little to spoon over the finished dish. If oxtails aren't available, you can readily swap in chicken thighs, short ribs, or pork belly. My grandmother enjoys enhancing the dish with Koon Chun bean sauce for extra umami, which can be replaced with shiro (yellow) miso.

Ingredients

• 10 pounds oxtails, cleaned and trimmed of excess fat

• 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil

• 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced

• 3-inch knob of ginger, thinly sliced (no need to peel)

• 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

• 3 tablespoons bean sauce (Koon Chun brand)

• 3 cups Master Stock*

• 1 cup water

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 4 star anise pods

• 3 tablespoons dark soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• Thinly sliced scallions, for garnish

• Kosher salt

*Note: I used my last batch of Master Stock to braise chicken thighs and short ribs. The foundation for the braising liquid consisted of chicken stock, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, star anise, and cinnamon. If you don’t have any Master Stock available simply mix three cups of water (or chicken stock), 3/4 cup of regular soy sauce, and 1/2 cup of dark soy sauce. Skip the additional dark soy sauce required and use the same spices.

Special Equipment

• Wok and wok lid

• Spider

Serves 4 people

Directions

1. Fill a wok with water, leaving a two-inch gap from the top. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Add a handful of Kosher salt. Once boiling, add the trimmed oxtails and cook for 20 minutes. Drain the water, move the oxtails to a bowl, and rinse under cold water to remove any remaining crud and sinew.

2. Next, clean the wok and return it to the stove, heating it over medium-high heat. Saute the onions, ginger, and garlic in two tablespoons of vegetable oil for about five minutes, or until the onions become translucent. Then, add three tablespoons of bean sauce and continue to saute for another minute.

3. Add the blanched oxtails, Master Stock, and water to the wok. Cover it and bring it to a boil before reducing the heat to low. Add the star anise, cinnamon, and Shaoxing wine. Cover again and allow it to simmer for two to two and a half hours.

4. Once the oxtails have finished simmering, taste and adjust the seasoning as needed with additional salt and sugar. Serve the dish with freshly steamed white rice and thinly sliced scallions for a delicious meal!