Smoked Oxtail Lasagna
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For anyone that’s ever had it you know that oxtail is one of the most underrated cuts of meat from the wonderful bovine. And yes, it is very much what the name indicates. It’s a cut directly from the tail although rarely taken from oxen these days. This cut yields a super beefy flavor but is also very tough. That’s why in this recipe I use two cooking methods. First, their time on the BBQ imparts a great smoky flavor. Secondly, the braise helps provide a nice tender cut just right for the shredding required for this lasagna.
For this recipe I also used homemade pasta. If you don’t have the time or the hardware required in making fresh pasta, using store bought dried pasta will be fine. But I have to say, once you make your own pasta it’s tough going back to the store bought stuff. The difference is THAT noticeable. Don’t be intimidated by the idea, it’s easier than you think. You just need a KitchenAid Stand Mixer and the Pasta Roller Attachment …and some practice.
The alfredo here is a very simple recipe using goat cheese because well, we friggin love goat cheese. If mozzarella is what you have in the fridge then it will work great. However, if you have the time, I strongly urge you to run to the store (Trader Joe’s has it) and pick up some fontina cheese. You will never make lasagna with just mozzarella again. All in all this dish has a lot of steps and can sound difficult but it’s not that bad at all. It’s definitely my favorite lasagna I’ve ever made.
Ingredients and Instructions
Smoked Oxtail
- 3 pounds of oxtail
- 1 medium onion sliced
- 4 cloves garlic sliced
- 1 cup of beef stock
- 1/2 cup of red wine
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
Season the oxtail with salt and pepper. Let them sit at room temperature while you get your smoker up to temperature.
Set the smoker to 250° Fahrenheit and smoke the oxtail for about two hours or until the internal temperature hits about 150° or so.
Preheat the oven to 250° Fahrenheit. Take the oxtail off of the smoker and place them in a glass pan. Cover with stock, wine, onions. and garlic. Wrap the pan in foil and braise oxtail in the oven for about two hours until oxtail is nice and tender.
Take out of the oven and remove all meat from the bones. Discard the fat and bones. Shred meat and set aside.
Goat Cheese Alfredo
- 1/2 cup of butter
- 1/2 cup of flour
- 1 cup of heavy cream
- 1 cup of milk
- 8 ounces of goat cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
In a saucepan, melt butter on medium low heat and whisk in flour to make a blonde roux.
Add milk and heavy cream and whisk until thickened.
Add goat cheese a little at a time until melted. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
Pasta
- Lasagna Noodles (Prepare according to package directions OR make your own Homemade Pasta)
- Goat cheese Alfredo
- Shredded Oxtail
- 2 cups of Fontina cheese or mozzarella cheese or both
- 1/2 cup of Grated Parmesan cheese
Butter the bottom of a glass pan. Add a ladle full of Alfredo to the bottom of the pan. Spread it around to cover the whole pan.
Add pasta, more alfredo sauce, meat, and cheese. Layer as many times as your dish and ingredients allow.
Finish with cheese on top and bake in the oven on 350° Fahrenheit for about twenty minutes or until the cheese is nice and melty and the sauce is bubbling.
