serving coda alla vaccinara

yesterday i made the braised oxtail recipe from katie parla's "tasting rome" and will serve it today. a bit of internet research shows that serving styles for this vary from "eat with your hands" (the book's suggestion), to rigatoni and rigatoni-esque pasta shapes, gnocchi, polenta... I've never prepared oxtail myself before so I'm wondering what you all prefer to serve it with. also, would you defat the entire thing before reheating? I know we're going for rich unctuous goodness but i wonder if removing some of the fat might make for a more nuanced dish...

jakestavis
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5 Comments

jakestavis
jakestavis May 1, 2016
thanks both! also would you suggest reheating on the stovetop or in the oven? its currently in a 4 qt staub dutch oven
 
pierino
pierino May 1, 2016
It really doesn't matter. I prefer the oven but whichever is most convenient is fine.
 
amysarah
amysarah May 1, 2016
Love me some braised oxtails. I'd think a sturdy pasta like rigatoni, or polenta would be a good foil. You could also serve it alone, with plenty of bread to sop up the sauce. Just curious - does the recipe call for pulling the cooked meat from the bones, or serving them intact? (My recipe here for a Spanish version does the former - easier to eat/use.)

I usually remove at least some of the fat before reheating - there's still plenty of fat to make it rich and delicious.
 
pierino
pierino May 1, 2016
In Italy everything cooked on the bone stays on the bone. Even the lamb neck that turns up in abacchio al forno. Take it off with a knife and fork.
 
pierino
pierino May 1, 2016
In Rome it is served just by itself. The best I've ever had was at Da Nerone near the Colosseo. The contorni are up to you. You might consider Roman style braised artichokes. A pasta would be a separate course by itself, preceding the coda alla vaccinara.
 
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