Haitian-Style Oxtail Recipe From SBWFF Tap Tap Relief Headliner Kris Wessel

In this week’s interview with Kris Wessel, the chef/owner of Red Light Little River talked about the importance of food as it relates to community. Kris is the local headliner tonight at the Tap Tap Haitian Relief Dinner hosted by The South Beach Wine & Food Festival and Southern Wine & Spirits of America. Proceeds from the sold-out affair will benefit Haiti via Partners in Health. That’s food and community at its best — and Wessel will be working alongside national heavyweight chefs Daniel Boulud and Masaharu Morimoto. Hoo boy, that’s a trio. As a conclusion to our interview with Kris (part one and part two), we present his recipe for Haitian-style Oxtail.

Haitian-style Oxtail

3     pounds    oxtail

2     tbl.         minced bacon

1/2  cup        cooking oil

1     cup        diced carrots

1     cup        diced onions

1/2  cup        diced celery

3     tbl.        minced garlic

1    cup        diced tomato

1     tbl.        diced scotch bonnet or jalapeño

1     tsp.       allspice

1/2  tsp.       cumin

1     tsp.       ground coriander

1     tsp.       ground black pepper

1     tsp.       salt

1/2    cup     red wine vinegar

1/2    cup     red wine

1      tbl.       fresh thyme, chopped

1      tbl.       fresh flat leaf parsely, chopped

2    cups       water

3    tbl.         guava jelly

Preheat oven to 300F.

Toss oxtail in a large bowl with all dry spices.

Place bacon in heavy saute pan and render it; remove meat.

Heat cooking oil in pan, sear the oxtail on all sides, and remove from pan.

Add carrots, onions, and celery and saute for 10 minutes.

Add garlic and saute two minutes.

Add tomatoes, red wine vinegar, and red wine and reduce over high heat for two minutes.

Add water, guava jelly,fresh herbs, and bacon.

Place oxtail, center bone up, into 2-inch high baking pan. Pour

liquid/vegetable mixture so it just covers the oxtail. If necessary,

add water to reach that level.

Cover with foil or parchment paper. Poke holes into the covering, and place pan in 300F oven for two-and-a-half hours.