September 9 was our 45th wedding anniversary.  Since it’s both dangerous and stupid to eat out in restaurants, also the food quality is not worth it, we decided to make and eat Asian style oxtails, which we both like.

For some reason oxtails are sparse and when found, outrageously expensive.  We paid this time but we’re going to try to look elsewhere.

The oxtails were not the prettiest but they were meaty and flavorful.

I love this spice mix flavor for oxtails; cinnamon, star anise, ginger, orange or mandarin peel.  I also tossed in the juice from the orange.

Great anniversary song.  We played it too many times during the day 😀

Asian Style Oxtails

5 lbs oxtails, evenly mixed with big and small

1/4 cup Tamari soy sauce

1/4 cup Shao Shing Chinese cooking wine

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup water

1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced

1 onion, sliced into eighths

3-4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

8 thin slices of fresh ginger

2 star anise

2 sticks cinnamon

1  orange peel, cut into 8 strips

Juice from orange

Mix the soy sauce, Chinese wine, brown sugar and water together and set aside.  Place the oxtails in the bottom of a pressure cooker.

Sprinkle the scallions, onion, garlic, ginger, star anise, cinnamon sticks and orange peel over the oxtails.  Pour the soy sauce mixture and orange juice over all.

Put the top on the pressure cooker and seal well.  Put the little bobble thing over the vent in the middle of the pressure cooker top.  Turn the gas up to high and when the bobble starts to swing back and forth, decrease the heat until the bobble continues a gentle swing. Cook for 35-40 minutes, remove from flame and set aside until the pressure button, located at the top of the handle, sinks completely to the bottom.

Open the pressure cooker and place the oxtails in a platter.  Strain the solids from the sauce and then boil the liquid down (no top) until it is reduced by half, then pour over the oxtails.