Engineered Cooking

1. Preheat the oven to 375 °F with the rack in middle of the oven. Place the bacon onto a sheet pan and cook for 35 minutes or until crispy. Remove from oven and reserve bacon fat.

2. Season the oxtail with 1 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Place a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and heat the bacon fat until it is hot but not smoking.
Lay the oxtail in a single layer in the pot - work in batches if necessary- leaving some space between the pieces. Cook, turning the meat as it sears, until it is well browned on all sides, about 10 minutes; transfer the meat to a plate as it browns.

3. Stir in the leeks, carrot, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Reduce the heat if necessary to prevent burning.

4. Reduce the oven heat from 375°F to 350°F. Stir the garlic and tomato paste into the vegetables and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. Stir in the flour, cook for 1 minute, and then add the wine, 1 cup of water, bay leaves and thyme sprigs, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Add the browned oxtail pieces and half of the cooked bacon to the pot, cover it with a tight-fitting lid, and transfer it to the oven. Bake until the oxtails are very tender, 2½ to 3 hours, turning the pieces halfway through.

5. Meanwhile, make the mushroom garnish: In a large skillet set over high heat, combine the stock, pearl onions, mushrooms, garlic, olive oil, and a pinch each of salt, pepper, and sugar. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then cover the skillet and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 15 minutes. Then uncover the skillet, raise the heat to medium-high, and cook, tossing the vegetables frequently, until they are well browned and caramelized, 5 to 10 minutes.

6. Once the oxtails have been removed from the oven transfer them to a bowl, and then spoon off the fat on the surface of the sauce in the pot. If the sauce is too thick, add chicken stock to the sauce to the desired consistency.

7. Remove the meat from the bone. Add the oxtail meat and mushrooms to the sauce in the Dutch oven. Place the cover on the Dutch oven until ready to serve.

8. For the polenta In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over high heat, bring water, cream, butter, garlic, salt and pepper to a boil. Stir in the polenta and bring back to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, for about 20 minutes, or until grits are tender. If grits need more liquid, whisk in some of the milk. Fold in the cheese and set aside in a warm place.