Directions: |
Directions:First wash the grape leaves with water and soak for five minutes to get the salt out. Cut the big leaves in half and take out the top stems in the middle. Can do this a day before to save time.
Fill the pressure cooker with water and add the oxtail meat. After it boils take out the meat and drain the water. Salt and pepper the meat and put it again in the pressure cooker with water and 1 cinnamon sticks and 3 bay leaves. Cook in the pressure cooker for 40 minutes. Can cook the meat the day before and let it cool in the fridge overnight. The next day you can take skim out the fat from the top. After it cools down open the pressure cooker save the meat broth in a separate container. Line the pressure cooker with the meat on the bottom and the garlic. Then start rolling your grape leaves.
In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, rice, the juice of 1 lemon, salt and pepper. One grape leaf at a time, place the leaf flat on a plate and add 1 tablespoon of meat and rice mixture near stem. Wrap the meat mixture with the big stem side up. Form into a long cigar shape then roll the grape leave starting at the stem all the way to the top, fold in the sides. Make sure you roll the grape leaf tightly so it won’t come un-done in the cooking process. Roll the grape leaves on a plate. Line the grapes leaves in a Circular alternating direction with each layer until the pot is filled ¾ of the way or you’ve used all your leaves.
Cover grapes leaves with a small plate turned upside down to keep them from moving and to weigh it down. Add 1/2 cup of lemon Juice. Cover with the beef broth from the cooked meat until grape leaves are covered. Cover the pressure cooker with a lid and bring to a boil on high. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes before serving with plain yogurt. |