Hearty oxtail stew: A delicious winter meal for Sunday lunch with family

Oh winter, you know just how to get us to make and enjoy the heartiest of comfort foods. Stews and soups are the order of the day and our hearty oxtail stew is on top of that list. Oxtail with its rich flavours needs a good low and slow cooking method and fills your home with the most amazing aromas. It will invite the whole neighbourhood over for Sunday lunch.

Hearty oxtail stew

Remember that you can brown the meat a bit before starting the process in the method below for caramelisation. When boiling, you can scoop off some of the fat coming to the top layer. It’s a stew, so you can let it cook on low for a nice long time. Add a pinch of chilli flakes to lift the flavour a bit more without making it spicy. It’s also a great potjiekos recipe which can sit for hours while you feed people snacks and maybe some mulled wine.

A classic winter meal with local South African goodness. Make our hearty oxtail stew this weekend for the family to keep warm and cosy.

Hearty oxtail stew recipe

5 from 3 votes

Recipe by Xoliswa Ndoyiya Course: MainCuisine: GlobalDifficulty: Easy

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

2

hours 

30

minutes

Total time

2

hours 

45

minutes

Ingredients

• 3 kg 3 oxtail (excess fat removed)

• 2 cups 2 hot water

• 5 ml 5 paprika

• 15 ml 15 barbeque spice

• 5 large 5 carrots (about 350 g) peeled and sliced

• 250 g 250 green beans, sliced

• 4 medium 4 potatoes, peeled and quartered or 500 g baby potatoes, cleaned

• 1 large 1 onion, chopped

• 60 g 60 oxtail soup powder

• 3 tbsp 3 tomato puree

• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

• Put the oxtail in a large pot and add 2 cups of hot water and boil until the water has evaporated. Reduce the heat and let the meat brown in its own fat.
• Add the paprika and barbeque and add more water. Cook over low heat for about 2 hours until the meat is tender. Keep checking if there is still enough liquid to cover the meat and add more water when necessary.
• Add the potatoes and cook until soft.
• Add the carrots, beans and onion.
• Add ½ cup of water to the oxtail soup powder and make a smooth paste.
• Then add to the meat and gently stir and cover the pot to simmer until the vegetables are cooked. This should take about 15 – 20 minutes.
• Season to taste and serve.

Notes

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Looking for more tasty recipes Xoliswa used to prepare for Nelson Mandela? Just have a look at our recipe page for more of her recipes and much more. We have excellent suggestions for you to try. If you want to read more about Xoliswa Ndoyiya’s experiences as Nelson Mandela’s chef, click here.

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