Slow-cooked oxtail stew

Slow-cooked oxtail stew: Comfort food for the cold winter months. Image: Supplied.

Slow-Cooked Oxtail Stew – Rich and fall-of-the-bone tender

If you have never prepared oxtail stew, make sure you try it this autumn or winter season. You will be pleasantly surprised!

Slow-cooked oxtail stew

Slow-cooked oxtail stew: Comfort food for the cold winter months. Image: Supplied.

With autumn dwindling slowly into winter, all we are looking for is a bowl of comfort food. Combine the good food with a good snuggle under a cosy blanket on the couch, and we are officially on Planet Relaxation. This slow-cooked oxtail stew is an exceptionally delicious dish that ticks all the boxes for a hearty meal.

The trick is to cook oxtail slowly until the meat literally falls off the bone and melt like butter in your mouth.

This recipe is perfect for inviting some friends over as it serves eight people. And if you have some slow-cooked oxtail stew leftovers, simply keep it for the next day. After the rich flavours had time to infuse even more, the oxtail stew will taste even better!

To prepare slow-cooked oxtail stew, you need to plan ahead as it is not a meal that you can quickly whip together in an hour. The stew needs to cook slowly for four to five hours on low heat. It is in the slow cooking that the rich flavour of this dish unfolds.

If you have never prepared oxtail stew, make sure you try it this autumn or winter season. You will be pleasantly surprised!

Slow-Cooked Oxtail Stew Recipe

5 from 1 vote
Recipe by Irene Muller Course: MainCuisine: GlobalDifficulty: Easy
Servings

8

servings
Prep time

15

minutes
Cooking time

5

hours 
Total time

5

hours 

15

minutes

Ingredients

  • 1.25 kg 1.25 oxtail with the joints separated

  • 4 rashes 4 of shoulder bacon, chopped

  • 4 4 onions, thinly sliced

  • 5 5 carrots, chopped

  • 1 punnet 1 button mushrooms, washed

  • 2 tablespoons 2 chopped garlic

  • 4 4 bay leaves

  • 2 teaspoons 2 dried thyme

  • 45 ml 45 tomato puree

  • 2 teaspoons 2 Ina Paarman’s Olive and Rosemary spice

  • 2 tablespoons 2 mustard

  • 500 ml 500 good red wine

  • salt and pepper

  • virgin olive oil

  • butter

  • flour to coat the pieces of meat to start

Method

  • Pat the oxtail dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle all over with salt and pepper and flour.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium to medium-high heat in a heavy-based pot or Dutch oven.
  • Shake off all excess flour from the chunks of seasoned oxtail. Add a tablespoon of butter and sear the oxtail in a hot pan on all sides until golden brown. Work in batches and do not crowd the pan. Use tongs to remove the browned meat to a plate and set it aside.
  • Sauté the onions, add the bacon, stirring continuously, and then the carrots. Cook for a few minutes until the onions are translucent.
  • Add the oxtail pieces back to the pan. Add the wine mixed with all the spices and tomato puree. Add the bay leaves, thyme and half a teaspoon of salt. Bring to simmering point then reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 4 – 5 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender. The sauce will have a rich flavour and colour when done.
  • About 20 minutes before serving, add the mushrooms and simmer until tender.
  • Serve warm with rice.

Notes

  • If you prefer to remove excess fat, set it aside until cold and scrape off the fat. 

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @the.south.african on Instagram and hashtag it #recipes

Like this recipe?

Follow us @thesouthafrican on Pinterest

Looking for more hearty meals to prepare at home? Have a look at our recipes section to find more tasty recipes your friends and family will love.

 If you would like to submit a recipe for publication, please complete our recipe form here.