Melt-in-your-mouth oxtail stew

Serve this rich slow-cooked oxtail stew with velvety mashed potatoes, buttery polenta, hearty samp or fragrant rice — and don’t forget some crusty bread to soak up every last drop of that rich, slow-cooked gravy.

Serves: 4 

Preparation time: 30 minutes plus marinating time

Cooking time: 4 to 6 hours, depending on cooking method 

• 1 kg oxtail pieces 
• 30 ml (2 Tbs) cooking oil 
• 250 ml (1 cup) red wine 
• 500 ml (2 cups) beef stock 
• 1-2 habanero chillies 
• 1 x 410 g tin diced tomatoes 
• 1 x 410 g tin butter beans, drained 
• Chopped fresh parsley, for garnishing 

Marinade

• 1 red pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 green pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 red onion, diced
• 3 spring onions, sliced 
• 2 celery sticks, chopped 
• 1 carrot, finely chopped 
• 2 stems rosemary 
• 4 sprigs thyme 
• 15 ml (1 Tbs) chopped fresh parsley 
• 30 ml (2 Tbs) garlic and ginger paste 
• 30 ml (2 Tbs) soy sauce 
• 30 ml (2 Tbs) Worcestershire sauce 
• 10 g (1 sachet) tomato paste 
• 15 ml (1 Tbs) BBQ spice 
• 5 ml (1 tsp) onion powder 
• 5 ml (1 tsp) garlic and herb seasoning 
• 10 ml (2 tsp) Cajun spice 

1. Marinade Combine all the ingredients together in a large bowl, add the oxtail and stir to coat well, then cover and refrigerate overnight.

2. Add the cooking oil to a casserole dish over medium heat. Remove the oxtail from the marinade and sear the pieces in batches for 5 minutes on each side.

3. Once all the meat has been seared, return the pieces to the pot. Add the remaining marinade and sauté for 5 minutes. Deglaze the pot with red wine and then simmer for 2 minutes. Add the beef stock, chillies and diced tomatoes.

4. Cook the stew according to your preferred method (see below). Add the butter beans for the last hour. Garnish with chopped parsley.

COOKING OPTIONS

Transfer the stew to a slow cooker and cook slowly for a total of 6 hours. Place the casserole dish in the oven and cook, covered, at 160 °C for a total of 4 hours.