If there is one dish that I always look forward to eating in winter its oxtail stew. This dish was traditionally reserved for winter months growing up in our home because of its high fat content, but as it turns out if you are eating low carbohydrate high fat diet, and looking for fats to fill up on, this is a wonderful recipe to enjoy (I’ve been waiting my whole life for someone to tell me to dig in and enjoy a good helping of fat with my meals!).
I do recommend that you make this at least one day before you want to serve it because it gives the flavours time to develop and the sauce time to thicken on its own. This dish also freezes well if you want to store a few meals for nights when you need something warm and comforting but you don’t feel like cooking. I made mine in a pressure cooker to save some time but you could just as easily prepare in an oven if you have the time. I have included cooking instructions for preparation in a pressure cooker and if you keep scrolling you will find the traditional oven casserole.
Bon appetit!
- 1.5 kg oxtail, chopped into roughly 4cm chunks (ask your butcher to do this)
- Himalayan salt & freshly ground black pepper to season
- Olive oil or coconut oil for frying
- 2 medium leeks
- 2 stalks of celery
- 2 medium carrots
- a few sprigs of fresh thyme
- a few sprigs of fresh rosemary
- 3 bay leaves
- 4 cloves
- 2 x 400 g tins of chopped tomatoes
- 275 ml port or red wine (I used port but if you want to be squeaky clean replace with additional beef stock)
- 250ml organic beef stock
- Season oxtail slices with salt and pepper.
- Set pressure cooking pan over high heat. Add olive/coconut oil. Brown oxtail pieces on all sides. Remove and set aside.
- Cook leeks, celery and carrots in pot until softened and lightly browned.
- Add thyme, rosemary & tomatoes and cook until the tomato juices have reduced by about half.
- Return oxtail pieces to pressure cooker. Add bay leaf, cloves, beef stock and port or red wine. Put on lid and cook at high pressure for 40 to 45 minutes.
- Release pressure (quick-release).
- Check the consistency and if you would like a thicker sauce leave the pan on and the sauce will reduce over medium heat.
- Remove bay leaf & cloves (if you can find them).
- Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Serve with cauliflower mash and enjoy!
- 1.5 kg oxtail, chopped into roughly 4cm chunks (ask your butcher to do this)
- Himalayan salt & freshly ground black pepper to season
- Olive oil or coconut oil for frying
- 2 medium leeks
- 2 stalks of celery
- 2 medium carrots
- a few sprigs of fresh thyme
- a few sprigs of fresh rosemary
- 3 bay leaves
- 4 cloves
- 2 x 400 g tins of chopped tomatoes
- 275 ml port or red wine (I used port but if you want to be squeaky clean replace with additional beef stock)
- 250ml organic beef stock
- Preheat the oven to 160C/300F.
- Season oxtail slices with salt and pepper.
- Set a thick based pan over high heat. Add olive/coconut oil. Brown oxtail pieces on all sides. You may need to add extra oil if the pan looks dry at any point during the browning process.
- Remove and set aside.
- Cook leeks, celery and carrots in pot until softened and lightly browned.
- Add thyme, rosemary & tomatoes and cook until the tomato juices have reduced by about half.
- Pour the vegetable mixture into a casserole dish and top with the browned oxtail pieces. Add bay leafs, cloves, beef stock and port or red wine.
- Cover the casserole dish with a lid and cook in the centre of the oven for 3 hours. Stir after 1½ hours, turning the oxtail in the sauce.
- After 3 hours, the meat should be falling off the bones and the sauce should be thick.
- Remove bay leaf & cloves (if you can find them).
- Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Serve with cauliflower mash and enjoy!
Shayne
June 18, 2014 at 4:21 PMThis is def going on my list of ‘to makes’. And going to try it with port I think. Sounds delish
ps. Just noticed u are wearing my top in yr profile pic. Cotton On? Excellent taste!.
admin
June 19, 2014 at 11:59 AMHey well spotted! I totally love Cotton On for their trendy clothes ;-) Looking forward to going shopping in a few months for “new wardrobe” stuff because I’m slowly shrinking out of mine!