Oxtail braised in Red Wine
This is where my cooking journey started. Miserable, bored and stuck in a rut with the food I was eating I missed home dearly and asked my mother for the family oxtail recipe. South African comfort food I call it, especially on those subzero evenings in winter. Yes, it does get cold there…
OXTAIL BRAISED IN RED WINE
Serves 4 – Preparation: 30 mins – Cooking: 3 hrs
Ingredients
- 150g (5 ounces) dried haricot beans
- 1.5kg (3 pounds) oxtail, segmented
- flour, seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 30ml (2 tablespoons) vegetable oil
- 12 shallots, peeled
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 250ml (1 cup) red wine
- 500ml (2 cups) beef stock
- 60ml (4 tablespoons) tomato purée
- 250ml (1 cup) boiling-hot water
- 45ml (3 tbsp) brown sugar (optional)
- 1 bay leaf (optional)
- 2.5ml (1/2 tsp) dried thyme (optional)
- 2.5ml (1/2 tsp) teaspoon dried sweet basil (optional)
- 2.5ml (1/2 tsp) teaspoon dried parsley (optional)
Method
- Soak the beans in water overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.
- Trim the excess fat from the oxtail.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed ovenproof pan over a moderate heat. Dust the oxtail in seasoned flour, then add to the pan and colour until golden brown on all sides.
- Add the shallots, garlic, wine and stock.
- Mix the tomato purée with the boiled water. Add the sugar to the tomato mixture to neutralise the acidity. Give it a good stir to remove all lumps and add tomato mixture to the oxtail.
- Rinse the beans thoroughly under running water and add to the meat.
- Add the herbs if desired.
- Bring the oxtail to a simmer and braise in the preheated oven. After 1 hour lower the heat to 150°C/300°F/gas mark 2 and braise for a further 2 hours.
- For best results, remove the pot from the oven, let it cool down and leave in fridge to marinate further overnight. After it has been reheated, don’t forget to remove the bay leaf.
Serving Suggestions
Rice or mash, and roasted parsnips are great accompaniments.
Notes
- Oxtail varies from 1 to 1.8kg in weight. Ask your butcher to cut it into segments for you.
- This dish freezes well.
Isn’t this just one of life’s most comforting recipes? I adore makign it because it’s easy and freezes so well… and it tastes damn fine!
by Jeanne
on 26. Sep, 2007
Jeanne: You’re right. I usually make a huge pot of it, then freeze it in batches. Neil, who is British, absolutely freaks out about it.
by Michelle
on 27. Sep, 2007
Sugar does not neutralize acids in tomatoes….. it just makes them sweet. Baking soda will neutralize the acid.
by Russ Wilcox
on 19. Jan, 2008
I was on my second session of cooking this wonderfull meal. In a rush I forgot to soak the Haricot Beans the night before, so substituted these with a tin of Baked Beans in Tomato and omitted the puree/water and sugar. Still devine.
by John Burgeen
on 29. Jan, 2009
I made this yesterday for our dinner and this recipe rocks! Thanks A LOT!!
Agree with Russ that the sugar does just make it sweet. Might wannna put less sugar in next time.
by Karen
on 27. Mar, 2009
I finally got to make this, and it turned out pretty good. I decided to make it a little bit more of a one-pot meal and added quinoa to it, with a little extra beef stock. My husband really liked it!
by Jen
on 18. Mar, 2010
Thanks, guys! I’m glad you enjoyed devouring this lovely oxtail recipe.
by Michelle
on 20. Mar, 2010
This recipe looks great. Does anyone have an suggestions of a dessert/pudding to serve after.
by Gill
on 21. Mar, 2010
Gill: Since the oxtail stew is quite heavy and rich, I recommend a dessert on the lighter and tangy side. Here are a few recipes from Greedy Gourmet:
http://www.greedygourmet.com/2009/10/09/apple-and-blackberry-crumble/
http://www.greedygourmet.com/2007/10/22/baked-apples-stuffed-with-almonds-honey-and-cinnamon/
Otherwise a fresh fruit salad will do. Enjoy!
by Michelle
on 21. Mar, 2010