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Oxtail and Red Wine Potjie

Oxtail browned and slow-cooked in the potjie with bacon, red wine and vegetables until it falls off the bone. Four hours, no stirring.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 8 to 10
Course: Main
Cuisine: South African
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the oxtail
  • 1.5-2 kg fresh oxtail, sliced into pieces ask your butcher to slice it for you
  • 10 rashers streaky bacon, cut into 2.5 cm pieces
  • 75 g plain flour, seasoned liberally with salt and pepper about 1/2 cup
For the pot
  • 1 litre beef stock
  • 115 g tomato paste
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 6 black peppercorns
  • 1 bouquet garni
  • 4 large leeks, chopped coarsely
  • 2 large onions, chopped coarsely
  • 2 large carrots, chopped coarsely
  • 4 large carrots, diced finely
  • 20 button mushrooms, quartered
  • 250 ml red wine
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp crushed garlic
  • 2 tbsp maize cornflour, mixed with cold water optional, to thicken, check the packet says maize not wheaten

Method
 

  1. Wipe the oxtail dry with paper towel. Put the seasoned flour in a resealable plastic bag, add the oxtail and shake until every piece is coated.
  2. Heat the butter and olive oil in the potjie, over coals or on the gas burner, and saute the bacon pieces until cooked. Remove and set aside.
  3. Brown the oxtail in the bacon fat, in batches, turning until every side has some colour. Lift each piece out and drain on paper towel, keeping it warm.
  4. Add the finely diced carrots, onions and leeks to the pot and saute until softened.
  5. Return the oxtail and bacon to the pot. Add the bouquet garni, bay leaf, peppercorns, garlic, tomato paste, beef stock and red wine.
  6. Bring everything slowly to the boil. If you started on the gas, this is the moment to move the pot onto the coals.
  7. Cover tightly and let it cook undisturbed for four hours. Resist the urge to lift the lid.
  8. About an hour before serving, add the remaining coarsely chopped carrots and the mushrooms. Keep cooking slowly, without stirring.
  9. For a thicker sauce, stir the maize cornflour and cold water mixture through just before serving.

Notes

Leftovers keep well and taste even better the next day. Reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of stock if the sauce has thickened too much.