Homestyle Oxtail Stew in a Rich Gravy
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 240 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
Description
Tender oxtail in a delicious, rich thick gravy – just right for a fireside dinner
Ingredients
2 kgs oxtail
seasoned flour
4 Tbsp (60 ml) vegetable oil
8 medium onions, coarsely chopped
8 carrots, peeled and sliced
4 stalks celery, sliced
½ C (125 ml) red wine (optional)
4 C (1 litre) beef stock
2 bay leaves
½ tsp (2.5 ml) thyme, dried
sprinkle of nutmeg, freshly grated
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 160 °C.
Put the seasoned flour and the oxtail into a plastic bag and shake until the oxtail pieces are lightly coated with the seasoned flour.
Heat 2 Tbsp of the oil in a large saucepan over moderate to high heat and brown the oxtail pieces in batches, on all sides. Remove and set aside.
Heat the remaining oil in the saucepan and fry the onions until well browned and beginning to caramelise. Add the carrot and celery and stir-fry for a further 2 minutes.
Return the oxtail to the saucepan, add the wine, stock, bay leaves, thyme, nutmeg and pepper. Cover and place in the oven for at least 3 hours or until the meat is very tender and coming away from the bones and the gravy has thickened.