There’s nothing like settling in on a chilly evening with a bowl of tender, slow-cooked oxtail swimming in herby gravy. This oxtail recipe is classic comfort food at its best and it’s shockingly easy to pull together. Serve it up with creamy mashed potatoes or fluffy rice, and watch everyone come back for seconds.
Ingredients:
– 2.5kg Oxtail, dusted in flour
– 200g White onion, chopped
– 20g Garlic, chopped
– 100g Celery, chopped
– 150g Carrots, diced
– 10g Fresh rosemary, chopped
– 10g Fresh thyme, chopped
– 150g Beef jus powder
– 200ml Red wine
– 1.5L Cold water
– 50ml Cooking oil
– 20g Salt
– 15g Black pepper
– 300g Cake flour
Method
1. Seal the oxtail.
Heat the cooking oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Toss the oxtail pieces in cake flour, shake off the excess, then brown them on all sides until golden. Remove from pot and set aside.
2. Build the flavour base.
In the same pot, add onion, garlic, celery, carrots, celery, rosemary and thyme. Sauté over medium heat until the veggies soften.
3. Deglaze with red wine.
Return the oxtail to the pot, pour in the red wine, stir and let it bubble away until roughly half the liquid has evaporated.
4. Add liquids and jus powder.
Add the cold water and beef jus powder until it gently simmers, then cover with a tight-fitting lid.
5. Slow-cook to perfection.
Let the oxtail cook on low heat for at least 2–3 hours, or until the meat is fall-apart tender but still holds its shape. Check occasionally to ensure it’s just simmering (not boiling).
6. Blend the gravy.
Remove the oxtail from the sauce and set aside. Once the pot has cooled down slightly, throw the veggies and sauce to a blender and puree until smooth. Return the oxtail to the gravy.
7. Serve and enjoy.
Lastly, add the oxtail back into the sauce and serve warm with creamy mashed potatoes or fluffy rice. Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh thyme or parsley, and dig in!