Oxtail Recipe

Oxtail

Recipe by Jackie Cameron

My version of oxtail changes continuously in the quest to make it as good as my mother’s. Oxtail is difficult to present in a fine-dining setting so I often remove the bones and fill a chicken breast with the meat mixture for poaching. Be it elaborate or an effortless pot of oxtail, both are appreciated for their unpretentious depth of flavour.

Yields : 4 portions

Ingredients :

50g Butter

30ml Sunflower Oil

1 kg Oxtail

1/3 cup Flour

Salt and Pepper

1 medium or 150g Onion

3 medium or 200g Carrot

1 large or 120g Leeks

1 piece or 60g Celery

3 large Garlic Cloves

2 sprigs Rosemary

2 or 220g Tomatoes

400 ml Red Wine

100 ml Red Wine

2 litres of beef stock (500 ml added at a time)

Method :

1) Heat a heavy based pot up. Add butter and oil. Dust the oxtail piece with the flour, salt and pepper mixture. Pan sear these pieces and remove from the pot and set aside

2) Sauté the onions in this same pot. When caramelised add carrots, leeks, celery, garlic and rosemary continue cooking

3) Finish with tomatoes, red wine, and the first beef stock amount of 500ml together with the oxtail pieces. Cook on the lowest heat to allow for a light simmering. Add more stock when this amount has reduced, to the point of not covering the meat, and continue simmering for 8 hours, stirring occasionally. (Chef’s note: you may need to use more stock if unnecessary boiling takes place.)

4) Finish with the 100ml amount of red wine and serve

Please post your comments and any food-related questions below.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Jackie Cameron
Head Chef
Hartford House
www.hartford.co.za
jackie@hartford.co.za
+27 33 263 2713

Comments

[Ian Bishop]

Thanks Jackie for your wonderful Oxtail recipe it was enjoyed very much by some of my friends at dinner. I took the libery of cooking everything in a pressure cooker for 50 minutes which reduced the long boiling period. The water was reduced to 500ml. Once cooked I added a drained 410ml can of Red Beans and a drained 410ml can of Butterbeans. This added a pleasing dimension to the dish.

Thought you may be interested in my modification.

[Jackie Cameron]

Hi Ian

Thanks for your mail. Your changes sound great! I am so glad you all enjoyed this recipe.

I will keep these ideas in mind when I make my next homecooked pot of Oxtail.

All the best and happy cooking.

Yours in hospitality
Jacqueline Cameron
(Head Chef)