Oxtail stew
Winter just shouts Oxtail stew and this Oxtail slow cooker recipe is fantastic, it takes the better part of a day to cook so put it on to cook on Saturday for your Sunday lunch and give it a gentle heat about 2 hours before serving. The meat is incredibly tender and the combination of the coke and red wine do wonders. I found this recipe in Zhoozsh, Jeremy Mansfields recipe book, what a great buy, every recipe has a South African flavour and they are all pretty much hassle free to make, my kind of book. (Good for about 6 people)
What you need
4 medium onions chopped
1 whole Oxtail in chunks
4 tablespoons Olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
125ml Coke
125ml red wine
2 cubes beef stock
1 packet dry brown onion soup
1 liter water
The process
In a large pot on a medium to high heat, add the oil and onions, cook stirring every now and then for about 5 minutes or until the onions begin to brown on the edges. Toss in the Oxtail, a few at a time and brown them all over. Repeat until all the Oxtail pieces are browned.
Add in the salt, pepper and paprika and any remaining oxtail, stir, now add the coke and wine and simmer for 5 minutes.
Now you are ready for the slow cooker. Toss all from the pot into the slow cooker, crumble up the beef stock, add the soup powder, and 1/2 water, put the lid on and cook on low for 10 to 12 hours. After about 4 or 5 hours check to see the liquid level and add water if necessary.
Could it be any simpler?
Once cooked, switch off your slow cooker until about 2 to 3 hours before your meal. Give the mixture a gentle stir and reheat on low with the lid off.
Thats it, the very best Oxtail stew I have ever eaten. Serve it with mashed potatoes or pap.
For an Oven version of Oxtail stew, try the Oxtail stew for Wintery days recipe.
Hi, I am wary to use cubes is stock as it often contains heavy amounts of MSG, do you think 1litre is beef stock would work and just cut the water?
Hi Graham
I just wanted to know I am living in Italy and cannot find brown onion soup what substitute can I use instead?
Hi Tyrone, you could also use some good vegetable stock. G
we’re in America so stop with the ml & liters.give us ozs/& cups
Hi Stan, see the conversions on this page. G
https://cookbook.co.za/cooking-conversion-tables/
How much oxtail roughly in kg’s did you use?
Well done on a great recipe! So easy and it was delicious. Definitely on my favourite list! Thank you for sharing
Fantastic Taan, so happy you enjoyed it. Cheers for now G
Hi Graham, oxtail was on special at Spar yesterday so the slow cooker is at it again. But I have a question – they also had available stunning looking ostrich neck – do you have any ideas what one could make with it? Thank you
Hi Taan, Ostrich neck sounds very interesting, will give it a think and let you know. Have a delicious weekend G
Hi, i also don’t have a slow cooker so at 130 Celcius, how long do i cook the oxtail in the oven?
Hi Lady Lynn, It needs around 5 hours, check after 3 hours and then every hour or so after that to see that the liquid level is still OK. Happy days G
The recipe sounds great but what if i dont have a slow cooker:-(
Hi Puseletso, you can do it in the oven on a temp of about 130 Celsius in a large casserole that has a lid. Happy days G
really looks easy and sounds delicious will give it a go this weekend
Hi shaun, let us know how you enjoy it, Cheers G
I can’t use alcohol, what can I substitute for the red wine?
Hi Louise, you can use verjuice (available in most woolies food stores or good deli’s) you can also use grape juice with a touch of apple cider vinegar, about 1 tablespoon apple cider per 250ml. Cheers for now G
Hi G,
can i add any vegetables to this stew?
Hi Shirley, yes you can if you really want to but add them in the last 20 minutes or so so that they do not go mushy. Cheers for now G