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oxtail recipe

South African Red Wine Oxtail Potjie

A rustic South African oxtail potjie simmered in red wine for fall-off-the-bone tenderness and rich, layered flavors.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: South African
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ingredients
  • 3 pounds oxtails cut into sections
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 1 onion large, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove crushed
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • fresh ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary or 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary
  • 1 cup dry red wine
  • 1 cup meat stock
  • 2 leeks sliced
  • 2 carrots quartered
  • 2 celery stalks, cut into chunks

Equipment

  • potjie pot
  • Dutch oven

Method
 

  1. Coat the oxtail sections with all-purpose flour.
  2. Heat cooking oil in a potjie pot or Dutch oven and brown the oxtail on all sides.
  3. Add bay leaves, salt, pepper, and rosemary.
  4. Pour in warm dry red wine and meat stock, stir gently.
  5. Cover and simmer very slowly for 2.5 to 3 hours, adding more warm liquid if needed to maintain level.
  6. Arrange sliced leeks, quartered carrots, and chunky-cut celery on top of the nearly-tender meat.
  7. Simmer for another 15 to 30 minutes until vegetables are tender but not mushy.
  8. Serve hot with rice, polenta, or bread.

Notes

Use a quality dry red wine and fresh ingredients for optimal flavor development during the slow cooking process.