Alex's book of recipes

Oxtail stew

Hearty oxtail stew, Jamaican style.

ingredients

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp cayenne pepper

2 tsp onion powder

2 tsp sugar

2 tsp salt

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp ground allspice

1 tsp black pepper

½ tsp ground nutmeg

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

3 tbsp flour


1.3kg oxtail

4 tbsp neutral frying oil


2 medium onions, thinly sliced

2 carrots, finely chopped

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves


2 bay leaves

300ml red wine

500ml beef stock

2 tbsp tomato purée


1 cup parsley

instructions

Preheat oven to 130C fan.

Wash oxtail and pat dry. Trim off excess fat, and put half the oxtail in a freezer bag with the flour and all the spices. Set aside on a plate, and repeat with the remaining pieces.

In batches, heat the oil in a large heavy-bottom pot, and brown the oxtail for 10m until dark brown all over. Set aside.

Add a bit of extra oil to the pan and add the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook gently until softened and lightly browned, approx. 10m. Add red wine, and bring to a boil. Add oxtail, beef stock, and tomato purée, and bring to a simmer.

Cover with lid and cook in the oven for 3h. After 1.5h, turn over the oxtail in the sauce. Remove from oven and skim excess fat.

Serve with chopped parsley.