Kevin Dundon's oxtail stew: Today
This hearty oxtail stew is as delicious done in the slow cooker as it is on the hob.
Ingredients
Serves 4
1kg oxtail, cut into pieces
1 tbsp. oil
2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 tsp. mustard
1 tsp. corn flour, optional
200ml red wine
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1.2 litre beef or vegetable stock
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs rosemary
2 sprigs fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 240˚C.
Place the oxtail pieces on a roasting tray and place in the oven to colour for 20 minutes or so until well coloured.
In the meantime, in a large saucepan, heat the oil. Add the onions, carrots, garlic, and sauté for 2 minutes.
Add the caramelised onions, tomato puree, mustard stir to coat the flavour with the vegetables.
At this stage, if you desire a thicker soup add the corn flour and again stir in the vegetable mixture.
Add the caramelised beef pieces and pour over the red wine, stock, and Worcester sauce.
Season with salt and pepper and add the herbs.
Cover with a lid and simmer for 2-3 hours over low heat until the meat is fork tender.
Once cooked, Remove the oxtail from the liquid and separate the meat from the bones and return the meat to the saucepan. Check the seasoning.
Serve immediately with fresh bread.
Tips:
Cooking methodYou can use a slow cooker on low for 8 hours or slow cook in a casserole dish in the oven for 2 hours at 160˚C.
Brown deeply for maximum flavourRoasting the oxtail pieces at high heat (240°C) is essential — the darker the caramelisation, the richer the stew. Don't rush this step: those browned edges create the deep, savoury base that makes oxtail exceptional.
Let the collagen work for youOxtail is rich in natural gelatine. Slow cooking (2–3 hours on the hob or 8 hours in a slow cooker) breaks it down, giving a silky, luxurious broth. For an even thicker, glossy sauce, reduce the cooking liquid uncovered for 10–15 minutes at the end.
Rest before serving for clarity of flavourOnce the stew is cooked, let it sit off the heat for 10 minutes before serving. This allows fats to rise to the top (easy to skim) and gives the flavours a moment to settle, resulting in a cleaner, more balanced stew.
