• 2.5 kg oxtail, cut into 4cm thick pieces
• 2 teaspoons dry mustard, salt, and pepper
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 medium leeks trimmed
• 2 sticks of celery
• 4 medium carrots
• 4 medium red potatoes
• Fresh thyme
• 4 fresh bay leaves
• 4 cloves chopped garlic
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 x 400 g tins of plum tomatoes
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 litre beef broth
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Oxtail stew with red wine

Slow-cooked, richly flavored Oxtail Stew is Surely one of the most perfect winter comfort foods.

Serves: 8

Cooking Time: 6 hours

Method

Preheat the oven to 220ºC. Place a large roasting tray in the oven to preheat.

Toss oxtails pieces in dry mustard, salt & pepper, and place in the hot roasting tray. Drizzle over olive oil, then place in the oven for around 20 minutes, or until golden and caramelized.

Meanwhile, add carrots, potato, celery, leeks, bay leaves, thyme into a large pan over medium-low heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and cook for around 20 minutes, until soft, stirring frequently.

Remove the oxtail from the oven and set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 170ºC.

Add the cloves and flour to the vegetables, stirring well to combine, then pour in the tomatoes and wine. Add the oxtail and any roasting juices, cover with the 1litre beef broth, and stir well.

Turn the heat up to high and bring to the boil, then put the lid on and place in the oven for around 5 hours, or until the meat falls away from the bone, stirring every hour or so and adding a splash of water to loosen, if needed.

Remove the pan from the oven and leave to cool for about 10 minutes.

Add Worcestershire sauce to taste and sprinkle with fresh parsley. Round out this stew with your favorite crusty bread to soak up the rich gravy.