Recipe of the day: Braised rich oxtail stew

The aromas that come from making a stew fill up the home with comfort and heartiness. This oxtail recipe will do just that. 

This oxtail recipe is quite detailed, as it offers multiple ingredient alternatives to make this, so there isn’t an excuse not to cook this.

Braised rich oxtail stew

This oxtail recipe is quite detailed, as it offers multiple ingredient alternatives to make this, so there isn’t an excuse not to cook this.

• Author: BigOven Cook
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Lunch, Dinner
• Method: Roast
• Cuisine: South African

Ingredients

• Olive oil – Sunflower; safflower, avocado, grape seed, or vegetable oils can be used instead
• Oxtails – Make sure they’re fully thawed before cooking 
• Salt & pepper
• Onion – White or yellow work best
• Green onion – Use more or less as per your preference; this is for garnish only
• Garlic and ginger – Fresh is best 
• Tomato paste – Make sure it’s the paste – not the sauce
• Habanero – Use more; less, or none as you prefer. You can also use different varieties of peppers depending on your tolerance. One small habanero pepper will provide plenty of spice for this stew
• Allspice; smoked paprika, thyme, bay leaves
• Soy sauce – You can also add a bit of Worcestershire
• Beef broth – Other types of broth will work; but beef broth will give the deepest flavour
• Lima beans – Butter beans; or white/navy beans will also work
• Cornstarch – To thicken your stew

Instructions

1. Sear the oxtails: Heat the olive oil in a large braiser or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the oxtails with salt and pepper, and sear them on all sides until browned. You may need to do this in batches. Transfer the oxtails to a plate and set the oxtails aside.
2. Sauté: Add the onion to the pot and cook until translucent and softened 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and habanero, then stir and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the allspice, smoked paprika, soy sauce, and tomato paste, and cook for 2-3 minutes until the paste browns slightly.
3. Braise: Add the oxtails back to the pot. Stir in the beef broth, thyme, bay leaves and bring the pot to a boil. Turn the heat to low and cover with a lid slightly cracked. Simmer for 2 hours, remove the lid and stir in the butter beans, then simmer for another 30-45 minutes uncovered.
4. Finish: Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Whisk the cornstarch with 1 tbsp water to create a slurry. Stir the slurry into the pot and increase the heat to medium, stirring until the mixture thickens. Garnish with freshly chopped green onion.

This recipe can be found on bigoven.com.