South African Oxtail Potjiekos
Chargrilled over glowing charcoal embers with an authentic smoky char, served with handcrafted accompaniments and savoury reductions.
Ingredients
- • 1.5kg oxtail, cut into joints and trimmed
- • 200g smoked streaky bacon, diced
- • 3 tbsp olive oil
- • 2 large onions, sliced
- • 4 garlic cloves, minced
- • 3 large carrots, sliced into thick rounds
- • 250g baby potatoes, halved
- • 250g button mushrooms
- • 1 cup rich beef stock
- • 1 cup South African Pinotage or dry red wine
- • 2 tbsp tomato paste
- • 2 bay leaves
- • 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- • 1 tsp salt
- • 1 tsp cracked black pepper
Preparation Steps
Place a three-legged cast iron potjie pot over moderate wood embers.
Fry bacon until crisp, remove; sear oxtail joints in batches in bacon fat and olive oil until deeply browned on all sides.
Add onions and garlic, sautéing until soft; stir in tomato paste, red wine, beef stock, bay leaves, rosemary, salt, and pepper.
Cover with heavy iron lid and simmer slowly over gentle embers for 3 hours without stirring.
Layer baby potatoes, carrots, and mushrooms on top of the meat (do not stir); cover and cook for another 45 minutes until vegetables are tender.
Serve directly from the potjie with steaming hot potbrood or fluffy yellow rice.