Oxtail
Potjie
1.5 kg oxtail, cut at the
joints
2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp oil
4 large onions, chopped
4 cloves of garlic
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black peppercorns
1/4 tsp mustard powder
70g tomato paste
250ml boiling water
500ml red wine
250g uncooked mushrooms
1 Tbsp fresh lemon thyme,
stripped from the stem
1.Wash
the oxtail and pat it dry with paper towel. Sprinkle with salt.
Heat the oil in your potjie and braise the oxtail very carefully, making sure
it doesn't burn. Once it's brown all over, lift it out of the potjie and
set aside.
2.
Place the onions and garlic in the oil, sprinkle with sugar and sauté (add more
oil if necessary). Place the oxtail back in the potjie. Flavour
with salt and pepper.
3.
Mix the mustard powder and tomato paste with the boiling water. Mix in
the red wine and add to the oxtail. Place the lid on and allow the pot to
slowly stew away.
4.
After about 4 hours, the meat should start to become tender. If not, cook
a little longer. Add the mushrooms and allow to simmer for another half
an hour, until the meat is falling apart and the mushrooms have absorbed some
of the meat juices.
5.
Taste the sauce. Add more sugar if it is too sour, and flavour with salt
if necessary. Sprinkle with fresh lemon thyme just before serving.
TIPS
You
can supplement the oxtail with stewing beef or ostrich neck.
Use
parsley or ordinary thyme instead of lemon thyme.
