This hearty Hairy Bikers Oxtail Stew is made with slow-cooked oxtail, red wine, beef stock, and root vegetables. The result is a rich, deeply savory, and comforting stew with incredibly tender meat. This recipe is a perfect cozy winter dinner and makes a fulfilling meal for 4 people.
Hairy Bikers Oxtail Stew Ingredients
- 1 kg oxtail, cut into joints
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 large onions, chopped
- 3 carrots, roughly chopped
- 2 celery sticks, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 500ml full-bodied red wine
- 1.5 litres beef stock
- 2 bay leaves
- A few sprigs of fresh thyme
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
How To Make Hairy Bikers Oxtail Stew
- Prepare the oxtail: Pat the oxtail joints dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Brown the meat: Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based casserole dish or Dutch oven over high heat. Brown the oxtail in batches until it’s deeply colored on all sides. This step is crucial for developing a rich flavor. Remove the browned oxtail and set it aside.
- Sauté the vegetables: Lower the heat to medium. Add the chopped onions, carrots, and celery to the same pot. Cook for 10-15 minutes until the vegetables have softened and started to brown. Add the crushed garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Thicken the sauce: Sprinkle the plain flour over the vegetables and stir it in. Cook for 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.
- Deglaze the pot: Slowly pour in the red wine, stirring constantly to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. This process, called deglazing, adds a lot of flavor. Let the wine bubble and reduce by half.
- Simmer the stew: Return the browned oxtail to the pot. Pour in the beef stock, ensuring the meat is submerged. Add the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a lid, and let it cook for at least 3 to 4 hours, or until the meat is falling off the bone.
- Finish the stew: Once the oxtail is tender, remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. The sauce should be thick and rich. Serve the stew hot.
Recipe Tips
- Sear the meat properly: Don’t rush the searing process. A deep, dark crust on the oxtail adds a tremendous amount of flavor to the final stew.
- Low and slow cooking: The long, slow cooking time is what breaks down the connective tissue in the oxtail, making the meat incredibly tender and the sauce rich and gelatinous.
- Use good quality stock: Because this stew relies so heavily on its sauce, using a good quality beef stock will make a significant difference to the final flavor.
- Skim the fat: During the long cooking process, some fat will rise to the surface. For a less greasy sauce, you can skim this off periodically or, even better, cool the stew completely and lift the solidified fat from the top before reheating.
What To Serve Oxtail Stew
This deeply flavorful Oxtail Stew is perfect served with a creamy side to soak up all the rich sauce. Classic mashed potatoes or a smooth celeriac purée are excellent choices. To add a different texture, you could serve it with some rustic crusty bread to mop up the juices. For a more complete meal, serve it alongside some steamed green vegetables like green beans or broccoli.
How To Store Oxtail Stew Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Let the stew cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop.
- Freeze: Oxtail stew freezes beautifully. Once cooled, pour the stew into a freezer-safe container or bag. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Hairy Bikers Oxtail Stew Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 600 kcal
- Total Fat: 35g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Cholesterol: 130mg
- Sodium: 800mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 20g
- Dietary Fiber: 5g
- Sugars: 6g
- Protein: 45g
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why use oxtail instead of other cuts of meat? Oxtail is a fantastic cut for slow cooking because it’s full of connective tissue, gelatin, and bone. As it cooks for a long time, the gelatin melts, creating an incredibly rich, thick, and silky sauce. The meat becomes falling-off-the-bone tender.
- Can I make this in a slow cooker? Yes, you can adapt this recipe for a slow cooker. Follow steps 1-5 on the stovetop, then transfer everything to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, or until the oxtail is completely tender.
- What kind of red wine should I use? Use a full-bodied red wine that you would enjoy drinking, like a Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, or a rich Bordeaux. The quality of the wine will directly impact the flavor of the final stew. Do not use “cooking wine.”
Hairy Bikers Oxtail Stew Recipe
Description
Hairy Bikers Oxtail Stew is a hearty and comforting dish. This recipe features slow-cooked oxtail in a rich, savory sauce with root vegetables and red wine, resulting in incredibly tender meat and a deeply flavored gravy.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Sear oxtail: Brown seasoned oxtail in a pot. Remove and set aside.
- Sauté vegetables: Cook onions, carrots, and celery until soft. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Thicken sauce: Sprinkle flour over vegetables and cook for 2 minutes.
- Deglaze: Pour in red wine, scraping the bottom of the pot. Reduce by half.
- Simmer: Return oxtail to the pot. Add beef stock, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours until the meat is very tender.
- Serve: Remove bay leaves and thyme, and serve the hot stew.
