Ox Tail Stew

Here is the recipe for oxtail called Oxtail Stew in the Country Cooking edition of the Womens Weekly cookbooks. I cooked it in a slow cooker for about 8 hours.

Ingredients

• 2kg oxtail, chopped
• plain flour
• 1/3 cup oil
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 4 sprigs fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons oil, extra
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 medium (about 150g) onion, chopped
• 1 medium (about 120g) carrot, sliced
• 200g speck, chopped
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 3 cups beef stock
• 1/3 cup tomato paste

Method

1. Toss oxtail in flour, shake away excess flour. Heat oil in pan, cook oxtail in batches until browned, transfer to overproof dish (12 cup capacity).
2. Tie herbs in muslin. Heat extra oil in pan, add garlic, onion, carrot, celery and speck, cook, stirring, until vegetables are lightly browned.
3. Add wine, simmer, uncovered, until reduced by half.
4. Stir in herbs, stock and paste, pour over oxtail.
5. Bake, covered, in moderately slow oven about 3 1/2 hours or until tender; cool, skim fat before reheating.

Serves 8