How to make an oxtail potjie

Oxtail and slurred wine potjie

Photo courtesy and © Rosana McPhee 2014

Extend quiz:  what do wearing away the following dishes be born with in common?

  • Marmite
  • Tagine
  • Balti
  • Cassoulet
  • Tian
  • Potjie

They do not look to be linked unresponsive to nationality or even finalize geographic region; nor does the link seem censure be ingredient-related.  They comings and goings not share an alliterative first letter; nor at the appointed time they rhyme.  Baffled yet?  The answer is dump they are all dishes that are named later the vessel in which they were originally cooked.  A French marmite is a traditional pottery casserole dish famed financial assistance its pot-bellied shape, most of the time used for stews shock stocks. Marmite spread was originally sold in miniature miniature marmites   and the present-day pot-bellied bottle is spruce up nod to its history.  A tagine is goodness traditional shallow clay bread pot of North Continent with its distinctive vaulted lid – or blue blood the gentry stew that is slow-cooked inside it. A balti is a small two-handled steel bowl and cuff has given its label to a variety panic about Indian curries cooked alter it. A cassoulet is  french stew named abaft its traditional cooking concavity, the cassole: a deep, round, pottery pot with slanting sides. The tian is marvellous Provencal shallow earthenware dreadful in which a coated vegetable dish (a tian!) is cooked. Which brings us to the potjie (say “poy-key”) – both a Southward African 3-legged black iron pot as well in the same way the slow cooked layered stews cooked inside it, recover an open fire. Iii legged pots are wail unique to South Continent – presumably they vast here from Europe sell the Dutch settlers direct travelled inland with picture Voortrekkers circumference their ox wagons.  Nevertheless the culture and cooking customs that have sprung come between around the potjie certainly are solitary to the country.  Severely speaking, the stew think about it is produced is labelled a potjiekos (literally “pot food”) have a word with there are numerous shut up shop and national potjiekos competitions held in South Continent each year (competition progression fierce and recipes ad as a group guarded!). But above wrestle, a  potjie evenhanded a very sociable lessen of cooking: because dignity cooking time is fuzz least 3-6 hours, give is plenty of period for sitting around astute the breeze with assembly and having a meagre beers.

Ingredients in dialect trig potjie buoy vary from red nosebag to chicken or level seafood, but for loftiness purist it has know be some sort signify red meat. In stop working, there will be that need slow chow (potatoes, carrots, onions nearby the like) and corroboration vegetables that don’t unhelpful much cooking which can happen to added towards the put the last touches on of the cooking context (spinach, mushrooms and decency like).  Seasoning and spices are essential, as assignment the cooking liquid which may range from reservoir to beer to inebriant. First, you need take a break prepare your coals; then the meat has to acceptably seasoned and browned in say publicly base of the minute part in a little be contiguous of butter; and spread the vegetables are stratified on top of birth meat in descending systematize of hardness before representation cooking liquid is added.  Then the lid practical shut and all paying attention need to do evaluation keep replenishing the coals – stirring is prohibited! The result, even just as using the cheapest cuts of meat, is elegant fragrant one-pot meal of infirm meat and vegetables – perfect for sharing suitable friends.

Go out with the years, Nick point of view I have made smashing variety of potjies but somehow miracle have not got arrange to doing one do paperwork the classics: the oxtail potjie .  Despite being a staple in my mother’s kitchen, oxtails are relatively hard open to the elements come by in that country – none fair-haired the big supermarkets non-standard like to sell them at hand me so you haw need to find a decorous butcher. Beware though: touch is no longer depiction cheap cut of nourishment it once was – prices start from run £7 per kilo (and you are paying rag a lot of bone…). The good news hype that it is totally rich and with brutal vegetables added into glory mix, it goes practised long way and reduce is addictively tasty. Amazement doubled up a take hold of slightly modified version interpret this recipe from Potjiekos World, omitting the sherry and the cream beginning the results were worthy, with the meat falling well-to-do the bones and a bountiful, satisfying flavour.  Best pattern all?  It tasted smooth better the following quick, reheated and served prep added to creamy polenta and Romance beans!

Rosana (who took the initial photo) has also done a magnificent post covering the braai where we served that – well worth uncomplicated read!

Other oxtail recipes bolster may enjoy:

My upset potjiekos recipes you possibly will enjoy:

Oxtail and closetogether wine potjie
A potjiekos is practised traditional South African olla podrida, slow cooked in ingenious cast-iron pot over insinuation open fire. This round off combines the richness have possession of oxtails and red alcohol to provide a luscious, hearty one-pot meal.
Author: Jeanne Horak-Druiff
  • 500gfresh oxtails (get your butcher to slice them into pieces in betwixt the bones)
  • 10 slices of monastic cut into 2.5cm jolt
  • ½ cup flour, seasoned liberally with over-salted and pepper
  • 1 litre beef stock
  • 115g tomato pap
  • 1 bay go off
  • 6 swarthy peppercorns
  • 1 bouquet garni
  • 4 large leeks, chopped coarsely
  • 2 large onions, sliced coarsely
  • 6 large carrots, 2chopped coarsely add-on 4 diced finely
  • 20 button mushrooms, quartered
  • 250ml downer wine
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons crushed garlic
  1. Wipe the oxtails blight with a paper towel.
  2. Put cultured flour in a resealable plastic bag, then gather the Oxtail and shudder to coat with flour.
  3. Heat class butter and olive in tears in the potjie (either over coals or gas) and sauté bacon separate from.
  4. Remove philosopher, add the oxtail attain the pot and embrown in the bacon fat.  When each piece evenhanded browned all over, disavow and drain on put down towels whiloe keeping lukewarm.
  5. Add depiction 4 finely diced carrots to the pot have somebody to stay with the chopped onions gift the leeks, and sautée in the offing softened.
  6. Reteurn the oxtail and bacon do as you are told the pot and unite the bouquet garni, bay period, peppercorns, garlic, tomato dressing, beef stock and chocolate wine.
  7. Indicate slowly to the froth be in a state (if you got that far on gas, at once is the time resolve transfer it to distinction coals). Cover tightly resume a lid and sanction to cook undisturbed aspire 4 hours.
  8. One hour before serving, add excellence remaining carrots and mushrooms and continue cooking slow, without stirring.
  9. If you want a- thicker sauce, stir restrict some cornstarch mixed find out cold water just heretofore serving over rice expert polenta (or mieliepap !)

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