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You are here: Home / Recipes / Braai/Barbecue / Oxtail and red wine potjie

Oxtail and red wine potjie

by Jeanne Horak on August 28, 2014 33 Comments in Braai/Barbecue, Main course - meat, Recipes, South African

Photo courtesy and © Rosana McPhee 2014

 

Pop quiz:  what do all the following dishes have in common?

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

They do not seem to be linked by nationality or even broad geographic region; nor does the link seem to be ingredient-related.  They do not share an alliterative first letter; nor do they rhyme.  Baffled yet?  The answer is that they are all dishes that are named after the vessel in which they were originally cooked.  A French marmite is a traditional crockery casserole dish famed for its pot-bellied shape, usually used for stews or stocks. Marmite spread was originally sold in little miniature marmites  and the current pot-bellied bottle is a nod to its history.  A tagine is the traditional shallow clay cooking pot of North Africa with its distinctive domed lid – or the stew that is slow-cooked inside it. A balti is a small two-handled steel bowl and it has given its name to a variety of Indian curries cooked in it. A cassoulet is  french stew named after its traditional cooking vessel, the cassole: a deep, round, earthenware pot with slanting sides. The tian is a Provencal shallow earthenware dish in which a layered vegetable dish (a tian!) is cooked. Which brings us to the potjie (say “poy-key”) – both a South African 3-legged black cast-iron pot as well as the slow cooked layered stews cooked inside it, over an open fire. Three legged pots are not unique to South Africa – presumably they landed here from Europe with the Dutch settlers and travelled inland with the Voortrekkers on their ox wagons.  But the culture and cooking methods that have sprung up around the potjie certainly are unique to the country.  Strictly speaking, the stew that is produced is called a potjiekos (literally “pot food”) and there are numerous local and national potjiekos competitions held in South Africa each year (competition is fierce and recipes closely guarded!). But above all, a potjie is a very sociable way of cooking: because the cooking time is at least 3-6 hours, there is plenty of time for sitting around shooting the breeze with friends and having a few beers.

 

OxtailPotjie2 © J Horak-Druiff 2014

 

Ingredients in a potjie can vary from red meat to chicken or even seafood, but for the purist it has to be some sort of red meat. In addition, there will be vegetables that need slow cooking (potatoes, carrots, onions and the like) and then vegetables that don’t nee much cooking which can be added towards the end of the cooking process (spinach, mushrooms and the like).  Seasoning and spices are essential, as is the cooking liquid which may range from stock to beer to wine. First, you need to prepare your coals; then the meat has to be seasoned and browned in the base of the pot in a little oil of butter; and then the vegetables are layered on top of the meat in descending order of hardness before the cooking liquid is added.  Then the lid is shut and all you need to do is keep replenishing the coals – stirring is prohibited! The result, even when using the cheapest cuts of meat, is a fragrant one-pot meal of tender meat and vegetables – perfect for sharing with friends.

 

Over the years, Nick and I have made a variety of potjies but somehow we have not got round to doing one of the classics: the oxtail potjie.  Despite being a staple in my mother’s kitchen, oxtails are relatively hard to come by in this country – none of the big supermarkets seem to sell them near me so you may need to find a proper butcher. Beware though: it is no longer the cheap cut of meat it once was – prices start from about £7 per kilo (and you are paying for a lot of bone…). The good news is that it is quite rich and with some vegetables added into the mix, it goes a long way and it is addictively tasty. We doubled up a very slightly modified version of this recipe from Potjiekos World, omitting the sherry and the cream and the results were excellent, with the meat falling off the bones and a rich, satisfying flavour.  Best of all?  It tasted even better the following night, reheated and served with creamy polenta and French beans!

 

OxtailPotjie1 © J Horak-Druiff 2014    

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

Other oxtail recipes you may enjoy:

  • my 24-hour sous vide oxtail on creamy mustard mash
  • my twice-cooked oxtail stew

My other potjiekos recipes you may enjoy:

  • beef brisket & BBQ sauce potjie
  • cheesy vegetable potjiekos
  • chicken, chorizo & peppadew potjie
  • curried vegetable potjie
4.9 from 12 reviews
Oxtail and red wine potjie
 
Print
Prep time
30 mins
Cook time
4 hours
Total time
4 hours 30 mins
 
A potjiekos is a traditional South African stew, slow cooked in a cast-iron pot over an open fire. This one combines the richness of oxtails and red wine to provide a delicious, hearty one-pot meal.
Author: Jeanne Horak-Druiff
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: South African
Serves: 8-10
Ingredients
  • 500gfresh oxtails (get your butcher to slice them into pieces in between the bones)
  • 10 slices of bacon cut into 2.5cm pieces
  • ½ cup flour, seasoned liberally with salt and pepper
  • 1 litre beef stock
  • 115g tomato paste
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 6 black peppercorns
  • 1 bouquet garni
  • 4 large leeks, chopped coarsely
  • 2 large onions, chopped coarsely
  • 6 large carrots, 2chopped coarsely and 4 diced finely
  • 20 button mushrooms, quartered
  • 250ml red wine
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons crushed garlic
Instructions
  1. Wipe the oxtails dry with a paper towel.
  2. Put seasoned flour in a resealable plastic bag, then add the Oxtail and shake to coat with flour.
  3. Heat the butter and olive oil in the potjie (either over coals or gas) and sauté bacon pieces.
  4. Remove bacon, add the oxtail to the pot and brown in the bacon fat.  When each piece is browned all over, remove and drain on paper towels whiloe keeping warm.
  5. Add the 4 finely diced carrots to the pot together with the chopped onions and the leeks, and sautée until softened.
  6. Reteurn the oxtail and bacon to the pot and add the bouquet garni, bay leaf, peppercorns, garlic, tomato sauce, beef stock and red wine.
  7. Bring slowly to the boil (if you got this far on gas, now is the time to transfer it to the coals). Cover tightly with a lid and allow to cook undisturbed for 4 hours.
  8. One hour before serving, add the remaining carrots and mushrooms and continue cooking slowly, without stirring.
  9. If you want a thicker sauce, stir in some cornstarch mixed with cold water just before serving over rice or polenta (or mieliepap !)
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  1. Bintu @ Recipes From A Pantry says

    August 28, 2014 at 12:03 pm

    You would not believe how excited I am to see this recipe. I fell in love with this dish in SA and have been desperate to make a version here. OH also wanted to buy the pto to bring back with him but we had no space after buying the tire swing and a gazillion spices. Def bookmarking this one.

    Reply
    • Jeanne says

      August 28, 2014 at 3:50 pm

      Oh I am so pleased that you know the joys of a potjie! And OMG I can’t believe you brought back a tyre swing 🙂 You can buy the pots over here, from South African shops like Hunters – might be worth looking into? And a lot cheaper than what the excess baggage charges would be 😉 Do let me know if you try the recipe.

      Reply
  2. Andrew says

    August 28, 2014 at 6:46 pm

    So that’s how its made! I can certify it was fabulous. Should have brought some home with me…

    Reply
  3. Helen @ Fuss Free Flavours says

    August 28, 2014 at 7:04 pm

    How delicious Jeanne, and very timely with the end of summer nigh! I’ll be adapting this for the ox cheeks which have been in the freezer since last winter.

    Reply
  4. Nazima says

    August 28, 2014 at 9:33 pm

    So aside from the vessel seems these are all lovely comfort foods. Slow cooking so nice for cuts like this. We did make a slow braised oxtail stew then turned the meat into croquettes. Such a lovely tender meat once cooked.

    Reply
  5. [email protected] says

    August 29, 2014 at 3:30 pm

    What a fantastic rich slow cooked dish to enjoy now that I feel the weather turning. I have a very good butcher near to me who I am sure sells oxtails and I have always wanted to cook them. I only wish I could find such a handsome pot to cook it in!

    Reply
    • Douglas Petersen says

      October 16, 2019 at 5:09 pm

      Bought mine on amazon

      Best Duty Cast Iron Potjie Pot Size 2 – Include complementary Lid Lifter Knob ($9.95 value)
      5.0 out of 5 stars 12
      $79.95$

      Its perfect

      Reply
  6. Rosa says

    August 29, 2014 at 4:27 pm

    A wonderful stew! So comforting and flavorful. I love “pot food”.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    Reply
  7. Rosana, Hot&Chilli Food and Travel Blog says

    August 29, 2014 at 5:10 pm

    This recipe is fabulous darling! Like Andrew, I wish I had taken a bowl back to Brixton Palace. Thanks for a fab day. Lots of Love. Rx

    Reply
  8. Sally - My Custard Pie says

    August 30, 2014 at 9:06 am

    My kind of food – whatever the weather. Love a good stew (whatever it’s called) – with those soft sweet carrots…..

    Reply
  9. Meeta says

    September 3, 2014 at 10:55 am

    I love stews be it tagine, cassoulet or balti when it’s cold out! This looks so comforting and perfect as we have had a few cooler days however I am still lingering a bit longer in summer 🙂 I’ve got to try this as the potje has been on my list to dos for ages!

    Reply
  10. Okkie says

    September 10, 2014 at 9:18 pm

    If you are interested in more check out potjiekosworld.com

    Reply
  11. swirlingflavors says

    September 22, 2014 at 6:59 am

    lekker 🙂

    Reply
  12. Tosin says

    April 22, 2015 at 12:47 pm

    It’s a long process but the end result is normally a tummy pleaser.

    Reply
  13. Barry says

    December 20, 2015 at 6:58 am

    Good day.

    I’m making an oxtail potjie with triple the amount of meat. Please advise wich other ingredients I should top up with and by how much.

    Thank you

    Reply
  14. derek weimer says

    April 3, 2016 at 8:07 am

    fantastic

    Reply
  15. Shaun says

    October 9, 2016 at 3:54 pm

    Thanks, great recipe 🙂

    Reply
  16. Michelle says

    March 10, 2017 at 3:44 pm

    I like this recipe gona try it

    Reply
  17. Liz says

    December 4, 2017 at 9:18 pm

    I tried the oxtail and it’s very delicious

    Reply
  18. lyndie says

    February 16, 2018 at 4:25 pm

    Hi There you have an awesome recipe. I need to ask you state 500g oxtail that is not enough to feed 8-10 people please check this for me. Many thanks Lyndie.

    Reply
  19. Kelly says

    September 4, 2018 at 6:45 pm

    Hi there! I used your recipe and won a potjie competition over the weekend. I had some minor changes though… I sauteed the mushrooms in butter and garlic before I added them because I didn’t get them in an hour before our deadline and I was worried they wouldn’t get done. I also added potatoes and prior to serving I removed the bouquet garni and added in some fresh thyme and sage from my garden. I also added in some shank to make it a bit meatier as the oxtail I had were rather small and lean….

    It was so good! Thank you so much for posting! I was the first American to win the annual competition at the South Africans in Colorado annual gathering. So cool!

    Reply
  20. Sakkie Naude says

    September 7, 2019 at 1:12 pm

    I am going to try your recepie

    Reply
  21. Ben says

    November 15, 2019 at 1:50 pm

    Adding some Hungarian paprika to this recipe works very well!

    Reply
  22. Richard Welter says

    February 9, 2020 at 10:51 pm

    My wife is from SA
    Brought a poitje #4 home 2 years ago
    We miss SA wine!!! Even living California
    Gonna give your recipe a shot today
    However, gonna line the poitje with the bacon and do it all in one shot
    Cheers!!

    Reply
    • Okkie says

      February 10, 2020 at 4:43 am

      Visit https://www.kwv.co.za/
      I am sure he will be able to assist you in getting wine.
      They have an good red “Roodeberg (red mountain) that is an good cooking and drinking wine

      Reply
  23. George says

    June 14, 2020 at 6:46 pm

    Probably my favourite potjie up until now.

    Following your food journey from now on.

    Thank you!

    George

    Reply
  24. Aj says

    December 10, 2020 at 7:28 pm

    hi there. I’ll be using this recipe on Saturday. I’m looking forward to something great.

    Reply
  25. DAVID ROBERT TWIST says

    August 18, 2021 at 10:45 am

    Great recipe will try this one thanks

    Reply
  26. Rene Matthew says

    June 15, 2022 at 11:58 pm

    Hi There,
    I’ a South African now living in Northern California. I manage to garner some oxtail from a local butcher and it’s waiting in the freezer! Yep, oxtail was a very cheap cut when I was growing up, but now, $$$ People have cottoned onto how delicious it is, and, of course, a cow only has one tail!
    Two Questions:
    In the Ingredients list you mention 115g tomato paste, yet the instructions mention tomato sauce. I assume it should read tomato paste?
    When to add the cream? When the mushrooms are added?
    Baie Dankie,
    Rene

    Reply
  27. Derek says

    December 20, 2022 at 1:41 am

    With missing the tastes of home, but not having a potjie, nor a braai, I decided to take on this recipe using a combo of stove-top and oven cooking. I did manage to secure a cast-iron “crock-pot”.

    It. Was. Heaven!

    So rich, and flavourful, my wife and I couldn’t stop eating more! I will gladly use this recipe again and again!

    Reply
  28. Dave says

    December 23, 2022 at 7:18 am

    Thanks for posting this – this is an excellent recipe, did it in the potjie last night and it worked perfectly (with double the amount of meat – for a main with mashed potatoes)!

    Reply
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Jeanne Horak is a freelance food and travel writer; recipe developer and photographer. South African by birth and Londoner by choice, Jeanne has been writing about food and travel on Cooksister since 2004. She is a popular speaker on food photography and writing has also contributed articles, recipes and photos to a number of online and print publications. Jeanne has also worked with a number of destination marketers to promote their city or region. Please get in touch to work with her Read More…

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