Fabulous Oxtail

Ingredients

• 3 oxtails
• 3 carrots
• 3 medium-size onions
• 3 stalks celery
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 6 tablespoons plum jam
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 cups beef stock
• 2 cups red wine
• salt & pepper

Directions

1. 1

   Trim fat from the ox tails and cut into sections between the joints.

2. 2

   Peel the carrots and onions, trim the celery and cut into even-sized pieces about. Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan and brown the oxtail well on all sides.

3. 3

   Transfer the meat to a large casserole. Add the vegetables to the pan and toss regularly until they are well browned.

4. 4

   Add the flour and cook for 2 - 3 minutes until flour begins to brown lightly.

5. 5

   Add the plum jam, vinegar, sugar, beef stock, red wine and bouquet garni and stir well to make a smooth mixture. Bring to the boil and then pour over the oxtail.

6. 6

   Cover and cook at 150 C for 3 hours until the meat is very tender and falling off the bone. Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper if needed.

7. 7

   (Don't forget to remove the bouquet garni.) If possible, leave the casserole to stand overnight to allow the fat to rise and set. Skim off fat and re-heat. Serve with creamy mashed potatoes with chopped parsley.

8. 8

   NOTE:-If the sauce needs to be thicker mix an extra tablespoon of flour with 2 tablespoons butter and stir into the casserole bit by bit 5 minutes before serving.

9. 9

   Cheers, Doreen Doreen Randal, Wanganui.

10. 10

    New Zealand.