Italian Oxtail Stew

MUNCH RATING: 4/5

I haven’t eaten oxtail in years, but I remember my parents cooking it and the meat being really delicious. I cooked this Italian style stew in my Tefal 4-in-1 and it was really nice.

• Serves: 4-6 
• Cooking time: 9 hours 

Ingredients:

• 3 Tablespoons plain flour
• Salt and pepper
• 1.5kg/3lb 5oz oxtail pieces
• 1 Tablespoon oil
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar mixed with 150 ml water (or the equivalent amount of red or white wine would be good)
• 2 x 400g/14oz tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 beef OXO cube 

Directions:

1. Put the flour on a plate and season with salt and pepper.
2. Roll the oxtail pieces in the seasoned flour and shake off the excess.
3. Heat the oil in a large pan, then fry the oxtail pieces until brown all over. You will probably need to do this in batches. Set the browned oxtail aside.
4. In the same pan, fry the onions and garlic until the are just starting to soften and colour.
5. Add the white wine vinegar and the water and rapidly boil until it has reduced by half.
6. Add the tinned tomatoes and bring to the boil.
7. Crumble in the OXO cube.
8. Pour everything into the slow cooker and cook for at least 9 hours for tender meat (this is the maximum time you can set the Tefal to slow cook), but anything up to 12-15 hours would be even better.

COOK'S NOTES:

• Ideally I would cook this in advance and allow to cool so I could skim off the excess fat as oxtail is quite fatty and then reheat to serve. 
• Oven Cook: You can also cook this in the oven in a covered casserole dish for 5-6 hours on Gas mark 2/300°F/150°C/very low.