We had a neighbour years ago, Denise, who made the best oxtail stew I’ve ever eaten.
She never measured a thing, but I remember watching her brown the oxtail low and slow in the pan with a splash of olive oil before anything else went in. When we make ours now, it’s the one part I copied exactly — into a hot pot with a good glug of Wilson’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and don’t touch it until it’s properly dark underneath.
This is our version of it. Nobody ever got her actual recipe, so it’s rebuilt from memory — but it’s the one that gets requested every winter now.
Slow-Braised Oxtail Stew
Ingredients
Method
- 1 Season the oxtail generously with salt and pepper, then dust in the flour, shaking off any excess.
- 2 Heat half the Wilson's Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a large heavy-based pot over medium-high heat. Brown the oxtail in batches, 3-4 minutes per side, until deep golden. Set aside.
- 3 Add the remaining oil to the pot. Add the onions, carrots and celery, and cook for 8-10 minutes until softened.
- 4 Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add the tomato paste and cook for a further 2 minutes.
- 5 Return the oxtail to the pot. Add the chopped tomatoes, stock, wine, thyme, rosemary and bay leaves.
- 6 Bring to the boil, then reduce to the lowest simmer. Cover and cook for 3-3.5 hours (or in the oven at 160°C), stirring occasionally, until the meat is falling off the bone.
- 7 Skim off any excess fat, then stir in the Worcestershire sauce. Season to taste.
- 8 Remove the bay leaves and herb stems before serving. Scatter with chopped parsley.
Notes
We Use Wilson’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil
We reach for Wilson’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil for the browning stage. It holds up to the heat needed to build a proper crust on the oxtail without smoking out the kitchen or turning bitter, and because it’s the same oil used to soften the vegetables afterwards, all the colour left in the pot gets folded straight back into the stew instead of wasted with a pan change.
It’s also forgiving in a heavy pot — an even heat and enough body to stop the fond catching before you’ve had a chance to deglaze it.
Our Tips
Don’t rush the browning — give the oxtail a full ten minutes in the pot before touching it, in batches if your pot is small. A proper dark crust on the meat is doing more for the final flavour than any of the herbs.
Dredge lightly, not heavily — a thin dusting of flour helps the crust form and thickens the stew later. Too much and it turns pasty instead of silky.
Make it a day ahead — this stew is better on day two. Cool it fully before refrigerating, and the fat sets in one clean layer on top, ready to lift off before reheating.
Keep the simmer low — a rolling boil toughens oxtail instead of softening it. You want the gentlest bubble you can manage, for the full three hours.
Check the liquid level hourly — top up with a splash of stock or water if it’s looking dry. Oxtail needs to stay mostly submerged to render properly.
Skim before serving — a wide spoon along the surface lifts off the excess fat and leaves the sauce cleaner and richer at the same time.
How We Serve It
This one comes straight to the table in the pot it was cooked in — there’s no need to dress it up further. A wide bowl of stiff pap or samp on the side does the job of soaking up every bit of the sauce, and a plain mash works just as well if that’s what’s in the house.
Scatter over some chopped parsley if you have it, though nobody’s ever complained when we’ve forgotten. It’s a fork-and-spoon meal, best eaten slowly, with seconds expected.
More Ways to Use Wilson’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Once you’ve got a bottle of Wilson’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil in the kitchen, it doesn’t stop at Sunday stews.
Braai marinades — it’s the base that helps every marinade cling to the meat and tenderise it before the coals are even lit. See our braai marinade guide for the formula.
Pan-fried lamb chops — a hot pan and a generous glug gets a proper sear without overpowering the meat. Full method in our Greek lamb chops recipe.
Skewers and salsas — stirred through a fresh tomato and olive salsa, it carries the acidity and holds everything together. Try it in our Turkish kebabs with tomato and olive salsa.
Braai-side bread — a splash in the dough gives roosterkoek a softer crumb and a richer, golden crust. See our homemade roosterkoek recipe.
The Good Stuff
Wilson’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil is cold-pressed, with no heat used in extraction, so the flavour stays natural rather than processed. It’s suitable for vegan, vegetarian, halaal and kosher diets, and contains no animal-derived ingredients of any kind.
It holds up well to the pan-searing heat this recipe needs, which is the main thing to look for in an oil doing double duty — browning meat, then softening vegetables in the same pot.
Ways to Change It Up
Add a splash of red wine — in with the stock, it deepens the sauce without making it taste boozy once it’s cooked down.
Swap in butternut or sweet potato — added in the last 40 minutes, they hold their shape and add a natural sweetness against the richness of the meat.
Turn up the heat — a chopped fresh chilli or a teaspoon of smoked paprika added with the tomato paste gives it a warmer edge.
Make it a potjie — the same ingredients work well over coals in a cast-iron pot, layered rather than stirred, for a Sunday outdoors instead of at the stove.
Stretch the leftovers — shredded and stirred through pappardelle or a bowl of samp, day-old oxtail stew goes further than it looks like it will.
Questions You Might Have
Can I make this in a slow cooker?
Yes. Brown the oxtail and soften the vegetables on the stove first, then transfer everything to the slow cooker on low for 7-8 hours.
My stew looks watery after three hours — what went wrong?
It likely needs longer, not less liquid. Oxtail releases gelatine slowly, and the sauce thickens naturally as it reduces. Give it another 30-45 minutes uncovered.
Do I have to use wine?
No — extra beef stock works fine in its place. The wine adds depth but isn’t essential to the dish.
How long does it keep in the fridge?
Three to four days, covered. It also freezes well for up to three months.
Where can I buy Wilson’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil?
Online at oliveoil.co.za, and at leading retailers across South Africa.
Why brown the oxtail before adding liquid?
Browning builds flavour through caramelisation that plain simmering can’t replicate. It’s a step worth the extra ten minutes.
Ready to Make This?
Wilson’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil is available online and at leading retailers across South Africa.
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