Traditional Karoo Oxtail Potjie with Rich Red Wine & Dried Peaches

Ingredients

• 2 kg Oxtail, cut into joints (Butchery)
• 3 tbsp Cake Flour (Pantry)
• 2 tsp Coarse Sea Salt (Pantry)
• 1 tsp Black Pepper (Pantry)
• 45 ml Sunflower Oil (Pantry)
• 2 units Large Onions, chopped (Produce)
• 4 cloves Garlic, minced (Produce)
• 3 sprigs Fresh Rosemary (Produce)
• 3 units Whole Cloves (Pantry)
• 2 units Allspice Berries (Pantry)
• 750 ml Cabernet Sauvignon Red Wine (Pantry)
• 500 ml Beef Stock (Pantry)
• 150 g Dried Peaches, halved (Pantry)
• 8 units Baby Potatoes, peeled (Produce)
• 4 units Carrots, sliced into thick chunks (Produce)
• 250 g Button Mushrooms (Produce)

Cooking Steps

1. Dredge and Season the Oxtail 15m

   In a large bowl, mix the cake flour, coarse sea salt, and black pepper. Coat each piece of oxtail thoroughly in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess. This dusting helps thicken the rich gravy later.

2. Sear the Meat to Lock in Flavor 20m

   Heat your three-legged cast-iron pot over medium-hot wood coals. Add the sunflower oil. Working in batches to avoid crowding the pot, sear the oxtail pieces until they have a deep, caramelized brown crust on all sides. Remove the meat and set aside.

3. Sauté Aromatics & Build the Liquid Base 15m

   To the hot oil and meat drippings, add the chopped onions, garlic, rosemary sprigs, cloves, and allspice. Sauté until the onions are soft and translucent. Pour in the bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon and the beef stock, scraping up any caramelized bits from the bottom of the pot. Return the seared oxtail back to the pot.

4. The Slow, Gentle Simmer 150m

   Scatter the dried peaches over the top of the meat. Cover with the lid and adjust your coals so the potjie simmers very gently—not boils. Do not stir! Let it bubble quietly for 2.5 hours, occasionally checking that there is enough liquid and replenishing with a splash of water or extra wine if necessary.

5. Layer the Root Vegetables 45m

   Without stirring the pot, carefully layer the baby potatoes and carrot chunks directly on top of the meat. Replace the lid, add a few fresh coals to the lid of the pot, and cook for 30 minutes. Then, pack the button mushrooms on top and cook for an additional 15 minutes until the vegetables are perfectly tender.

6. Thicken the Sauce and Serve 10m

   Just before serving, use a wooden spoon to gently stir the pot, merging the layers and letting the starch from the potatoes combine with the rich, wine-infused gravy. Let the pot sit open off the coals for 10 minutes to thicken slightly. Serve hot over traditional samp or creamy pap.