Oxtail Potjie for a Long Weekend

Oxtail Potjie for a Long Weekend

A potjie is not a stew you rush. It is a commitment, a fire, and a long afternoon of pretending you are not checking it every twenty minutes.

Oxtail is the cut that rewards all that patience. Three hours over gentle coals and it turns into something people talk about for weeks.

What you need

  • 1kg beef oxtail (two 500g packs)
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 2 sticks celery, chopped
  • 4 carrots, cut into big chunks
  • 4 potatoes, quartered
  • 2 cups beef stock
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Salt, pepper, and a splash of red wine if the cook has not finished it

How to make it

  1. Get your potjie hot over the coals and brown the oxtail in batches. Do not crowd the pot.
  2. Add the onions and celery and let them soften in the oxtail fat.
  3. Return the meat, pour in the stock (and wine), add bay leaves, and put the lid on.
  4. Keep the coals gentle and let it bubble quietly for about 3 hours. Resist lifting the lid more than necessary.
  5. Add the carrots and potatoes for the last hour, checking there is still enough liquid.
  6. The meat should be falling off the bone. Serve over rice or with pot bread to mop up the gravy.

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