Oxtail stew is the dish South Africans cook on cold Sundays, when there is time to let a heavy pot do its slow, patient work. The oxtail braises for hours in red wine and tomato until it is impossibly tender, its rich, gelatinous sauce turning silky and deep. It is often cooked as a potjie on the fire, but it is every bit as good on the stove.
Fall-off-the-bone meat in a glossy, wine-dark sauce
Hours of gentle simmering turn the oxtail into meltingly soft morsels that cling to the bone, while the sauce thickens into something dark, glossy, and full of flavor. Carrots soften in the rich gravy, and a spoonful of the sauce over pap or creamy mash is the definition of comfort. This is a dish for slow afternoons, and it rewards every minute of waiting.
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