There’s something deeply comforting about a pot of oxtail gently bubbling away on the stove – the kind of meal that turns a house into a home.
This apricot and tomato oxtail stew leans into that nostalgia, but with a bright, slightly unexpected twist. Sweet, sun-ripened apricots melt into a rich tomato base, creating a sauce that’s both tangy and subtly fruity, perfectly balancing the deep, slow-cooked flavour of the meat.
As the oxtail softens to that irresistible, fall-off-the-bone tenderness, the sauce thickens into a glossy, flavour-packed hug of a dish. It’s the kind of recipe that rewards patience – and fills your kitchen with the kind of aroma that makes everyone wander in, asking, “Is it ready yet?”
Serve it piled high over creamy mash or alongside crusty bread to soak up every last drop. It’s unfussy, generous, and just a little bit special – exactly the sort of dish you’ll want to linger over, preferably with good company and a second helping.
Apricot and tomato oxtail stew
Ingredients
- 30ml (2 tbsp) canola oil
- 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks, finely sliced
- 1kg oxtail
- 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
- 250ml (1 cup) rosé
- 250ml (1 cup) beef stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 200g cherry tomatoes
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 200g Turkish dried apricots
- gremolata, to garnish (see Cook’s tip)
- cooked rice, to serve (optional)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 140°C.
Heat half of the oil in a large casserole pot over medium heat, and sauté the onion and garlic until soft and translucent. Add the carrots and celery and fry for a further 5 minutes. Remove from pot and set aside.
Heat the other half of the oil in the same pot over high heat and brown the meat on both sides.
Return the vegetables to the pot with the meat, add the chopped tomatoes, rosé, beef stock, bay leaf and cherry tomatoes, season to taste and place in the preheated oven to braise, 3 hours.
Remove from oven, stir in the dried apricots and return to the oven to braise for a further 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Season to taste, sprinkle over the gremolata and serve with rice, if desired.
Notes
To make a gremolata, mix together the zest of 1 lemon and a small handful of finely chopped fresh parsley.
