Potjies, are traditionally cooked over hot coals, using good quality ingredients. This Potjie is no different, except for the hot coals. Here we have taken delicious cuts of oxtail, slow braised them in the oven, in a rich tomato sauce. Then topped it all, with herb roasted cherry tomatoes and served it up, with heaps of fluffy mashed potatoes.
2 kg oxtail joints
4 tbsp flour
4 cloves garlic finely chopped
2 onions roughly chopped
3 celery stalks sliced
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tin cherry tomatoes
1 cup tomato purée
600 ml pomegranate juice
400 ml beef stock
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
4 medium size carrots cut into rounds
4 large potatoes peeled and cubed
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
Freshly ground salt and pepper
250 g cherry tomatoes roasted in the oven
Place a large, flat based potjie pot onto the stove and heat.
Put the flour and freshly ground salt and pepper in a large bowl.
Coat the joints of oxtail with the flour mixture.
Pour the olive oil into the heated pot and brown the flour coated oxtail, evenly on all sides.
Remove the browned oxtail pieces and set aside.
Add the chopped onions, garlic, celery and carrots, stirring all the ingredients around, for a minute or two.
Add the browned oxtail joints, beef stock, juice, Worcestershire sauce, tinned cherry tomatoes, tomato purée, fresh thyme and cinnamon.
Season well with freshly ground salt and pepper, then place the potjie lid on and cook in a pre heated, 160 degree C oven, for about 3 hours.
