Introduction
Method
- Preheat your oven to 135°C for fan assisted or 145°C for ovens without a fan.
- Next choose a suitable sized ovenproof casserole with a tight-fitting lid
- Season the meat just prior to colouring with good quality sea salt
- Make a mirepoix by roughly chopping equal amounts of onion, carrot and celery (or our preferred choice of celeriac, the root of the celery) plus the spices and the garlic cloves
- Take a large, heavy-based frying pan, and add a few drops pomace or vegetable oil & fry the oxtails and pancetta on all sides then transfer to the casserole dish adding the prunes at this stage
- Next fry the mirepoix until lightly coloured
- Add red wine, reduce by two thirds then add tomato puree and 500 ml of essential cuisine beef stock and reduce a little, thicken with a tablespoon corn flour mixed with a little cold water and stirred into the boiling broth
- Pour the sauce over the oxtail and vegetables then cover with a tight-fitting lid
- Place in the centre of the oven and cook for approximately 3 and a half to 4 hours, the meat should be tender when pierced with a meat fork and come clean away from the bone
- Remove from oven
- Pass off the juices through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan and reduce to a glossy finish then pour back over the meat, bacon, vegetables and prunes ready to serve
