African Spicy Oxtail Stew – rich, flavorful, spicy stew with fall-off the bones tender oxtail meat that is ready to wet your appetite. Best paired with rice, plantains, and yams. Insanely delicious!
This weekend was a very hectic one for me – attended a super fun workshop, took my son to Disneyland and was left with very little energy and big appetite. I love to cook, grocery shopping…. not so much. So I turned to my overflowing pantry and fridge, to see if I can whip up something simple yet delicious. African stew is an obvious choice because it is an easy recipe to make and the ingredients are already in your pantry and fridge
African stews have a clear distinction from “soups” in Africa. They are thick require a longer cooking time over medium heat and always have a strong tomato presence – tomato sauce, paste, puree or combination of both or all . It is made with meat, fish, chicken or vegetarian. Though I have not come across any vegetarian stew, some people make it without protein.
There are many variations of stew, as there are cooks in Africa each with its own unique flavor or blend. The meat or protein is boiled until tender, and then simmered slowly for two main reasons; to bring out the flavors in the tomatoes and reduce the signature tang found in tomatoes sauce. A good African stew is one that has been stripped off its tang or acidic taste.
In this recipe, I use tomatoes, onions, bell pepper, fresh thyme, curry powder and my favorite tough cut of meat- oxtail. Although, they are overlooked by everyone, it is such a flavorful cut of meat. After boiling the meat, you will have a thin layer of oil that will come to the top of the stock. You can use a spoon to remove the thin layer of fatty oil, or better yet boil the oxtail a day in advance, refrigerate gently remove the layer of fat.
Most people cook their meat until it falls off the bone. To me, sucking and nibbling the bones is part of the fun of eating oxtail. So it stays on.
This soup is delicious with all kinds of starches like rice, plantains, and yams.
African Spicy Oxtail Stew
Ingredients
- 4 pound or (1.8 kg) oxtail
- 1 medium onion chopped (divided)
- 2 clove garlic minced
- 8 ounce or (1 can) tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 sprig thyme (or 1 teaspoon thyme)
- 1 teaspoon curry
- 1 green bell pepper
- 2 green onions
- 1 maggi (or 1 tablespoon bouillon powder)
- 1 habenara pepper optional
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Boil oxtail with salt, pepper and some chopped onions in a medium pot until tender. It will take approximately 40 to 45 minutes. I used pressure cooker to shorten the process. Reserve the stock for later use. Remove fatty oil if desired
- Add ½ cup oil to the pot/pan and fry the oxtail for about 5 minutes.
- Then, add in the rest of the onion and chopped garlic,continue frying the meat 1- 2 minutes. Be careful not to let the garlic burn
- Next add tomato sauce, tomato paste, curry and fresh thyme . Stir the pot frequently to prevent the sauce from sticking to the pot
- Add in about 2 cups of reserved stock and season with salt and bouillon to taste. Bring to a boil and let it simmer for about 30-40 minutes. Stir occasionally adding water as needed.
- Finally add in green onions and green pepper. Adjust seasoning, soup consistency with water/stock and salt.
- Serve warm with desired side dish.
Nutrition Information:
safhrana bhikam says
hi i love your recipes.
how long do you pressure the oxtail for?
thank you
Imma says
I halve the time in the pressure cooker. So it would be 20 minutes in the pressure cooker before continuing with the recipe.
If you really want to save time, sear the oxtail (optional), sauté the onion and garlic, then add all the ingredients to the pressure cooker with ½-¾ cup beef broth or dry red wine. Pressure cook it for about 45 minutes, then do a natural pressure release for 15-20 minutes. Please let me know how it goes.
LaTosha says
I tried the recipe on Wednesday and I have just finished the last of it today!! It was delicious. I appreciate you posting this recipe. I added some frozen spinach to mine as well. Thank you so much!!
Imma says
Thank you:) There’s more to come, so stay tuned
Mutsa Mandizha says
I tried recipe this evening and it was delicious!! Thank you so much!
Imma says
Thank you soo much! Would love to hear from you for other recipes too:) Go ahead and try them I am sure you would love them too.
Danielle says
Looks awesome — how long do you pressure cook it for? Same as boiling time?
Imma says
I cooked it in the instant pot for 40 minutes. If I simmer it in a regular pot, it takes about 3 hours (at high altitude 4-5 hours). Hope that helps.
Rainy says
Love West African Foods
Amina says
Sounds Great, we have a lot of recipes for this category. Try those and share your experience as well.
Racquel says
When is the best time to add the habanero pepper, if I choose to use it?
imma africanbites says
Hi Racquel. You may add the pepper before simmering it or on the last 10-15 minutes of cooking, depending on your preference.
Jordan Peal says
This recipe was delicious ! I wish I could post my picture!! I made it with fufu and rice and everybody loved!!! Everybody should try this can’t wait to try more of your recipes
Immaculate Bites says
Yay! Glad to know everybody loved it, Jordan! Thank you for sharing this recipe 🙂 Don’t forget to make some yummy dessert, too. You can take your pick from my list of 25 Insanely Good Summer Desserts. Enjoy!
Jane says
Hi, Sweet of you to have this blog. I’ve never seen a set of photos such as you posted showing the stew as it takes in the vegetable additions, as I as the cook would see it. I’ve streamed enough cooking videos; I’ve never seen as involving a way of showing as you’ve done. Brava! Be well.
Irritated ASF says
I’m so irritated I went and bought all this Shi* and the recipe says CANNED TOMATOS NOT NO DA** TOMATO SAUCE! And now all the stores are closed and I’m looking silly with tomato’s in my oxtail stew… from 5 stars to 1. Pissed
Immaculate Bites says
Hi! I’m sorry, ‘irritated asf’, I have corrected the list of ingredients to say canned tomato SAUCE. Alternatively, no need to look ‘silly’ because you can still use your canned tomatoes. Just drain the canned tomatoes, slice and add it during sauteeing. Then continue with the rest of the instructions.
Immaculate Bites says
Thank you for your kind words, Jane!
C says
Thank you so much. So you ever add red bell peppa too?
imma africanbites says
Yes, you can use red bell pepper, too.
Dconcept.info says
Hello everyone, it’s my first go to see at this website, andd post is truly fruitful in support of me, keep up posting these articles or reviews.
imma africanbites says
Welcome aboard! =)
Lilly Rose says
I just made this! Amazing and delicious! Thank you! I added a little bit of pepper to mine as well. Other than that it’s was perfect. Thank you. 🙂
imma africanbites says
Thank you for trying it out. Glad it turned out well for you.
Sheila says
I love love the recipe. It’s the reason I buy ox-tail. It’s awesome. Thanks for this great recipe
ImmaculateBites says
My pleasures shella! So happy to hear it’s a hit.
maku says
thank you it was so good i loved it !
ImmaculateBites says
Great! Thanks for the feedback!
Devoshia Norman says
I just made this I hope it comes out well
ImmaculateBites says
It sure will. It never fails .
kevin says
Hi, how much water do i need to boil the oxtail.
Thanks, kevin.
Peter says
Fantastic! I got 4.4 lbs of oxtail last Sunday at Costco and was casting about the internet trying to figure out what to do with it. This worked out wonderfully for the dinner party I had last night. I simmered it for 3.5 hours and the meat was incredibly tender and the homemade curry powder of cumin, coriander, star anise, fenugreek, white pepper, ginger, and turmeric added a complex spice! thanks
Kelsey says
Very delicious. My kids kept asking for more. Didn’t have oxtail so I used red meat and it came out very tasty as well. You have made cooking becomes very easy. I don’t have to use my blender that much. Thank you.