Ingredients

Method

• 2 T oil
• 50 g butter
• 1.5 kg oxtail
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Flour, for dusting
• 8 carrots, peeled
• 1 bunch celery
• 6 shallots, roughly chopped
• 8 cloves garlic, sliced
• 4 fresh bay leaves
• 6 cloves
• 1 litre good-quality beef stock
• 1 cup Muscadel
• 500 g pastry
• 1 free-range egg yolk

Method

Ingredients

Preheat the oven to 160°C.
Place 1 T oil and the butter in a hot, large, thick-bottomed saucepan. Dust the oxtail with seasoned flour and brown in the saucepan for 5 minutes or so. Remove and set aside.

Turn down the heat to medium low before adding the carrot, celery, shallot and remaining oil. Leave to sweat slowly until softened, about 10 minutes.
Add the garlic, bay leaves, cloves, beef stock and Muscadel, and season to taste.

Place the saucepan on a baking tray, or transfer the oxtail to an ovenproof dish, and cover with a lid and some tinfoil.
Place in the oven and slowly roast for 2½ to 3 hours, until the oxtail is caramelised and tender.

Roll out the pastry on a floured surface until 3 cm thick. Drape over the oxtail to cover the saucepan or dish.
Beat the egg yolk, adding a drop of milk to dilute if necessary, then lightly brush the pastry with the egg mixture. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden and crisp.
Click here for our perfect shortcrust pastry recipe for this dish.