African Spicy Oxtail Stew
African spicy oxtail stew with a rich, spicy sauce smothering fall-off-the-bone tender oxtail meat is ready to whet your appetite. Amazingly delicious whether paired with rice, plantains, or yams. Insanely mouthwatering!
Last weekend was very hectic for me: I attended a super fun workshop and took my son to Disneyland. Very little energy and a big appetite were the results. I love to cook, but grocery shopping, not so much.
So I turned to my pantry and fridge to see if I could whip up something simple yet delicious. African stew was the obvious choice because it’s an easy recipe to make, and the ingredients were already in my kitchen. And because I was in a hurry, I used my Instant Pot to speed it up.
What Makes it a Stew
Stews are quite different from soups in Africa, as they are in most places. They require longer cooking time over medium heat for that classic thickness, and always have a strong tomato presence. Tomato sauce, paste, puree, or a combination of all provides the flavor base. You can make it with whatever protein you have on hand: meat, fish, chicken, or you can even make it vegan (vegetable broth and mushrooms in stew are tasty and filling).
The variations of stews are as numerous as the cooks in Africa, each with its unique flavor. Slow cooking is key to concentrating the tomatoes’ flavor and that signature tang. Just simmer the meat or protein until tender, add the base, and simmer it until thick and satisfying. It’s also a great time to clean the fridge and use those vegetables that are on the edge. Of course, you can clean out the freezer, too.
Why Oxtails Are Perfect for Stews
In this recipe, I use tomatoes, onions, bell pepper, fresh thyme, and curry powder for seasonings. But the best part is my favorite tough cut of meat, oxtails. Although they are overlooked by many, it’s such a flavorful cut of beef that I usually have a couple of pounds in my freezer. Slow cooking (or speeding up the process in an Instant Pot) brings out the best of this high-collagen, high-fat cut. It renders the fat for easy removal and softens the collagen for fork-tender stew.
How to Make African Spicy Oxtail Stew
- Season the oxtails with salt and pepper, then simmer them with half of the chopped onions in a medium pot until tender (2-3 hours). I used a pressure cooker to shorten the process (40 minutes). Reserve the broth for later. Skim off the fat layer if desired. (Photo 1)
- Sear – Heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in the pot and fry the oxtail for about 5 minutes. You could also use the fat from cooking the oxtails. (Photo 2)
- Sauté – Then, add in the rest of the onion and chopped garlic, and continue frying for another minute or two. Be careful not to let the garlic burn. (Photo 3)
- Flavor – Next, add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, curry, and fresh thyme. Stir frequently to prevent the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pot. (Photo 4)
- Stew – Add about 2 cups of the reserved broth and season with salt and bouillon to taste. Bring to a boil and let it simmer for 30-40 minutes. Stir occasionally, adding water as needed. (Photos 5-6)
- Serve – Finally, add the green onions and bell pepper. Adjust seasoning with salt, and the soup consistency with broth if desired. Enjoy. (Photos 7-8)
Recipe Notes
- After boiling the meat, a thin layer of oil will rise to the top. You can remove it with a spoon, or better yet, cook it a day in advance, pour off the broth, refrigerate it, then gently remove the layer of fat. It makes a good replacement for lard, so I save it in a jar for cooking.
- Some people remove the meat from the bones, but it’s fun sucking and nibbling them. So it stays on.
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
Tomato-based stews usually taste even better the next day. And they freeze well, so make a double batch and freeze half of it for a crazy easy midweek meal.
Leftovers last 4-5 days in the fridge and up to 6 months in the freezer. You could remove the meat from the bones and use the meat for African-Mexican tacos.
Menu Suggestions for African Stews
This soup is delicious with all kinds of starches like rice, plantains, and yams. If you want more veggies, okra and spinach are delicious.
More Spicy African Stew Recipes
This blog post was originally published in February 2013 and has been updated with additional tips and beautiful photos
African Spicy Oxtail Stew
Ingredients
- 4 pounds (1.8kg) oxtails
- 1 medium onion, chopped (divided)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons (30g) tomato paste
- 1 sprig thyme (or 1 teaspoon thyme leaves)
- 1 teaspoon (2-3g) curry powder
- 1 green bell pepper
- 2 green onions
- 1 tablespoon (10-11g) Maggi or bouillon powder
- 1 habenaro pepper (optional)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Season the oxtails with salt and pepper, then simmer them with half of the chopped onions in a medium pot until tender (2-3 hours). I used a pressure cooker to shorten the process (40 minutes). Reserve the broth for later. Skim off the fat layer if desired.
- Add a couple of tablespoons of oil to the pot and fry the oxtail for about 5 minutes. You could also use the fat from cooking the oxtails.
- Then, add in the rest of the onion and chopped garlic, and continue frying for another minute or two. Be careful not to let the garlic burn.
- Next, add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, curry, and fresh thyme. Stir frequently to prevent the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Add about 2 cups of the reserved broth and season with salt and bouillon to taste. Bring to a boil and let it simmer for 30-40 minutes. Stir occasionally, adding water as needed.
- Finally, add the green onions and bell pepper. Adjust seasoning with salt, and the soup consistency with broth if desired.
- Serve hot with the desired side dish.
Tips & Notes:
- Oxtail bones are loaded with collagen, so save them for stock.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
