Oxtail with Guinness, Mushrooms and Soda Bread

Preheat the oven to 140°C fan bake.

Put the flour in a large bowl and season generously with salt and pepper. Toss the oxtail to coat then shake off the excess flour. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan and brown the oxtail, in batches, on all sides, adding more oil as needed. Transfer to a large, ovenproof baking dish as they are browned.

Add the mushrooms to the saucepan with the onions. Season well and add a splash of water if the pan is too dry. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the tomato paste, mustard, sugar and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the beer and scrape the bottom of the pan with a spoon to release any lovely sticky bits stuck on the bottom.

Pour the contents of the pan over the oxtail. Cover with baking paper then with a tight-fitting lid or foil. Braise for about 3 hours turning the oxtail every hour, or until very tender.

To serve: Transfer to a large bowl, sprinkle with the parsley and serve with the loaf of warm soda bread, if desired.  

Serving option: Stir together ⅓ cup each sour cream and horseradish sauce. Season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Soda Bread

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake.

Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Using your fingertips, rub in the butter until it resembles fine crumbs. Add 400ml of the buttermilk and quickly mix to a soft dough, adding more buttermilk, if necessary, to bring the dough together.

Tip on to a floured bench and shape into a rough round. Transfer to a lined baking tray and make a deep cut crosswise in the top. Brush with a little milk and sprinkle with the oats.

Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a golden brown and the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. For a soft crust, wrap the hot loaf in a clean tea towel.

Serve warm with lashings of butter. Makes 1 loaf