Oxtail is one of those beautiful old-school cuts that rewards proper cooking. It is rich, gelatinous, full of flavour and perfect for slow-style cooking — but with the Ninja pressure cooker, we can bring that tenderness to the table in much less time.
For this Chef’s Table recipe, we build flavour in layers. The oxtail is marinated first with Moroccan spice, then sealed to develop colour and depth. The remaining spice is sautéed with onion to release its fragrance before the veal stock, lemon, coriander and pressure cooking do their work.
The finished oxtail is served with chickpeas, fresh coriander, lemon and Drunken Sailor Almond Dukkah.
To complete the plate, serve with Moroccan Pearl Couscous and Roasted Baby Carrots. These are available as separate Kitchen Confidence “A Bit on the Side” recipe sheets and videos.
Ninja Pressure Cooker & Saute mode - One Pot cooking
To be confirmed with our partners at Ballandean Estate Wines.
1.5 kg oxtail
2 tablespoons Spice Lab Moroccan Magic
1 brown onion, diced
500 ml Bone Roasters Veal Stock
½ bunch fresh coriander
1 can chickpeas, drained
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon Drunken Sailor Almond Dukkah
To garnish:
Extra chopped coriander
Lemon wedges
To serve:
Moroccan Pearl Couscous — see separate Kitchen Confidence “A Bit on the Side” recipe
Roasted Baby Carrots — see separate Kitchen Confidence “A Bit on the Side” recipe
Place the oxtail into a bowl with 1 tablespoon of Spice Lab Moroccan Magic.
Mix well so the oxtail is evenly coated, then cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours to marinate.
When ready to cook, set the Ninja to Sauté mode.
Seal the marinated oxtail well on all sides. Once browned, remove from the pot and set aside.
Add the diced onion to the pot with the remaining 1 tablespoon of Spice Lab Moroccan Magic.
Sauté the onion and spice together until the onion has softened and the spice becomes fragrant. This helps develop a deeper Moroccan flavour through the base of the sauce.
Return the oxtail to the Ninja pot.
Add the Bone Roasters Veal Stock, lemon juice, lemon zest and half of the coriander, roughly chopped.
Place the lid on the Ninja and set to Pressure Cooker mode for 1 hour.
Release the pressure safely according to your Ninja instructions.
Check the oxtail for tenderness. The meat should be soft and starting to come away from the bone. If it needs more time, return to pressure cooker mode for another 10–15 minutes.
Once tender, carefully remove the oxtail from the pot, cover and keep warm.
Add the drained chickpeas to the sauce.
Return the Ninja to Sauté mode and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly and becomes rich and glossy.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if required.
Place the Moroccan Pearl Couscous in the centre of the plate.
Arrange the oxtail on or beside the couscous.
Add the Roasted Baby Carrots.
Spoon the chickpea and Moroccan sauce generously over the oxtail.
Garnish with chopped coriander, Drunken Sailor Almond Dukkah and a wedge of lemon.
For a deeper flavour, mix 1 tablespoon of Moroccan Magic through the oxtail and allow it to marinate in the fridge for a couple of hours before cooking.
Add the remaining spice mix with the onion during the sauté stage. Cooking the spice with the onion helps release the aromatics and gives the sauce more depth before pressure cooking.
Do not rush the oxtail. It is ready when the meat is tender and starting to come away from the bone. If it still feels firm after the first hour, give it a little more time.
Add the chickpeas at the end rather than at the beginning. This keeps their texture and prevents them from becoming too soft during pressure cooking.
The almond dukkah is more than a garnish. It adds crunch, nuttiness and seasoning to balance the richness of the oxtail.
Spice Lab Moroccan Magic
Bone Roasters Veal Stock
Drunken Sailor Almond Dukkah
Pressure cooking is a wonderful tool, but flavour still needs to be built before the lid goes on.
In this recipe, we build flavour through marinating, sealing the meat, sautéing the onion, cooking the spice to release its fragrance, and finishing the sauce properly at the end.
The Ninja does the heavy lifting when it comes to tenderness, but the flavour comes from the steps we take before and after pressure cooking.
That is the difference between simply cooking something quickly and cooking something well.
This is an excellent make-ahead dish.
The oxtail can be cooked the day before, cooled and refrigerated. Like many braised-style dishes, the flavour will continue to develop overnight.
Reheat gently, then add the chickpeas and reduce the sauce before serving.
You can still make this dish using a heavy-based pot or casserole dish.
Seal the oxtail, sauté the onion and spice, then add the stock, lemon, zest and coriander. Cover and cook gently in the oven or on the stovetop until tender.
Allow approximately 3 to 4 hours, depending on the size of the oxtail pieces.
The same rule applies: it is ready when the meat is tender and starting to come away from the bone.
Oxtail is one of those cuts that reminds us why good cooking is about flavour, patience and knowing how to get the best from an ingredient.
With Moroccan spice, lemon, coriander, chickpeas and almond dukkah, this dish brings richness, freshness and texture together beautifully.
Serve it with pearl couscous and roasted baby carrots for a complete Chef’s Table meal.
Chef Ian