Cantonese-Style Oxtail and Lamb Stew | Chinese Comfort Food Recipe

Hi everybody! Welcome back to Cantonese Food Recipes!
I’m Andrew, and today I’ll be showing you how to make a delicious Cantonese-style oxtail and lamb stew — rich, flavorful, and comforting. Let’s get cooking!

🧂 Ingredients
For the meat:
1 pack oxtail (about 1.5 kg)
2 packs of lamb shanks (about 2 kg total)
1 pack mixed lamb pieces (with fatty cuts)

For boiling:
Water (enough to cover meat)
1 tsp salt (optional, for boiling)

For the stew:
5–6 large potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
2 large onions, chopped into thirds
1 tbsp crushed garlic (or 5 cloves fresh garlic)
1 slab Chinese brown sugar (or 80 g regular sugar)
½ jar (about 360 ml) crushed tomatoes
1–2 chopped chilies or 1 tsp chili relish (peri-peri or chili sauce)
½ bowl (about 100 ml) soy sauce
¼ bowl white vinegar (about 50 ml)
2 tbsp Chinese rice wine
¼ bowl dark soy sauce (for color)
3 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
2 cubes fermented red bean curd (with some of the sauce)
1.8 liters of hot water (adjust based on pot size)
White pepper, to taste

For thickening:
2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with cold water

🍳 Instructions
Step 1: Parboil the Meat
Add the oxtail and lamb to a large pot.
Cover with water and bring to a boil to remove impurities.
Boil for about 5–10 minutes, then drain and rinse the meat thoroughly.
Clean the pot and get ready for stewing.

Step 2: Start the Stew Base
Heat a large stew pot or wok on medium heat.
Add a drizzle of olive oil.
Add in the boiled meat and sprinkle with white pepper.
Stir to coat the meat and start browning slightly.

Step 3: Build the Flavor
Add in onions, garlic, and Chinese brown sugar.
Pour in crushed tomatoes and chili relish.
Add soy sauce, vinegar, Chinese rice wine, dark soy sauce, and oyster sauce.
Drizzle in sesame oil.
Add 2 cubes of fermented red bean curd with some of the sauce.
Stir everything together until well mixed and fragrant.

Step 4: Add Potatoes & Water
Layer the potatoes on top of the meat.
Pour in about 1.8 liters of hot water, or enough to cover the meat and potatoes.
Cover with a lid and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, reduce to medium heat and cook for 40–45 minutes.

Step 5: Continue Stewing
After 40 minutes, open the lid and mix the stew gently.
Keep the oxtail at the bottom since it takes longer to tenderize.
Lower to medium heat and cook for another 20 minutes.
Prepare your cornstarch slurry and pour it in.
Stir until the sauce thickens and coats the meat and potatoes.
Simmer on low heat for another 20 minutes until the stew is glossy, rich, and thick.

Step 6: Serve!
The stew should be thick, rich, and deeply flavorful.
Plate it up with some white rice or crusty bread.
Garnish with chopped green onions if you like.
Enjoy your Cantonese oxtail and lamb stew — tender, savory, slightly sweet, and full of comfort!

🍛 Cooking Tips
Don’t skip boiling the meat first — it removes the impurities and gives a cleaner broth.
You can use beef shank instead of lamb if preferred.
Adjust sweetness and saltiness to your liking before the final simmer.
For more richness, stew for an extra 30 minutes on low heat.