Authentic Jamaican Oxtail Stew
Directions
- 1Add the oxtail pieces into a large bowl or gallon-sized ziplock bag.
- 2Add browning sauce, worcestershire, brown sugar, curry powder, allspice, paprika, salt/pepper- to taste, onion, garlic, ginger, and scallions to the oxtail.
- 3Use your hands to massage all the aromatics and spices into the oxtail pieces, ensuring they are thoroughly coated.
- 4Cover the bowl with a lid/plastic wrap or seal the ziplock bag and transfer to the refrigerator to marinate for at least 2 hours or, preferably, overnight.
- 5If marinating overnight, stir/massage the oxtail pieces at least once to ensure even flavor marination.
- 6Remove the oxtail pieces from the marinade mixture, shaking off excess onion/scallion bits, but do not discard the marinade.
- 7Set the oxtail aside on a large plate/platter.
- 8In a large heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
- 9Once the oil is shimmering, gently swirl the pot around to evenly coat the bottom.
- 10Add a few oxtail pieces into the pot, working in batches, careful not to overcrowd.
- 11Sear the oxtail on all sides until a deep brown crust appears, about 2-3 minutes on each side.
- 12Transfer the browned oxtail onto a clean, large plate/platter and repeat the process until all the oxtail pieces are browned, adding more oil between batches as needed.
- 13Set the browned oxtail aside and reduce the heat to medium.
- 14Add all the reserved marinade mixture into the same pot along with the tomato paste.
- 15Use a wooden utensil to sauté until lightly tender, scraping up any caramelized bits on the bottom of the pot and stirring the paste to coat the marinade, about 4-5 minutes.
- 16Add all browned oxtail pieces back into the pot, nestling them on top of the marinade mixture, along with any residual juices that have collected.
- 17Add the carrots, tomato sauce, bay leaves, scotch bonnet pepper, fresh thyme, and beef broth; the oxtail pieces should be almost completely submerged under the liquid.
- 18Gently stir everything together until well combined.
- 19Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pot with a lid.
- 20Allow the oxtail to stew for 2 – 2 1/2 hours, covered, until oxtail pieces are meltingly tender and falling apart.
- 21Empty the drained can of butter beans into the pot, gently stirring to combine.
- 22Let the butter beans cook in the oxtail stew for another 30 minutes until tender.
- 23Discard the herb stems, bay leaves, and scotch bonnet pepper from the pot.
- 24Skim any fat off the top of the liquid, as needed.
- 25If you'd like to thicken the stew gravy, place the pot over medium-high heat and cook, gently stirring, until the liquid reaches your desired consistency.
- 26Taste and adjust with more salt/pepper, as desired.
- 27Serve this Jamaican oxtail stew immediately, with side items like rice and peas and plantains.
Ingredients
- 4 lbs fresh beef oxtail, already cut into pieces
- 1 tablespoon browning sauce, I use the Grace brand
- 2 tablespoons worcestershire
- 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon Jamaican curry powder
- 1 teaspoon Jamaican ground allspice
- 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
- kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 medium white onion, chopped
- 6 cloves of garlic, minced, or 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger or ginger paste
- 4 scallions, chopped
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more as needed
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 medium carrots, chopped
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper, left whole- do not cut!
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 (14-ounce) can butter beans, liquid drained
Equipment
large bowlgallon-sized ziplock baglid/plastic wraplarge heavy-bottomed potdutch ovenwooden utensillarge plate/platterpressure cooker (Instant Pot) (optional)slow cooker (optional)
Tips
- For best results, marinate oxtail overnight, stirring/massaging at least once for even flavor.
- Do not discard the marinade after removing oxtail pieces; set it aside.
- When browning oxtail, work in batches to avoid overcrowding and ensure a deep brown crust.
- A cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch + 1 tablespoon water) can be used to thicken the stew gravy if desired, added after removing oxtails/vegetables.
- The recipe is versatile and can be made on the stovetop, in a slow cooker, or a pressure cooker.
- Cleaning the meat (oxtail) with water, vinegar, and lemon/lime juice for 5-7 minutes before rinsing and patting dry is optional but recommended by West Indian tradition to remove impurities.
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