Authentic Jamaican Oxtail Stew

200 mins
Serves 6
https://www.butterbeready.com/jamaican-oxtail-stew/

Directions

  1. 1Add the oxtail pieces into a large bowl or gallon-sized ziplock bag.
  2. 2Add browning sauce, worcestershire, brown sugar, curry powder, allspice, paprika, salt/pepper- to taste, onion, garlic, ginger, and scallions to the oxtail.
  3. 3Use your hands to massage all the aromatics and spices into the oxtail pieces, ensuring they are thoroughly coated.
  4. 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.
  5. 5If marinating overnight, stir/massage the oxtail pieces at least once to ensure even flavor marination.
  6. 6Remove the oxtail pieces from the marinade mixture, shaking off excess onion/scallion bits, but do not discard the marinade.
  7. 7Set the oxtail aside on a large plate/platter.
  8. 8In a large heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
  9. 9Once the oil is shimmering, gently swirl the pot around to evenly coat the bottom.
  10. 10Add a few oxtail pieces into the pot, working in batches, careful not to overcrowd.
  11. 11Sear the oxtail on all sides until a deep brown crust appears, about 2-3 minutes on each side.
  12. 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.
  13. 13Set the browned oxtail aside and reduce the heat to medium.
  14. 14Add all the reserved marinade mixture into the same pot along with the tomato paste.
  15. 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.
  16. 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.
  17. 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.
  18. 18Gently stir everything together until well combined.
  19. 19Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pot with a lid.
  20. 20Allow the oxtail to stew for 2 – 2 1/2 hours, covered, until oxtail pieces are meltingly tender and falling apart.
  21. 21Empty the drained can of butter beans into the pot, gently stirring to combine.
  22. 22Let the butter beans cook in the oxtail stew for another 30 minutes until tender.
  23. 23Discard the herb stems, bay leaves, and scotch bonnet pepper from the pot.
  24. 24Skim any fat off the top of the liquid, as needed.
  25. 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.
  26. 26Taste and adjust with more salt/pepper, as desired.
  27. 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.