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Authentic Jamaican Oxtail Stew

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Authentic Jamaican Oxtail Stew features slow-cooked, fall-apart tender beef in a rich gravy seasoned with allspice, thyme, Scotch bonnet, aromatics, and Jamaican browning sauce. Creamy butter beans soak up the deeply savory Caribbean flavors for a hearty, comforting meal.

Ingredients

  • Beef oxtails, cut into pieces
  • Jamaican browning sauce
  • Soy sauce
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Fresh thyme
  • Ground allspice
  • Garlic cloves, minced
  • Fresh ginger, grated
  • Scallions, chopped
  • Yellow onion, chopped
  • Scotch bonnet pepper
  • Carrots, sliced
  • Bell pepper, chopped
  • Brown sugar
  • Tomato paste
  • Beef broth or stock
  • Butter beans, drained and rinsed
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • Neutral cooking oil

Instructions

  1. Pat the oxtails dry and place them in a large bowl. Season with Jamaican browning sauce, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, allspice, garlic, ginger, scallions, onion, salt, and black pepper.
  2. Massage the seasonings thoroughly into the meat. For deeper flavor, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
  3. Before cooking, remove the oxtails from the refrigerator and separate them from the larger pieces of onion and scallion, reserving the marinade and aromatics.
  4. Heat a small amount of neutral cooking oil in a heavy Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Brown the oxtails in batches until several sides develop a deep caramelized crust.
  5. Transfer the browned oxtails to a plate. Reduce the heat, add the reserved onions and aromatics, and cook briefly until fragrant.
  6. Stir in the tomato paste and brown sugar and cook for about 1 minute, then return the browned oxtails to the pot.
  7. Add enough beef broth or stock to mostly cover the oxtails. Add the carrots, bell pepper, additional thyme, and Scotch bonnet pepper.
  8. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for approximately 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
  9. Check the liquid periodically and add a little more beef broth or water as necessary. Maintain a gentle simmer so the meat slowly becomes tender.
  10. When the oxtails are fork-tender and beginning to pull easily from the bones, stir in the drained and rinsed butter beans.
  11. Simmer uncovered for another 15 to 20 minutes, allowing the butter beans to absorb the flavors and the cooking liquid to reduce into a rich gravy.
  12. Taste and adjust the salt, black pepper, and other seasonings as needed. Remove the whole Scotch bonnet pepper before serving.

Notes

  • Choose well-trimmed, meaty oxtails for the best balance of tender beef and rich gravy.
  • Marinating for 2 hours or overnight is optional but helps the seasonings penetrate the meat.
  • For less heat, leave the Scotch bonnet pepper whole and remove it before serving. Avoid cutting or piercing the pepper.
  • For a thicker gravy, simmer the stew uncovered toward the end of cooking until the liquid naturally reduces.
  • If the oxtail remains tough, continue gently cooking it until the connective tissue breaks down and the meat easily pulls from the bone.
  • Additional carrots, bell peppers, or potatoes can be added. Add potatoes later in the cooking process to prevent them from breaking apart.
  • Serve with Jamaican rice and peas, white rice, steamed cabbage, fried plantains, yam, or green banana.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
  • After chilling, solidified fat can be removed from the surface before reheating if desired.
  • Reheat gently in a covered saucepan with a splash of water or beef broth if the gravy is too thick. The stew can also be frozen in freezer-safe containers and thawed overnight in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://thefamilycooking.com/authentic-jamaican-oxtail-stew/