Jamaican Oxtail Stew Recipe is out-of-this-world delicious oxtails braised with butter beans in a flavorful gravy. Spiced up with allspice, thyme, paprika, Scotch bonnet pepper, curry powder, and browning sauce for fall-off-the-bone tender goodness. A must-have on your fall and winter rotation!
If there is one all-out famous favorite Jamaican dish, this Jamaican oxtail stew with butter beans surely bags the top spot. Most people, including myself, truly love this exquisite dish. In fact, it has gotten me in trouble plenty of times.
I used to work not too far from a Jamaican restaurant and would order it 3-4 times a week. It wasn’t good for my wallet or my waistline, but my belly was purring with pure joy!
What Is Oxtail Stew?
I know in the U.S., oxtails don’t get as much love as other cuts of meat, but they should. So put Jamaican-style oxtail stew on your bucket list and try it at least once. Furthermore, it’s so finger-licking good you’ll want to nibble the bone and beat yourself up for not trying it sooner.
Getting to the nitty-gritty—oxtails are cows’ tails. The butcher usually cuts them into sections for easier handling. And oxtail is good for you because it has lots of marrow and collagen, making it great for soups, stocks, and braises.
Oxtail used to be a staple for underprivileged families due to its high fat, longer cooking time, and low price. But as the years passed, it became a gourmet dish, and prices skyrocketed. So I usually stock up on them if they’re on sale.
What Goes in Jamaican Oxtail Stew
Just two words sum up this oxtail recipe – soul-satisfying! It has become an indisputable favorite for many of my readers and me. In fact, it is one of the most raved recipes here on the blog. If you’re still on the fence, please take the time to read the lovely reviews below, and you’ll see what I’m talking about.
- Oxtails – If the star of this show isn’t in your local supermarket (try asking someone in the meat department), check out an ethnic market or your local butcher at a specialty meat shop. Beef neck bones or shank is the next best option.
- Seasonings – Onion, garlic, thyme, smoked paprika, ketchup or tomato paste, Scotch bonnet pepper or habanero, allspice, Worcestershire sauce, and homemade curry powder all contribute to a super delicious flavor explosion. Feel free to adjust these beauties to your taste. You can even leave out the hot ones for a kid-friendly version.
- Butter Beans – Also called lima beans, they’re soft and melt-in-your-mouth for a soul-satisfying crowd-pleaser. You can swap them out with any large white beans, like cannellini or Great Northern beans.
- Browning Sauce – This optional ingredient is a color enhancer. It’s basically browned sugar, so it balances any tartness leftover from the tomato paste and adds the gorgeous chocolate brown color. Leave it out if you’re avoiding sugar.
How to Make Jamaican Oxtail Stew
- Rub the oxtail with salt and pepper, and set aside. In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat until hot, and then saute the oxtail, frequently stirring while scraping any browned bits off the bottom until the oxtail pieces are browned. If desired, drain the oil, leaving 2-3 tablespoons. (Photos 1-2)
- Seasonings – Add onions, green onions, garlic, thyme, allspice, Worcestershire sauce, and smoked paprika, then stir for about a minute. Throw in the Scotch bonnet pepper, tomato paste, bouillon, and curry powder, and stir for another minute. (Photos 3-4)
- Pour in Water – Then add about 4-6 cups of water; it’s best to start with 4 cups, then add as needed. (Photo 5)
- Cook it Low and Slow – Bring to a boil and simmer until tender (depending on the oxtail size) for about 2-3 hours (4-5 hours at high altitude), occasionally stirring so it doesn’t stick to the pan.
- Add the Beans – About 20-30 minutes before removing it from the heat, add the broad beans. Adjust the thickness with water or stock. (Photo 6)
- Final Touch – Simmer for 20-30 minutes, and adjust salt to taste.
Recipe Variations
- More Veggies Please – Want some extra veggies in this braised oxtail? Some readers have added carrots, Irish potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, mushrooms, mustard green (last 20 minutes of cooking), and stewed tomatoes (with the broad bean).
- Jamaican Chicken Stew – To replace beef with chicken, reduce cooking time to half an hour. Then add the broad beans and cook for another half hour.
Tips and Tricks
- I like these guys with something to bite into and love nibbling the bones – a cultural thing. However, you can ask the butcher to cut them into medium pieces, let the stew cool, and then remove the meat from the bones. Save the bones for bone broth, put the boneless beef back in the pot, reheat, and serve.
- Asking the butcher to cut them into smaller pieces reduces cooking time. Just make sure you pick out the ones with less visible fat.
- Oxtail needs low heat and lots of time to get tender. Cook them on a loooww simmer, and if they still seem a little tough after three hours, just give them more time. The meat should be practically falling off the bone.
Make-Ahead Instructions
Stews are great for making ahead. After the stew has cooked, let it cool and store it in the fridge for a day or two. Or you can freeze it for 3-4 months.
Serving and Storage
Jamaican oxtail stew is oh-so-good steaming hot over a bowl of rice or mashed potatoes.
Store leftovers for three or four days in an airtight container in the fridge or 3-4 months in the freezer. Thaw the oxtail stew overnight in the refrigerator if frozen, then reheat in a saucepan on low until heated through.
FAQs
Yes, you can! Simply follow the instructions in the recipe box. Reduce the water to 2-3 cups and add to the slow cooker. Slow cook for 3-5 hours or more, depending on the oxtail size and preference, until tender.
Oxtails are great for braising and require a long cooking time — 2-3 hours (4-5 hours at high altitudes). Slow cooking breaks down the connective tissue, creating fall-off-the-bone tender meat.
Although I haven’t personally made this recipe in my Instant Pot, our beautiful readers took the time to leave some instructions.
1. Start with the “Saute” setting for the first three steps and carefully brown the oxtail pieces on both sides – 2-3 minutes per side.
2. Remove the oxtail and saute the onions, green onions, garlic, thyme, allspice, Worcestershire, and smoked paprika, stirring for about a minute.
3. Next, throw in the scotch bonnet pepper, tomato paste, bouillon, and curry powder, and stir for another minute.
4. Return the browned oxtails, deglaze your pressure cooker with water or stock, and switch to pressure cook for 40-45 minutes, depending on the size of the oxtails.
5. Lastly, add the beans and continue simmering them for 5-10 minutes or until the sauce thickens and the butter beans are heated.
What to Serve With Jamaican Oxtail Stew
This amazing stew is perfect with Caribbean rice and beans or mashed potatoes. Garlicky bread rolls or cornbread are also some great pairings. Then wash it down with a sorrel drink and serve a slice of rum cake for the grand finale.
More Fabulous Jamaican Recipes You’ll Love
- Jamaican Jerk Chicken
- Cornmeal Porridge
- Easy Jamaican Curry Chicken
- Easter Spice Bun
- Jamaican Beef Patty or Meat Pies
Watch How to Make It
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”qRCsS2QU” upload-date=”2018-08-06T19:57:54.000Z” name=”Jamaican Oxtail Stew” description=”Jamaican Oxtail Stew- This braised oxtail with butter beans not only have a complex note from allspice but also that familiar garlic, thyme, scotch bonnet and onion medley. Fall of the bone tender.” player-type=”collapse” override-embed=”false”]
This post was first published in November 2015 and has been updated with a video, additional write-up, fresh photos, and a video
Jamaican Oxtail Stew
Ingredients
Oxtail Seasoning
- 2-4 pounds (900-1800g) oxtail, cut up into medium pieces
- salt as needed
- 1-2 teaspoons (2-4g) white pepper or black pepper
- ½ teaspoon (2.5g) minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons (2g) fresh thyme
- 1-2 teaspoons (2-4g) bouillon powder
- 2 green onions, diced
Jamaican Oxtail Stew
- 2-3 tablespoons (28-42ml) cooking oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon (8g) minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons (2g) fresh thyme, chopped
- 5-6 whole allspice berries
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) Worcestershire sauce
- 1-2 teaspoons (5-10g) browning sauce (optional)
- 2 tablespoons (30g) tomato paste or ketchup
- 1 tablespoon (8g) beef bouillon powder or cube (optional)
- 1 teaspoon (2g) curry powder or more to taste
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 4-6 cups (960-1450ml) water
- 1 15-ounce can butter beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 whole scotch bonnet or habanero
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Rub the oxtail with salt, pepper, minced garlic, thyme, bouillon powder, and green onions. Tightly cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. When ready to cook, remove from the fridge and shake off any visible onions or herbs from the oxtail meat. Set aside. (See notes 1)
- In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat until hot, and then sear the oxtail, frequently stirring while scraping any browned bits off the bottom until the oxtail pieces are browned. If desired, drain the oil, leaving 2-3 tablespoons.
- Add onions, garlic, thyme, and allspice berries, then stir for about a minute. Toss in the browned oxtails, followed by Worcestershire sauce, browning sauce, tomato paste, bouillon powder, curry powder, green onions, and stir for another minute.
- Then add 4-6 cups of water (start with 4 cups, then add more as needed).
- Bring to a boil and simmer until tender (depending on the oxtail size) for 2-3 hours (4-5 hours at high altitude), occasionally stirring so it doesn't stick to the pan.
- About 20-30 minutes before removing it from the heat, add the broad beans and scotch bonnet pepper. Adjust the thickness of the soup with water or stock.
- Simmer 20-30 minutes, and adjust salt to taste.
Tips & Notes:
- If you don’t have enough time, skip marinating the oxtail meat or simply season it with salt and pepper. (as seen in the video). Feel free to add ½ teaspoon of paprika when making the stew for a smokey, peppery taste.
- If you don’t have browning sauce, leave it out altogether.
- I like these guys with something to bite into and love nibbling the bones – a cultural thing. However, you can ask the butcher to cut them into medium pieces, let the stew cool, and remove the meat from the bones. Save the bones for bone broth, put the boneless beef back in the pot, reheat, and serve.
- Asking the butcher to cut them into smaller pieces reduces cooking time. Just make sure you pick out the ones with less visible fat.
- Oxtail needs low heat and lots of time to get tender. Cook them on a loooww simmer, and if they still seem a little tough after three hours, just give them more time. The meat should be practically falling off the bone.
- To thicken the gravy, add a few slices of potatoes and let it cook longer. It usually just thickens up if you cook it longer. That said, one reader uses a cornstarch slurry towards the end with good results.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.
Amber says
I absolutely love oxtail and enjoy making it. I am known for my oxtails:) I found your site when googling to see if I forgot an ingredient. Amazing site, BTW. You photos are lovely. I am thinking of doing a food blog and I want to incorporate recipes and various restaurants while I travel which is often. I hope my blog would be this nice.
I never realized that the browning sauce is what gives it the dark and rich color. So that was certainly a good tip. I added the green onions which I normally don’t do. I had a habernaro pepper. I didn’t add the curry but will try that next time, I am sure that gives it a nice kick. I use a pressure cooker and it still takes hours, lol. I use beef broth instead of water and I suppose I am only using one can (I think in the past I used to use more). Didn’t use the tomato paste. I used fresh tomatoes. Next time I will try your recipe exactly as you have it.
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Amber! Am sure you are going to do just fine. Am surprise to hear your oxtail takes that long in the pressure cooker. Mine takes about 15 minutes tops . From when the pressure kicks in. Do let me know how it works out for you. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with us.
Jerry adams says
I made this tonight, but in my usual fashion, i changed it up alot. I added a 1/4 teaspoon of cumin, bumped the tomato sauce up to 6 oz.. Added 2 dashes of red hot sauce. Changed the pepper from a scottish bonnet, to a jalapeño. I was scared it’d be too hot, and my family wouldn’t eat it. My oxtails were precut, and too big, so i added 8 cups of water vs the 6. This immediately turned this from a stew, to more of a soup. My onions were of the medium variety, so i put 3 into the dish. Halfway through the cooking, I started thinking of the history of stews, and how they were considered “poor people” food (we ate a lot of stew as I was growing up FYI), so i decided to add 4 medium potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch squares. Ive always loved curry, and potatoes, and im glad i added them. This dish turned out to be amazing. Although i strayed from your original recipe, i want to thank you for the original idea. Its now my families favorite dish.
Jerry adams says
Sorry. I meant to expand on the “poor people food” comment. Stew was always something we would have, and my mom would throw in leftovers. She was always trying to find ways of using our leftovers in new ways, and stretching our household food budget. She had learned this from her mother, who grew up in oklahoma during the dust bowl era. There are soooo many stew recipes, and most i believe originated from similar circumstances. Again, loved the dish, and thank you again
ImmaculateBites says
It definitely is was looked upon as a “poor’s man food”. I don’t think so anymore. To me, nothing is as Comforting and Rich as oxtail ! “Rich Man’s Food ” doesn’t even come close! In my humble opinion. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with us. Happy Cooking!!!
Vanessa says
I made this a few weeks back and my entire family loved it!! So delicious!! I did let it cook for an extra hour because I love my meat really tender tho. Just made it again today. Oxtails are simmering as we speak. Love this recipe!!
ImmaculateBites says
Yay!!! Thanks for taking the time let me know.
Debra says
Oh yeah I didn’t use the measurements you put I’m from NEW ORLEANS WE DONT MEASURE NOTHING!! LOL THANKS AGAIN
Nikki says
Your instructions are to the T honey..I followed exactly what you said and whala!!!!! Tasty this is my first time making oxtails..I really appreciate your help.Thankyou so much!!
imma africanbites says
Yaaay! Glad it turned out great for you, Nikki! Thanks for dropping by.
Debra says
I had the pleasure of making this today!!! OMG DELICIOUS AND ITS NOT EVEN DONE YET!! I went to buy the ox tails and who would have ever thought I would run into a Jamaican cook!! I showed him your recipe n he helped me get the items I needed. He didn’t tweak it at all he just told me to get whole tomatoes and add ginger with the curry powder because it wasn’t an original curry. HE ALSO TOLD ME THIS US HIW WE COOK IT WHERE IM FROM THE RECIPE IS GOOD!! I CAN’T WAIT FOR 4:30 TO COME SO I CAN GRUB!! I MADE POTATO SALAD WITH IT!! THANKS FOR GIVING ME A TASTE OF JAMAICA!!
ImmaculateBites says
You are WELCOME! Thanks for giving it a try! Next time make my homemade Jamaican curry powder. You going to love it even more.
Joe Krasz says
Just finished a big bowl of this with your Caribbean rice and beans recipe and DAMN was it delicious! Just the right amount of heat to keep me coming back for more, the meat so tender, pulling right off the bone and leaving that glorious sticky feeling on your lips. I can’t wait for the leftovers tomorrow!
I let it simmer for about 3.5 hours. I did thicken it a touch, took a cup of the broth and made a slurry with 3 tablespoons of flour and simmered for 15 minutes after adding it back to the pot. That was my only tweak. Turned out amazing. This is gonna be a regular dish at my house. Thanks for the great recipe! Much love!
ImmaculateBites says
My Pleasure! Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with us. And so appreciate your detailed feedback. Thanks again Joe.
Dan says
Fantastic recipe.
Must be tried!!
Cooking my second large batch now.
Going to check out your other dishes and make.
Thanks so much!
ImmaculateBites says
My Pleasure !!! Glad you gave it tried . Happy Cooking!!!
Dusty Manning says
Hello,
I made this, and mine still seemed pretty watery after cooking for almost 3 hours. Should I be boiling it longer before the simmer?
ImmaculateBites says
You probably have to keep cooking until it thickens up. You may cut down on the liquid next time.
Roti Telor says
I prepared everything in a pan on the stove top. I used your curry powder. Once I had browned everything in the pan, I dumped it all into my slow cooker using 3 cups of water. After 6 hours of cooking on high I still had a lot of gravy left and the flavor was lacking so I transferred everything back to the pan and reduced the liquid. I also had to add another teaspoon of curry power and about half more teaspoon of powdered allspice. It turned out fantastic!
Going to try again with goat meat.
ImmaculateBites says
Great Idea to use goat meat! Thanks for taking the time to provide feedback. Really appreciate it.
Leslie West says
This recipe has taught me a few things about complex flavors and how to build them. The aroma in my house was EXTRAA!!! DELISHIOUS smells. Its still cooking right now so im sure its a hit! It’s my boyfreinds favorite thing to eat!!
Ronda says
Hi! Im so glad that I found your page. Im going to give your recipe a good effort! My daughter, my boyfriend and I love oxtails. Your instructions seems simple enough. I’ll be using the crockpot, though. Fingers are crossed, I’ll keep you posted. Saturday is the big day lol
ImmaculateBites says
No worries ! You’ll do just fine ronda. It’s really pretty easy to make. Happy Cooking!!!
Teresa says
hello Imma, I am enjoying this site but would like more if you have your own cookbook with these wonderful recipes. If so where can I buy it.
ImmaculateBites says
Hello Teresa!
Cookbook coming soon.. I promise!
Bernadine Brill says
Just delicious! I”ve always been a fan of oxtail stew and soup. Tried it today and it came out delicious! Didn’t have brown sauce so I browned the oxtail and sauce by heating the oil with 1 -2 tablespoons of sugar could be white or brown sugar until bubbly and dark-brown. That did the trick. Thanks for sharing!
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! Thanks for sharing this tip with us Bernadine. Am sure a lot of readers would benefit from this. YOU ROCK!
Matti says
My husband and I decided to do a week of international foods, and this was our dinner for today.
HOLY SMOKES.
This was fantastic. We love Jamaica, and will be visiting again in December. This brought Jamaica to us. So amazing.
Thank you for sharing this
ImmaculateBites says
My pleasure! I love Jamaica Too! Have a Safe and Fun Trip !
Chiloe says
Hi. If making this in the slow cooker is there anything that should be changed?
For the bouillon cube, u didn’t say which flavor does that mean chicken or beef are both fine to use?
And I haven’t tried any of your recipes yet but I’m too excited about this one (my fiancé’s favorite) and the stewed chicken (my favorite)
I usually get mine from a Caribbean truck, theirs is ALOT darker is there any thing besides browning that might make theirs so much darker (the stew chicken also)
I’m so glad I found your recipes I couldn’t keep buying their platters, 20 got two platters when we love it becomes too costly.
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Chiloe,
I totally get it! Making this at home is sooo cost effective and lends itself to customization for your taste buds. Now on to your questions.
.The only thing I would do differently is cut down the water to about 2 -3 cups and extend cooking time to about 5 hours or more depending on the oxtail size.
.Yes, browning is what gives it, it’s rich dark color and to a lesser extent Molasses. I have added molasses in place of browning. However, in my humble opinion it didn’t do a good Job like browning sauce would. Hope this helps . Do let me know how it works out for you. Happy Cooking!!!
Chiloe says
I made the stewed chicken in the slow cooker and I made it in my pressure cook(I didn’t brown it the same way I did with the slow cooker)
The slow cooker had better flavor but the pressure cooker was good also (I cooked more meat so I doubled some of the flavors)
I’m about to make the ox tail for my husband today. I don’t have 5 hours though so I guess stove top will do lol.
Is there anything I substitute a “scotch bonnet” for? I couldn’t find it in two stores.
ImmaculateBites says
You can sub with any hot pepper. Or just add cayenne pepper to give it a kick. Happy Cooking.
Chiloe says
Hi again. I’ve made your recipe a few times now. Habanero peppers are PERFECT for this. One thing I do differently is, I make the beans in my pressure cooked along with my brown rice, I prefer to cook dried beans.
I like this sauce better than the stew chicken sauce, is there a reason some ingredients are different? Like does Worchester sauce not go with the chicken, or ginger not go with the oxtail?
Thank you for sharing!!
Chiloe says
I honestly was trying to hit 5 starts but it was malfunctioning!
Jessika Johnson says
How would you adjust the seasonings for 9 pounds of oxtails?
ImmaculateBites says
I would multiple the ingredients by 4 or 5 and that should do it.