Jamaican Oxtail Stew

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!

Course Main

Cuisine Caribbean, Jamaican

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 2

Total Time 2 10

Servings

Calories 457kcal

Author Imma

Equipment

Large pot

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.

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.

Nutrition