Jamaican Oxtail Stew
Master traditional Jamaican oxtail stew with our recipe - tender, succulent meat simmered with island spices for an explosion of Caribbean comfort food flavor.
Ingredients
For Oxtail Preparation & Marinade:
- 3 lbs approx. 1.4 kg oxtail, cut into 2-inch segments
- ¼ cup white vinegar OR juice of 1 large lime optional
- 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
- 4-5 scallions green onions, thinly sliced (white and green parts separated)
- 6-8 medium cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger finely grated or minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 6-8 sprigs, leaves stripped for marinade, stems reserved
- 1 tablespoon whole allspice berries lightly crushed OR 1½ teaspoons ground allspice
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt use half if using table salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce low sodium recommended
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Browning Sauce e.g., Grace, Kitchen Bouquet
- 1 tablespoon packed light or dark brown sugar
For the Stew:
- 2-3 tablespoons neutral oil vegetable, canola, or avocado
- Reserved thyme stems if using sprigs
- 1 whole Scotch bonnet pepper or Habanero
- 4-5 cups low-sodium beef broth or water or combination
- 2 medium carrots peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste OR 3 tablespoons ketchup
For the Beans & Finishing:
- 2 15-ounce cans butter beans (or broad beans/large lima beans), drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water optional
- Reserved sliced green scallion tops for garnish
Instructions
Prepare & Marinate Oxtail:
- (Optional Rinse) Place oxtail in a large bowl with cool water and vinegar or lime juice. Gently rub pieces together, then drain and rinse thoroughly. Pat completely dry with paper towels.
- Trim any large, thick pieces of hard fat from the oxtail using kitchen shears or a sharp knife.
- In the large bowl, combine dried oxtail with yellow onion, white scallion parts, garlic, ginger, thyme leaves, allspice, salt, pepper, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, browning sauce, and brown sugar. Massage marinade thoroughly into meat.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2-4 hours, but preferably overnight (8-24 hours). Before cooking, let sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes.
Brown the Oxtail:
- Remove oxtail from marinade, reserving any excess marinade solids and liquid. Pat pieces relatively dry if very wet.
- Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Sear oxtail in batches (don't overcrowd!) until deeply browned on all sides, about 3-5 minutes per side. Transfer browned pieces to a clean plate.
Build the Stew Base:
- Reduce heat to medium. Add reserved marinade solids to pot and sauté for 3-5 minutes until softened.
- Stir in tomato paste/ketchup and cook for another minute until slightly darkened.
- Pour in about ½ cup broth/water to deglaze, scraping bottom vigorously to lift browned bits.
Braise the Oxtail:
- Return browned oxtail and accumulated juices to pot.
- Add remaining broth/water, reserved thyme stems, whole Scotch bonnet, and carrots. Liquid should almost but not completely cover oxtail.
- Bring to gentle simmer over medium heat, then reduce to low. Cover tightly and maintain very gentle simmer, or transfer to 300-325°F (150-160°C) oven.
- Braise for 2.5-3.5 hours, checking periodically and adding more hot liquid if needed. Oxtail is done when meat easily pulls away from bone with a fork.
Finish the Stew & Gravy:
- Remove and discard thyme stems and Scotch bonnet.
- Skim off as much rendered fat as possible using a spoon, ladle, or fat separator.
- Stir in drained butter beans.
- Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 15-30 minutes to heat beans and thicken gravy.
- If gravy is too thin, whisk in optional cornstarch slurry and simmer 1-2 minutes.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Serve:
- Ladle stew into bowls, ensuring each serving gets plenty of meat, beans, carrots, and rich gravy.
- Garnish with reserved green scallion tops.
- Serve with Jamaican Rice and Peas and other accompaniments.