Braised Jamaican Oxtail Recipe
This braised Jamaican oxtail recipe is as traditional it gets! Tender cuts of bone-in beef braised in beef stock along with fresh herbs and vegetables – its the ultimate Jamaican Sunday dinner!
It’s super easy to whip up, coming together in just 6 steps you can set it on the stove and check back in a couple of hours for a delicious meal. This recipe, similar in preparation to Jamaican brown stew, is also perfect for a “make ahead” meal as the flavor only gets more robust with overnight refrigeration.
Enjoy this Jamaican oxtail recipe with a classic pairing of Jamaican rice & peas along with fried sweet plantains!
ingredients
Oxtail. A succulent cut of beef from the tail of the cattle. The marbling and high natural gelatin content makes the meat tender after braising.
Green seasoning. All-purpose wet rub consisting of various herbs and spices used widely in Jamaican cuisine.
Butter Beans. Adds body to the stew and helps to thicken the braising liquid slightly.
Beef stock. Complements and intensifies the flavor of the oxtail.
Browning. Gives the oxtail its signature deep color and also richens the flavor.
Allspice berries. Another hallmark of Jamaican cuisine and contrary to popular belief, a single spice. Its name is inspired by its flavor profile being a mashup of cinnamon, clove and black pepper.
Thyme. One of the most popular herbs used in Jamaican cooking.
Scotch bonnet pepper. A spicy pepper and the most popular way of adding heat to Jamaican dishes.
Onions, carrots, garlic, ginger, tomatoes. Contributes flavor to the braising liquid
Scallions. The top (green) portion adds a sharper to taste to the oxtail and a fresh contrast when added right after cooking is complete
Brown sugar. Adds a bit sweetness to the oxtail which would otherwise be one-note.
more tips for your Jamaican oxtail recipe
- Choose your oxtail wisely. Select pieces that have sufficient fat marbling but still have more meat than fat. This ensures that your oxtail will be flavorful but not too fatty.
- Smoke the oxtail before cooking. This is an extra step and optional but smoking the oxtail gives a comforting yet invigorating “cooked-over-an-open-fire” taste which is authentic to many Jamaican dishes and traditional methods of cooking.
- Sear the outside of the oxtail well before braising. This is what will give you a deep and rich flavor thanks to caramelization which occurs.
Medium to medium-high heat tends to work best – this makes sure the oxtail gets the deep brown sear but ensures that your bits of seasoning do not burn on the bottom of your pan causing the finished oxtail stew to be bitter. - Don’t discard the bits of meat/seasoning at the bottom of your pan after searing oxtail – this is a flavor power house! Once the pan is deglazed all of the caramel-y flavors created when searing the oxtail will release and this will carry the flavor of the braising liquid.
- If using dried butter beans, make sure to soak them overnight – this reduced the cooking time and makes them easier to digest.
- Add scallions at the end. This makes sure that they are crisp and it adds a brightness to an otherwise intensely rich dish.
steps for making the best jamaican oxtail recipe
Step 1. Trim any excess fat from your oxtail then season with the green seasoning also adding in the browning. You may use right away but marinating the oxtail for at least an hour gives a deeper flavor and tenderizes the meat, cutting down on the time needed for braising.
Step 2. In your dutch oven, sear the oxtail on all sides over medium-high heat until brown. Add additional oil for searing sparingly as needed. Do not attempt to cook the oxtail completely at this step. Searing the oxtail before braising triggers the Malliard reaction which intensifies the flavor and texture of the final dish.
Step 3. Remove the oxtail from the dutch oven and set aside. Turning down to medium heat, add the onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, thyme, allspice berries and the brown sugar and toss in the pan to combine. Allow to cook until fragrant and the brown sugar has melted.
Step 4. Deglaze the dutch oven with just enough beef stock to cover the bottom of the pan to release the bits of meat/seasoning. You may gently scrape the bottom of the pan to help release these food bits.
Step 5. Then add in the browned oxtail, scotch bonnet pepper, butter beans, carrots and the rest of the beef stock. Turn heat down to the lowest setting, cover and allow to braise for 4 hours or until the meat is tender and coming away from the bone.
The total cooking time will depend on the thickness and quality of your oxtail. Check in every 1-2 hours to ensure there is still enough liquid so the stew does not dry out and burn. If more liquid is needed top it off with some water. The oxtail should be nearly but not completely submerged.
Step 6. Once complete add the scallions and salt to taste. Enjoy over classic Jamaican rice & peas with fried sweet plantains!
Equipment
- 1 dutch oven minimum 5-qt capacity
- 1 large mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 2-3 lbs oxtail
- ½ cup green seasoning
- 2 TBSP browning
- oil for searing
- 4 cups beef stock
- 10 springs thyme
- 3 TBSP brown sugar
- ½ cup plum tomatoes, diced about 2 medium tomatoes
- ½ cup yellow onion, diced about ½ a medium onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 ½ TBSP ginger, grated
- 1 TBSP whole allspice
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper
- 1 large carrot, sliced
- 1 15-oz can butter beans
- 2 stalks scallion, chopped
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Trim any excess fat from the oxtail add the green seasoning and browning. Use immediately or marinate for at least an hour.
- Sear the oxtail on all sides over medium-high heat until caramelized. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In the same pan, over medium heat add the onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, thyme, allspice berries and brown sugar and toss to combine searing until fragrant and brown sugar has melted.
- Add just enough beef stock to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom of the pan gently if needed to help release any bits of meat or seasoning.
- Add the seared oxtail from earlier back to the pan along with the scotch bonnet pepper, butter beans, carrots and the rest of the beef stock. Reduce heat to lowest setting and allow to braise for 4 hours or until meat is tender and coming away from the bone.
- Check on the oxtail every 1-2 hours to ensure liquid has not dried out. Add water as needed to replenish the liquid level. At least 80% of the oxtail should be covered in braising liquid.
- Once the oxtail is done add the chopped scallions and salt to taste. Enjoy with rice and peas and fried sweet plantains!
