Here’s a rich, authentic-style recipe for Jamaican Oxtail—slow-cooked until tender in a deeply flavorful gravy:
🍲 Jamaican Oxtail
Ingredients (Serves 4–5)
- 2 lbs (900 g) oxtail, trimmed
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 green onions (scallions), chopped
- 1 tsp fresh thyme (or ½ tsp dried)
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper (whole, for flavor)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp browning sauce (optional, for color)
- 1 tsp allspice (pimento)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- 2 cups beef broth or water
- 1 cup butter beans (canned or cooked)
- 1 tbsp ketchup (optional, adds depth)
Instructions
- Season the Oxtail
- In a bowl, mix oxtail with soy sauce, salt, pepper, allspice, thyme, garlic, and green onions.
- Let it marinate for at least 1–2 hours (overnight is best).
- Brown the Meat
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Add oxtail and brown on all sides (this builds flavor).
- Add Aromatics
- Add chopped onion and cook until softened.
- Stir in browning sauce (if using).
- Simmer Slowly
- Pour in broth or water.
- Add whole scotch bonnet pepper (don’t burst it unless you want it very spicy).
- Cover and simmer on low heat for 2.5–3 hours until oxtail is tender.
- Add Butter Beans
- Stir in butter beans and ketchup.
- Cook another 15–20 minutes until sauce thickens.
- Finish & Serve
- Remove scotch bonnet pepper.
- Serve hot with rice and peas, white rice, or mashed potatoes.
Tips
- Slow cooking is key—oxtail becomes fall-off-the-bone tender.
- A pressure cooker can reduce cooking time to about 45–60 minutes.
- Adjust spice by controlling the scotch bonnet pepper.
✅ Bottom Line: Jamaican oxtail is all about slow cooking, bold seasoning, and rich gravy—perfect comfort food with Caribbean flavor.
If you want, I can also give a quick pressure cooker version or a restaurant-style thick gravy technique 👍
