Here’s a full, authentic Jamaican Oxtail Recipe—rich, flavorful, and fall-off-the-bone tender. Perfect for a hearty meal!
🥘 Ingredients (Serves 4–6)
- 2–3 lbs oxtail, cut into pieces
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1–2 Scotch bonnet peppers (or less if you want mild), finely chopped
- 2 stalks scallions (green onions), chopped
- 2 tsp fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
- 1 tsp allspice (pimento)
- Salt & black pepper, to taste
- 4 cups beef broth or water
- 1–2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 carrots, sliced (optional)
- 1–2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 can butter beans (optional), drained
👩🍳 Instructions
🔹 1. Season and brown the oxtail
- Pat oxtail pieces dry and season generously with salt, pepper, thyme, and allspice.
- Heat vegetable oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Brown oxtail pieces on all sides for 8–10 minutes, then remove and set aside.
🔹 2. Sauté the aromatics
- In the same pot, sauté onion, garlic, scallions, and Scotch bonnet pepper for 2–3 minutes until fragrant.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes to deepen the flavor.
🔹 3. Cook the oxtail
- Return the oxtail to the pot and add beef broth or water, enough to just cover the meat.
- Add brown sugar and stir gently.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer on low for 2.5–3 hours, or until oxtail is tender and the meat easily falls off the bone.
- Optional: Add carrots and butter beans in the last 30 minutes of cooking.
🔹 4. Finish and serve
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- Serve hot over white rice, rice and peas, or mashed potatoes.
- Garnish with fresh thyme or scallions.
💡 Tips
- Browning the oxtail well is key for deep, rich flavor.
- Slow cooking is essential—oxtail is tough but becomes melt-in-your-mouth tender with time.
- For extra richness, skim off excess fat and reduce the sauce slightly at the end.
If you want, I can also give a pressure cooker version that makes Jamaican oxtail ready in under 90 minutes while keeping it just as tender and flavorful.
Do you want me to do that?
