Caribbean Oxtail Stew -You only need 10 minute prep to this deliciously rich, hearty and one-pot meal. Oh, refrain form eating the whole thang!!!

I am going to cut to the chase and say this Caribbean inspired stew is the most Amazing Stew EVER. A superb blend of flavors for one unforgettable taste!
The spice combination of garlic, thyme, paprika, scotch bonnet, bay leaf makes it so enticing.
And the oxtail, oh boy!! Slow cooked to draw out not only its robust beef flavor but also to render the oxtail super tender. You can’t argue with that . Can you?
When you talk of comfort food. This right here ,is Comfort at it best.

I took a lot longer than usual trying to photograph this delicious one pot meal. I wanted the dish to convey my message of AMAZINGNESS, however, it was pure agony for me. Towards the end, I could barely contain myself – I caved in. I promise to do a better job next time.
If you have never tried oxtail tail before, I am urging you to get some and try this recipe Now! It is a sense of urgency! Prepping for this dish would only take you less than 15 minutes.

If you can get a hold of organic oxtail then go for it. I use to get it directly from a farm until, people suddenly realized how good it is and Now there is less supply and more demand…you know what that means right? Go figure!

The only drawback (I can’t lie to you guys) is that. They take some time to cook … between two and 3 hours, if you want fall of the bone and you guess right -it is tastefully rich and deliciously fattening. I know after making this you will be tempted to make it over and over again. But be still.
WARNING! This mouth watering caribbean oxtail stew can not be eaten daily or weekly.
I took the liberty of adding potatoes and carrots, 15-20 minutes before turning off the stove.
You may do the same or leave out the potatoes and serve with this Caribbean rice and beans here
Caribbean Oxtail Stew
Ingredients
- 2 -3 tablespoon cooking oil
- 2 pounds oxtail cut up medium pieces
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 thyme sprig
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper
- 2 green onions chopped
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
- 1 pound potatoes
- 2 cups baby carrots
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Season oxtail with, salt and pepper. Set aside
- In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat, until hot, and then add the oxtail sauté stirring, frequently, any browned bits off the bottom of the pot, until oxtail is brown. Drain any remaining oil.
- Add onions, green onions, garlic, thyme, smoked paprika, stir for about a minute. Throw in scotch bonnet pepper, tomato paste, bay leaf, stir for another minute.
- Then add about 6 cups of water, chicken bouillon and bring to a boil and let it simmer until tender (depending on the oxtail size and preference) about 2- 3 hours, occasionally stirring the saucepan.
- About 15-20 minutes before you remove from the stove add carrots, and potatoes. Adjust thickness of soup with water or stock
- Season with salt according to preference. Remove bay leaf
- Serve warm
Nutrition Information:





Dayo A says
It was fun to try this recipe. I think I ended up with a more watery consistency than desired. So, next time, I will start off with fewer cups of water. The Angus oxtail I used became tender just under two hours. Thanks for the nutritional information provided as well. What is the definition of a serving in this case? Thank you.
Immaculate Bites says
Hi Dayo! Yes, you can reduce the amount of water to soften the oxtail or what you can do is, once the oxtail is already soft you can transfer it to another container and set aside, then add the potatoes and carrots. In that way you can reduce the excess liquid without overcooking the oxtail, just add it back to pot 8 minutes before you finish cooking. And a serving means an estimated amount of food consumed by a person. Hope this helps 🙂
Kelsey says
Omg, this recipe exceeded my wildest expectations. I was born and raised in the Bay Area and was a definite latecomer to Caribbean and especially Jamaican cuisine, but when I tried them the first time I could not get enough. At the limited (but spectacularly good) Oakland Jamaican restaurants, my favorite was always the oxtail. I would never have attempted to make it myself if it weren’t for this COVID-19 situation. This recipe is SO GOOD. I had my doubts about my own ability, but you make it so easy and approachable. I literally sucked the meat off the bones and have enough stew to last for several days. THANK YOU for maintaining this website!! All of your recipes are incredible.
ImmaculateBites says
Yay!! The way you just described this dish, I want to run to my kitchen and cook it too! I am so glad you mustered up the courage to cook this dish and that it came out so great. This really warms my heart! Thank you for taking the time to leave this feedback, Kelsey! 🙂
Nana says
First visit to your website and the meal was beyond outstanding – I’ve not been so pleased with a new recipe in many years. . Even the carrots were delicious and enjoyed by all! I left out the potatoes in favour of the rice and beans recipe that is linked.
This recipe is going into the menu rotation with that rice and beans recipe. I think I’ll bulk cook the recipe and add a beef brisket to get more meat into the freezer meals. I hope that will work and provide more serves – we just kept eating.
Thank you so much for the recipes. I’ve made up the spice mix (without the nightshade ingredients) and expect it to be much used. Rapt husband too! These recipe is going into the menu rotation.
Thank you so much.
OXO
imma africanbites says
You’re welcome. Thank you for pouring your thoughts in this feedback. I appreciate it. This is one of our favorites here at home, too. =)
Linda says
do you simmer/cook with the lid on?
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Linda, Yes I do cook with the lid on.
Beth Banschbach says
Where is the rice? Jamaicans eat rice not potatoes. That’s US yankee, purely and simply. You might use a few potatoes, but you would serve the dish over rice. Always. I ate oxtail stew in Grand Cayman. It was kidney beans with oxtail served over rice of course. It was seasoned with thyme, garlic, onion. It also had spinners in the stew. That’s flour and water mixed together and rolled into small noodle like things and added at the last just in time to cook through.
Ola says
You obviously didn’t read where she said to serve with Caribbean rice and beans
Reta says
I am so happy I ran across your website. I wanted to learn how to cook Jamaican food for the longest. I see so many recipes that I am going to try. I made the oxtail stew this past weekend and my kids and their friends loved it, I barely got some. I am going to cook the curry chicken next. Thank you so much!!!
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Reta! Glad to be of help. So happy to hear this was a hit . Thanks for the feedback!