Jamaican Oxtail Stew – out-of-this-world delicious oxtail stew braised with butter beans in a flavorful deep gravy spiced up primarily with allspice, thyme, paprika, Scotch bonnet pepper, curry powder, and browning sauce. It’s fall-off-the-bone tender. A must-have on fall/winter rotation!
If there is one Jamaican dish that is extremely popular and a favorite of many, this Jamaican Oxtail Stew with butter beans surely bags the top spot. It is truly loved by many, myself included. As a matter of fact, it has gotten me in trouble plenty of times.
I use to work not too far from a Jamaican restaurant and would order it 3-4 times a week. Let’s just say, ordering it more often is not a wise decision for my wallet nor my waistline. But I can certainly tell you my belly is purring with joy!
What is an Oxtail?
I know here in the U.S. oxtails don’t get that much love compared to other cuts of meat but it should. And you should put it on your food bucket list and try it at least once. Furthermore, it’s tail-end delicious, finger-licking good. AND you are going to want to nibble on the bone and beat yourself for not trying it out sooner.
But what is an oxtail?
For those who are new to this term, an oxtail refers to a tail of a cow that is skinned and cut into sections. Each section is composed of a tailbone with some marrow in the center with gelatinous meat that works great for soups, stocks, and braises.
At one point, oxtail was considered as staple meat to underprivileged families due to its high-fat content, longer cooking time and cheap price. But as the years went by, the prices skyrocketed. That’s why I usually stock up on them if they’re on sale.
What’s in a Jamaican Oxtail Stew?
There are just two words that could sum up this oxtail recipe – SOUL SATISFYING! It has become a favorite of mine and most of my readers through the years. In fact, it is one of the most raved recipes here on the blog. If you’re still on the fence, please take the time to read the lovely reviews below and you’ll see what I’m talking about.
For this incredibly delicious and easy Jamaican Oxtail Stew, you’ll need the following below:
- cooking oil
- oxtails cut up in medium pieces
- onion, garlic, thyme
- smoked paprika
- ketchup /tomato paste
- whole Scotch bonnet pepper or habanero
- green onions
- whole pimento seeds or allspice (see notes)
- Worcestershire sauce
- curry powder (see my Homemade Curry Powder HERE)
- canned butter beans (may swap for lima beans or large white beans)
- browning sauce (optional), bouillon powder or cube (optional), salt
What Else Can You Add in this Oxtail Recipe?
Want some extra veggies in this braised oxtail? Sure! Feel free to add some extra veggies just like what some of our readers here have done. They’ve added:
- carrots
- potatoes
- sweet potatoes
- corn
- mushrooms
- mustard green (added at the last 20 minutes of cooking)
- stewed tomatoes (at the end together with broad beans)
How Long Does it Take to Cook Oxtail?
Oxtails are great for braising and require a long cooking time — usually about 2-3 hours. Slow cooking breaks down the connective tissue and renders it tender and allows it to fall off the bone. Which is what I recommend, especially for first-timers.
Unless you are like me, I like it with some bite to it and love to suckle and nibble the bones – a cultural thing. Additionally, if you can have the butcher cut the oxtail into medium pieces, that’d be good. It helps cut down on the cooking time. Oh, and make sure you pick out the ones with less visible fat.
Can You Cook Oxtail Stew in a Pressure Cooker?
Although I haven’t personally tried making this recipe in a pressure cooker, our wonderful readers took their time to leave some instructions on you to cook oxtail stew in a pressure cooker.
- Start with the “Saute” setting for the first three steps in the recipe box and carefully browning the oxtail pieces on both sides – about 2-3 minutes per side.
- Remove the oxtail, and saute the onions, green onions, garlic, thyme, allspice, Worcestershire, smoked paprika, stir for about a minute.
- Next, throw in scotch bonnet pepper, tomato paste, bouillon, and curry powder, stir for another minute.
- Return the browned oxtails and deglaze your pressure cooker with water or stock and switch to pressure cook for 40-45 minutes, depending on the size of the oxtails. Lastly, add the beans and continue to simmer it on the stovetop for about 5-10 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and butter beans are warmed.
Can You Cook This in a Slow Cooker, too?
Yes, you can! Simply follow the instructions as described in the recipe box. Then adjust water to about 2 -3 cups, and add to the slow cooker. Slow cook for about 5 hours or more, depending on the oxtail size and preference until tender.
What to Serve with Jamaican Oxtail Stew?
- Caribbean Rice and Beans (with video)
- Coconut Rice (with video)
- Cornmeal Coo Coo
- Grits Recipe
- Jamaican Pigeon Peas and Rice
- Skillet Cornbread (with video)
More Jamaican Recipes You’ll Love
Want to try more scrumptious Jamaican recipes? You’re in for a treat!
- Jamaican Jerk Chicken (with video)
- Cornmeal Porridge (with video)
- Slow Cooker Jamaican Beef Stew
- Easy Jamaican Curry Chicken (with video)
- Easter Spice Bun (with video)
- Jamaican Beef Patty or Meat Pies (with video)
How to Make Jamaican Oxtail Stew
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. If desire drain oil and leave about 2-3 tablespoons
Add onions, green onions, garlic, thyme, all spice, Worcestershire, smoked paprika, stir for about a minute. Throw in scotch bonnet pepper, tomato paste, bouillon and curry powder, stir for another minute.
Then add about  4-6 cups of water, it’s best to start with 4 cups, then add as needed.
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 20-30 minutes before you remove from the stove add broad beans. Adjust the thickness of soup with water or stock
Season with salt according to preference.
Watch How to Make It
This post was first published in November 2015 and has been updated with a video and some cooking tips and notes.
Jamaican Oxtail Stew
Ingredients
- 2 -3 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1- 2 pounds oxtail cut up medium pieces
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1- teaspoon fresh chopped thyme
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon ketchup /tomato paste
- 1 Whole Scotch bonnet pepper
- 2 green onions chopped
- 5-6 Whole pimento seeds (allspice),
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1- teaspoon curry or more adjust to preference
- 15 ounce can butter beans , rinsed and drained
- 1 teaspoon browning (optional)
- 1 Tablespoon bouillon powder or cube (optional)
- 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. If desire drain oil and leave about 2-3 tablespoons
- Add onions, green onions, garlic, thyme, all spice, worcestershire,smoked paprika, stir for about a minute. Throw in scotch bonnet pepper, tomato paste, bouillon and curry powder, stir for another minute.
- Then add about 4-6 cups of water , it's best to start with 4 cups , then add as needed . 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 20-30 minutes before you remove from the stove add broad beans. Adjust thickness of soup with water or stock
- Season with salt according to preference.
Tips & Notes:
- Want to marinate the oxtail before cooking? You can do so, especially if you have lots of time in your hand. Just marinate it using minced garlic, minced thyme, pinch of curry, onions, salt and pepper. One of our readers also lightly marinate it with Badia Complete Seasoning instead of salt and pepper, a teaspoon of browning sauce and a tablespoon of beef bouillon powder.
- If you want a really dark color like the ones you would sometimes see at a Jamaican restaurant then go ahead and use browning sauce. Add the browning sauce after you saute the onions.
- If you have particularly fatty oxtail be sure to  spoon out the thin layer of fatty oil, about 1 hour into boiling. Not traditional but sometimes a necessity especially with non-organic cows.
- When simmering the oxtail stew for 2-3 hours, put the lid on. It helps to cook faster.
- If you only have the ground allspice on hand, you can swap a teaspoon of it for the pimento seeds.
- Scotch bonnets are very hot. So leave it whole or if you're not a fan of heat, add it towards the last 5-10 minutes of cooking. You can find Scotch bonnet pepper in Caribbean and African Markets or sub it with habanero peppers.
- To thicken the gravy, add a few slices of potatoes and let it cook longer. It usually just thickens up if you cook it longer. With that said, one of the other readers have used corn starch slurry towards the end with good results.
- Don't like adding beans? Feel free to omit it. Or replace it with veggies like carrots and potatoes, instead.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
Nutrition Information:
Lavinia Sebastian says
I made this a few months ago as oxtail is one of my favourite indulgences, and was just incredibly delicious. My husband and kids loved it too. Making it again today! Definitely the best oxtail recipe I have found. Thanks for Sharing!
Immaculate Bites says
Aww! Thank you, Lavinia! I’m so happy reading about families enjoying any of my recipes. Hello to you and your family 🙂 Enjoy!
Summer says
I do not have stock or a bouillon cube what can I use
ImmaculateBites says
No worries . It will still taste good .
Sarah says
Yum! I grew up with a Jamaican maid and goodness this recipe tastes like my childhood. Thank you
Immaculate Bites says
Glad you enjoyed this, Sarah!
Latasha Sneed says
I would like to know can I use beef stock instead of water? And black bean and pinto beans instead if navy beans?
Immaculate Bites says
Hi Latasha! Yes you may substitute with beef stock and black and pinto beans. Let me know how it goes 🙂
Zoya says
Hey what type of bouillon cube? Beet?
ImmaculateBites says
Beef cube . If unavailable use chicken.
Dan says
Thank you, I love this recipe and have made it three times already. This time I got very fatty oxtails, and now I see you said to look for ones with less fat. Also you say to spoon off the fat that cooks to the top, but that it’s not traditional to do that. Is it traditionally a fattier dish, but you are making these suggestions to make it healthier? (Asking cause I like it with the fat)
Immaculate Bites says
Hi Dan! Not necessarily to make it ‘healthier’ but I do this with extra fatty oxtail, if the one you have is just right or not too fatty for you, you can leave it as is 🙂
Vilma says
This recipe was a delicious hit. I added corn, small potatoes, mushrooms and baby carrots. So easy to make and so tasty.
Immaculate Bites says
Thank you, Vilma! Glad you loved it! 🙂
Janine says
If using a pressure cooker, do we still use the same amount of water? Thank you!
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Janine! Here is a pressure cooker version of this chicken https://www.africanbites.com/instant-pot-oxtail-soup/.
Carl says
Super delicious recipe, I always use 1 cup of water and a bottle of dragon stout which results in an even deeper richer gravy.
Chrissy H says
This was the most delicious recipes for oxtail with that real Carribean flavor I was looking for!! I be made this recipe about 5 times and each time it’s a hit in my house!
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks so much.
Kay says
Hello, what you’re of bouillon cubes please?
ImmaculateBites says
It is the same thing as chicken bouillon powder or granules, available in most Super Markets.
Carl says
Love this recipe and have made it so many times, I like to replace some of the water with a couple of bottles of dragon stout which gives it a richer slightly sweeter gravy
ImmaculateBites says
That sound Great! Thanks for the tip.
Tarron says
This is by far the best recipe for oxtails out there. I’ve tried many and found the flavour to be lacking or entirely too sweet. These turn out perfect every time. I use corn starch to thicken and it’s my most favourite dish in the world. Thank you for posting!!
ImmaculateBites says
Great! Thanks so much.
Anne says
I’m so excited to try making your
recipe. If I cannot find oxtails, what is a good substitute?
Ooh lala says
Shawty that’s the whole dish???
AShort says
There is NO substitute for oxtails. That’s what the dish is – period!!!
Lexie Star says
10/10 loved this recipe! I definitely didn’t follow it to the t because I purchased oxtail that the butcher seasoned for me. But the stew turned out amazing!
ImmaculateBites says
Lucky You! Glad it worked just as well.
Natalie says
Might sound like a silly question but which type of Boullion do you use in this recipe?
Brittney little says
I use beef
Lisa watts says
Hello. I was just wondering about the chilli. It says put in whole do you take it out after cooking. Woukd it be too hot to chop and leave in. Thanks
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Lisa ,
It all depends on who you are serving this to and their heat tolerance . For the whole family I would leave it whole and remove after cooking . If you want more heat pierce the whole pepper before adding in the pot . Or you can smash it after cooking to release more heat.This can be done in the pot or on your plate.
Hope this helps.
Lisaxwatts says
Thankyou for the advice. Its just my husband and I we like heat but I don’t want to over power the other tastes.
K says
Best oxtail recipe I came across, absolutely delicious,I had marinade the oxtail using the tips provided overnight and it was succulent.Thank you so much, family enjoyed every bite
ImmaculateBites says
Yay! Thanks for the feedback.
Kesha S says
Best oxtail recipe,tried others but this the best and going to be my keeper,I did marinate overnight with tips provided excellent,succulent off the bone my family wanted more,awesome
Leanna says
Love your website! Everything has always been amazing.
LaQueishia says
Firstly, I love all your recipes on here but this was by far my FAVORITE!! VERY mouthwatering! My husband loved it! Thanks for sharing these recipes!
Tina Duren says
I made this recipe using pork neckbones. It came out amazing. I’ve made it before with beef oxtails,but they are really expensive now, so I opted for pork neckbones. They came out amazing with so much flavor,that I didn’t even miss the beef. A tweak here and there and I was set. Thanks for such a Great recipe. Tina Duren
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Tina! Those pork neckbones sound delicious! Thank you so much for sharing, Tina!
Arvin says
This was very good, thank you for sharing!
ImmaculateBites says
You’re welcome, Arvin! Glad you loved it!