Jamaican Oxtail Stew

ByImma Adamu Published: Last Update:
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Jamaican oxtail stew is fork-tender beef and satisfyingly creamy butter beans in a spicy gravy. This humble dish with Jamaican curry spices and pleasant heat will spice up your life and widen your horizons.

Jamaican oxtail stew with butter beans in a deep skillet. The savory gravy is perfect over rice.


 

The last time I visited Jamaica, I made it a point to try all the recipes I could fit in. We also took as many cooking classes as we could to learn tricks from the locals.

And this dish was at the top of my list because I used to work not too far from a Jamaican restaurant in LA, and ate oxtail stew there regularly. It wasn’t good for my wallet or my waistline, but my belly was purring with pure joy!

Jamaican oxtail stew served with Caribbean rice and beans.

Why Oxtails Make Great Stew

Oxtails don’t get as much love in the States as other beef cuts, but they should. Being a well-used muscle means it has plenty of collagen and benefits greatly from simmering low and slow in a braising liquid. The flavor is also more intense, making a wonderful broth perfect for smothering your rice and peas.

Oxtail used to be a cheap cut due to its high fat content and longer cooking time. But now it has become a gourmet dish, and the price has skyrocketed. So we enjoy this recipe on special occasions when our local butcher has them available.

The ingredient list.

How to Make Jamaican Oxtail Stew

Season the meat, sear it, and add the aromatics and seasonings.
  1. Season the oxtails, sear them, and add the aromatics and the rest of the seasonings.
Add the green onions and water or broth, and simmer. Add the butter beans, heat through, and enjoy.
  1. Toss in the green onions, add water, cover, and simmer until tender. Pour in the butter beans, add the hot pepper, heat through, and enjoy.

Recipe Tips and Twists

  • I love nibbling the bones – a cultural thing. However, you can let the stew cool, and then remove the meat from the bones. Save the bones for bone broth, put the boneless beef back in the pot, reheat, and serve.
  • For extra veggies, some wonderful readers have added carrots, Irish potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, mushrooms, mustard greens (during the last 20 minutes of cooking), and stewed tomatoes (added with the broad beans). Keep sharing your tweaks, please.
  • Oxtail needs low heat and lots of time to break down the collagen and tough muscle fibers. If they still seem a little tough after 3 hours (5 hours at high altitude), just give them more time, and perhaps more liquid. The meat should be practically falling off the bone.
A gorgeous and spicy Jamaican oxtail stew with beans in a white bowl ready to smother some rice.

Using the Instant Pot

Although I haven’t personally made this recipe in my Instant Pot, our beautiful readers took the time to leave some instructions.

  1. Start with the “Sauté” setting for the first three steps and carefully brown the oxtail pieces on both sides – 2-3 minutes per side. 
  2. Remove the oxtail and sauté the onions, green onions, garlic, thyme, allspice, Worcestershire, and smoked paprika, stirring for about a minute. 
  3. Next, throw in the scotch bonnet pepper, tomato paste, bouillon, and curry powder, and stir for another minute.
  4. Return the browned oxtails, deglaze your pressure cooker with water or stock, and switch to pressure cook for 40-45 minutes, depending on the size of the oxtails.
  5. After the pressure releases, add the beans and simmer them for 5-10 minutes or until the sauce thickens and the butter beans are heated.

Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions

Stews are great for making ahead. After the stew has cooked, let it cool and store it in the fridge for a day or two. Or you can freeze it for 3-4 months.

Store leftovers for 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge or 3-4 months in the freezer. Thaw the oxtail stew overnight in the refrigerator if frozen, then reheat in a saucepan on low until heated through.

What to Serve With Jamaican Oxtail Stew

This amazing stew is perfect with rice and beans, fried plantains, and fried cabbage as traditional sides. Then wash it down with a sorrel drink and serve a slice of rum cake for the grand finale.

More Fabulous Jamaican Recipes You’ll Love

This post was first published in November 2015 and has been updated with a video, new tips, and fresh photos.

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”qRCsS2QU” upload-date=”2018-08-06T19:57:54.000Z” name=”Jamaican Oxtail Stew” description=”Jamaican Oxtail Stew- This braised oxtail  with butter beans not only  have a  complex note from allspice but also that familiar garlic, thyme, scotch bonnet and onion medley.  Fall of the bone tender.” player-type=”collapse” override-embed=”false”]

a bowl of Jamaican oxtail stew with a Scotch bonnet on the side
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Jamaican Oxtail Stew

Incredibly delicious oxtails braised in a flavorful curry-spiced brown gravy with butter beans provide satisfying fall-off-the-bone tender goodness. A must-have to take off that winter chill!
4.93 from 152 votes
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 2 hours
Total: 2 hours 10 minutes
Caribbean, Jamaican
Servings 6

Ingredients

Oxtail Marinade

  • 2-4 pounds (1-2kg) oxtail, cut up into medium pieces
  • salt as desired (¾-1 teaspoon per pound is average)
  • 1-2 teaspoons (2-4g) white pepper or black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon (3g) minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons (2g) fresh thyme
  • 1-2 teaspoons (2-4g) bouillon powder

The Stew

  • 2-3 tablespoons (28-42ml) cooking oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon (8g) minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons (2g) minced thyme
  • 5-6 whole allspice berries (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) Worcestershire sauce
  • 1-2 teaspoons (5-10g) browning sauce (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons (30g) tomato paste or ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon (8g) beef bouillon powder or a cube (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon (2g) curry powder (more to taste)
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 4-6 cups (960-1450ml) water
  • 1 15-ounce can butter beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 whole scotch bonnet or habanero
  • salt to taste

Instructions

  • Rub the oxtail pieces with salt, pepper, minced garlic, thyme, and bouillon powder. Tightly cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. When ready to cook, remove from the fridge (see notes).
  • In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat until hot, and then sear the meat, frequently stirring while scraping any browned bits off the bottom until browned.
  • Add the onions, garlic, thyme, and allspice, then stir for about a minute. Follow with the Worcestershire sauce, browning sauce, tomato paste, bouillon, curry powder, and green onions, and stir for another minute.
  • Then add 4-6 cups of water (start with 4 cups, adding more if needed).
  • Bring to a boil and simmer until tender (depending on the oxtail size) for 2-3 hours (4-5 hours at high altitude), occasionally stirring so it doesn't stick to the pan.
  • About 20-30 minutes before removing it from the heat, add the broad beans and scotch bonnet pepper. Adjust the thickness of the soup with water or stock.
  • Simmer for 20-30 minutes and adjust salt to taste. Garnish with sliced green onions and enjoy.

Tips & Notes:

  • A lot of bouillon powders have MSG, so if you prefer to avoid it, replace the water with beef broth and leave the bouillon out.
  • If you need this to come together quicker, you can skip the marinating time.
  • Feel free to add ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika for more flavor.
  • 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. That said, one reader uses a cornstarch slurry towards the end with good results.
  • Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 200g| Calories: 455kcal (23%)| Carbohydrates: 8g (3%)| Protein: 48g (96%)| Fat: 26g (40%)| Saturated Fat: 9g (56%)| Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g| Monounsaturated Fat: 13g| Cholesterol: 167mg (56%)| Sodium: 1620mg (70%)| Potassium: 177mg (5%)| Fiber: 2g (8%)| Sugar: 2g (2%)| Vitamin A: 288IU (6%)| Vitamin C: 10mg (12%)| Calcium: 79mg (8%)| Iron: 7mg (39%)
Author: Imma
Course: Main
Cuisine: Caribbean, Jamaican
Diet: Gluten Free
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433 Comments

  1. My wife and I are putting together this recipe again the first time we cooked it it was outstanding, delicious, fulfilling..we have this recipe saved for future use.
    Thank you taking the time to share with my wife and I your recipes.

    Reply

  4. 5 stars
    As a Jamaican, I have cooked Oxtail and butter beans for years. Your inclusion of Worcestershire sauce and a little curry powder increase the deliciousness of this dish.

    Reply

  5. I’ve been craving Jamaican oxtail for soo long and I am so glad I came upon your recipe!! This recipe was damn good!! I’m stuffed and I’m still craving some more !!

    Reply

  6. I just made this wonderful recipe tonight and oh my gosh, bloody amazing! Thank you so much. Our two happy tummies thank you too. Wonderful food!xxxx

    Reply

  7. One of the easiest and tastiest recipes. Family loves it and my daughter is cooking it by herself. Thanks

    Reply

    1. 5 stars
      The first time I did this recipe i pressure cooked for 45 minutes. I also added ginger, soy sauce, and 2 chopped carrots. I think I used dry large Lima beans and put in with the rest of the ingredients. My family loved it so much that when the meat finished they put the sauce with beans leftovers over rice and we’re still raving the next day.
      I’m cooking it again tonight again but with canned butter beans. So I will probably take it off pressure after 40 minutes and then add the beans and continue to simmer.
      Thank you Imma!

      Reply

  9. Made this for the 2nd time tonight and it was even better that the first. Easy directions, had all ingredients on hand. Thank you for sharing
    and it was even better this time Leftovers tomorrow. YUM!

    Reply

  11. Love this recipe. Been using it for years. Thanks Imma and for the FB videos as well . Absolutely love them

    Reply

  12. I want to make your Jamaican Ox Tail Stew. I only have ground Allspice how much would I use for this delightful dish? I love all the dishes I have tried from your site.

    Reply

    1. 6 allspice berries grinds to about a teaspoon’s worth, depending on their size. I’ve made this recipe twice now and it’s very tasty indeed.

      Reply

      1. I cooked it it march 2019 and it wad great I loved it not just myself but others who I shared it with, thanks for your recipe and I am about to cook some right this minute..

  13. Hi! Love all of your recipes! Should I double all of the ingredients for double the amount of oxtails?

    Reply

  14. 5 stars
    Made this for the first time and it is exactly as I remember it from growing up in Toronto and many Jamaican restaurants! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  15. I decided to make Oxtail Stew for the first time, Googled, and I found your site again! I will be using your recipe for reference when I make mine.

    Just so I understand, when you say “1 Whole Scotch bonnet pepper” you mean to leave it whole (I can see where chopping it up would overpower the rest of the ingredients).

    Thanks again!

    Reply

  17. I only have three things to say
    WOW,
    Thank you,
    Are you married??because anyone that has this recipe in there aresenol can cook.

    Reply

  19. 5 stars
    Made this for the first time and struggled to find what I thought would be an authentic Caribbean recipe. Thought I would give it a try. Absolutely delightful!!! The dish reminds me of my grandma 100%. I sautéd and pressure cooked in my instant pot for 25 mins and finished on the stove which worked perfectly!! This is my new go to recipe and my husband and 2 girls also devoured it.

    Reply

  20. 5 stars
    Hi Imma,

    Stumbled across this reciepe on pintrest and so glad I did. I havd made this now about 3 times and it is AWESOME every single time. My husband and I love carribean food and often would get oxtails at our fav jamacian spot but after making this dish he now will only eat oxtails when I make them thanks to you. A winner and keeper for sure. Thanks for posting and sharing. Big ups

    Reply
4.93 from 152 votes (31 ratings without comment)

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