Jamaican Oxtail Stew is out-of-this-world delicious oxtails braised with butter beans in a flavorful deep gravy spiced up with allspice, thyme, curry, Scotch bonnet pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and browning sauce. It’s fall-off-the-bone tender and a must-have on your fall and winter rotation!
If there is one Jamaican dish that is all-out famous and a favorite of many, this Jamaican Oxtail Stew with butter beans surely bags the top spot. Most people, including myself, truly love this exquisite dish. In fact, it has gotten me in trouble plenty of times.
I used to work not too far from a Jamaican restaurant and would order it 3-4 times a week. Let’s just say that ordering it that often wasn’t good for my wallet or my waistline. But I can certainly tell you my belly was purring with pure joy!
Contents…Recipe Ingredients |
What is an Oxtail?
I know in the U.S., oxtails don’t get as much love as other cuts of meat, but they should. So you go ahead and put it on your food bucket list and try it at least once. Furthermore, it’s so finger-licking good you’re going to want to nibble the bone and beat yourself up for not trying it sooner.
Getting to the nitty-gritty—oxtails are skinned cows’ tails.
The butcher usually cuts them into sections for easier handling. And oxtail is good for you because it has lots of marrow and collagen, making it great for soups, stocks, and braises.
At one point, oxtail was a staple for underprivileged families due to its high-fat content, longer cooking time, and low price. But as the years passed, it turned into a gourmet dish, and prices skyrocketed, so I usually stock up on them if they’re on sale.
What Goes in Jamaican Oxtail Stew
Just two words sum up this oxtail recipe – soul-satisfying! It has become an indisputable favorite for many of my readers and me. 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:
- Oxtails – If the star of this show isn’t in your local supermarket (try asking someone in the meat department), check out an ethnic market or your local butcher at a specialty meat shop. Beef neck bones or shank is the next best option. I’ve also tweaked this recipe a bit by seasoning first the oxtail meat with bouillon powder, garlic, green onions, thyme, salt, and pepper before browning them.
- Seasonings – Onion, garlic, thyme, curry, beeef bouillon, ketchup or tomato paste, Scotch bonnet pepper or habanero, allspice (pimento seeds), Worcestershire sauce, and homemade curry powder all contribute to a super delicious flavor explosion. Feel free to adjust these beauties to your taste. You can even leave out the hot ones for a kid-friendly version.
- Butter Beans – Also called lima beans, they’re soft and melt-in-your-mouth for a soul-satisfying crowd-pleaser. You can swap them out with any large white beans, like cannellini or Great Northern beans.
- Browning Sauce – This ingredient is a color-enhancer and totally optional. It’s basically browned sugar, so it balances any tartness leftover from the tomato paste and adds the gorgeous chocolate brown color. Leave it out if you’re avoiding sugar.
How to Make Jamaican Oxtail Stew
- Rub the oxtail with salt, pepper, minced garlic, thyme, bouillon powder, and green onions. Tightly cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. When ready to cook, remove from the fridge and shake off any visible onions or herbs from the oxtail meat. Set aside. (See notes 1) (Photos 1-3)
- Brown the meat. In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat until hot, and then saute the oxtail, frequently stirring while scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pot until the oxtail pieces are browned. If desired, drain the oil, leaving 2-3 tablespoons. (Photo 4)
- Seasonings – Add onions, garlic, thyme, pimento seeds, or allspice, then stir for about a minute. Throw in the browned oxtails, followed by Worcestershire sauce, browning sauce, tomato paste, bouillon powder, curry powder, green onions, and stir for another minute. (Photos 5-8)
- Pour in Water – Then add about 4-6 cups of water; it’s best to start with 4 cups, then add as needed. (Photo 9)
- Cook it Low and Slow – Bring to a boil and simmer until tender (depending on the oxtail size) for about 2-3 hours (4-5 hours at high altitude), occasionally stirring, so it doesn’t stick to the pan. (Photo 10)
- Add the Beans – About 20-30 minutes before removing it from the heat, add the broad beans and scotch bonnet pepper. Adjust the thickness of soup with water or stock. (Photo 11)
- Final Touch – Simmer 2-30 minutes, and adjust salt to taste. (Photo 12)
Recipe Variations
More Veggies Please – Want some extra veggies in this braised oxtail? Feel free! Here are what some of our readers here have 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 bean
Jamaican Chicken Stew – If you want to replace the beef with chicken, reduce the cooking time to half an hour, then add the broad beans and cook for another half hour.
Tips and Tricks
- I like these guys with something to bite into and love nibbling the bones – a cultural thing. However, you can ask the butcher to cut them into medium pieces, let the stew cool, and then remove the meat from the bones. Save the bones for bone broth and put the boneless beef back in the pot, reheat, and serve.
- Asking the butcher to cut them into smaller pieces reduces cooking time. Just make sure you pick out the ones with less visible fat.
- Oxtail needs low heat and lots of time to get tender. Cook them on a llloooww simmer, and if they still seem a little tough after three hours, just give them more time. The meat should be practically falling off the bone.
Make-Ahead Instructions
Stews are great for making ahead. After the stew is done, let it cool, then keep it in the fridge for a day or two. Or you can freeze stew for up to three months.
Serving and Storage
Serve – This Jamaican oxtail stew is oh so good, steaming hot in a big bowl over rice or mashed potatoes.
Store leftovers for three or four days in an airtight container in the fridge or three months in the freezer.
Reheat – Thaw the oxtail stew overnight in the fridge if frozen, then reheat in a saucepan on low until heated through.
FAQs
Yes, you can! Simply follow the instructions as described in the recipe box. Then reduce the 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.
Oxtails are great for braising and require a long cooking time — usually about 2-3 hours (4-5 hours at high altitude). Slow cooking breaks down the connective tissue, rendering it fall-off-the-bone tender and fabulicious.
Although I haven’t personally tried making this recipe in a pressure cooker, our beautiful readers took their time to leave some instructions on cooking oxtail stew in a pressure cooker.
1. Start with the “Saute” setting for the first three steps in the recipe box and carefully brown the oxtail pieces on both sides – about 2-3 minutes per side.
2. Remove the oxtail and saute 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, stir for another minute.
4. 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 simmering them for about 5-10 minutes or until the sauce thickens and the butter beans are warmed.
What to Serve with Jamaican Oxtail Stew
This stew is the perfect entree for the following sides.
- Caribbean Rice and Beans
- Coconut Rice
- Cornmeal Coo Coo
- Grits Recipe
- Jamaican Pigeon Peas and Rice
- Skillet Cornbread
More Jamaican Recipes You’ll Love
Want to try more scrumptious Jamaican recipes? You’re in for a treat with these!
- Jamaican Jerk Chicken
- Cornmeal Porridge
- Slow Cooker Jamaican Beef Stew
- Easy Jamaican Curry Chicken
- Easter Spice Bun
- Jamaican Beef Patty or Meat Pies
Conclusion
Jamaican oxtail stew with butter beans is the ultimate Caribbean comfort food. When you put the first bite in your mouth, you’ll understand why. Let me know how it goes for you in the comments below. Enjoy!
Watch How to Make It
[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”]
This post was first published in November 2015 and has been updated with a video, additional write-up, new recipe, and fresh photos.
Jamaican Oxtail Stew
Ingredients
Oxtail Seasoning
- 2-4 pounds (907-1814 g) oxtail, cut up medium pieces
- salt as needed
- 1-2 teaspoons (2-4 g) white or black pepper
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 g) minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons (2 g) fresh thyme
- 1-2 teaspoons (2-4 g) bouillon powder
- 2 green onions, diced
Jamaican Oxtail Stew
- 2-3 tablespoons (28-42 ml) cooking oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon (8 g) garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons (2 g) fresh thyme, chopped
- 5-6 whole pimento seeds (allspice)
- 1 tablespoon (17 g) Worcestershire sauce
- 1-2 teaspoons (5-10 g) browning sauce (optional)
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) tomato paste (or ketchup)
- 1 tablespoon (8 g) beef bouillon powder or cube (optional)
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) curry, or more to taste
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 4-6 cups (960-1440 ml) water
- 1 15-ounce can butter beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 whole Scotch bonnet peppe or habanero pepper
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Rub the oxtail with salt, pepper, minced garlic, thyme, bouillon powder, and green onions. Tightly cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. When ready to cook, remove from the fridge and shake off any visible onions or herbs from the oxtail meat. Set aside. (See notes 1)
- In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat until hot, and then saute the oxtail, frequently stirring while scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pot until the oxtail pieces are browned. If desired, drain the oil, leaving 2-3 tablespoons.
- Add onions, garlic, thyme, pimento seeds, or allspice, then stir for about a minute. Throw in the browned oxtails, followed by Worcestershire sauce, browning sauce, tomato paste, bouillon powder, curry powder, green onions, and 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 simmer until tender (depending on the oxtail size) for about 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 soup with water or stock.
- Simmer 20-30 minutes, and adjust salt to taste.
Tips & Notes:
- If you don’t have that much time, you can skip marinating the oxtail meat or simply just season it with salt and pepper. (as seen in the video). Feel free to add 1/2 teaspoon of paprika when making the stew for added smokey peppery taste.)
- If you don’t have browning sauce on hand, just leave it out completely.
- I like these guys with something to bite into and love nibbling the bones – a cultural thing. However, you can ask the butcher to cut them into medium pieces, let the stew cool, and then remove the meat from the bones. Save the bones for bone broth and put the boneless beef back in the pot, reheat, and serve.
- Asking the butcher to cut them into smaller pieces reduces cooking time. Just make sure you pick out the ones with less visible fat.
- Oxtail needs low heat and lots of time to get tender. Cook them on a loooww simmer, and if they still seem a little tough after three hours, just give them more time. The meat should be practically falling off the bone.
- 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 our readers has used corn starch 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.
John says
Imma, thank you so much for your blog. I’ve cooked a handful of your recipes and really enjoyed them. I’m trying this one, modifying with what I have on hand. Thank you again.
ImmaculateBites says
Hi John,
So happy to hear your family enjoys them as much as we do. Happy you would take time out to share this with us.
Felicia says
I buy random cuts of meat just see what i can do with it. I happen to have ox tails. Cooking this right now!!! The whole house smells wonderful! Can’t wait to eat tonight.
imma africanbites says
Yaaay! Can’t wait how it all turned out for you. Enjoy!
Dominique says
All I have is ground allspice on hand, how can that be measured in place of the whole berries?
ImmaculateBites says
Yes, that would work.
Reg says
How can you measure it?
ImmaculateBites says
You mean measure the ingredients or calories?
Nicola says
Hello, how many hours should I slow cook my oxtail
ImmaculateBites says
Hello there , about 2 hours. Start checking after an hour and a half.
Dominique says
All I have on hand is ground allspice. How does this equal to whole pimento berries?
ImmaculateBites says
All spice would work nicely in this recipe . It is a single spice that is said to combine the taste and aroma of many other spices such as pepper, cloves, nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon.
Amber Koch says
SO,SO GOOD! I ended up using 4 cups of water and 2 cups of beef stock and omitted the thyme and green onion. I also left it to simmer longer, about 5 hours but it was totally worth it. The oxtail was very tender and was falling off the bone. Thank you for the amazing recipe!
imma africanbites says
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment, Amber! Glad you like it.
Steve B says
Hi Imma
This recipe is absolutely amazing! Thanks to you I’ve made some of the tastiest and flavourful oxtail I’ve ever tasted on the very first try! I’m Jamaican-Canadian in heritage and I’ve only ever had it when my mother made it, however I decided to try it on my own and it turned out fabulous thanks to you!
I added a 1/2 teaspoon of curry to the oil during the browning process and added browning sauce to give it a darker colour, and also diced an Irish potato and added it in with the beans. Also During the simmering time I sprinkled in 1 teaspoon (total) of oxtail seasoning powder to keep the flavour in the gravy after several cups of water had been added.
The hardest part was waiting the full time hours for it to cook, but it was worth it! I had it on a bed of of couscous w butter beans as a rice alternative…Glorious 🙂 You’ve made a cooking dream come true for me, as I look to learn all the dishes of my heritage.
Thank you so much!
imma africanbites says
Wooow! That sounds really awesome, Steve! Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. 🙂
Jessica Hammond says
Hello! This recipe look scrumptious and I am excited to give it a go. I am wonder about substituting ground allspice for the pimento seeds. Do you have a recommendation on the amount?
ImmaculateBites says
Hello Jessica,
1 teaspoon would do just fine
Vangie B. says
I tried other oxtail stew recipes, but this one was the BEST!! So flavorful and comforting! Like a hug. My husband and I absolutely loved it! Thanks for sharing!
imma africanbites says
Awww. I just wanna give you a hug now. 🙂 Thank you and glad you guys love it!
Keri says
Can’t wait to try to make this!
Is there a specific type of curry powder you use? If I add carrots would it alter the taste? Love having extra veggies in my stews!
ImmaculateBites says
I make my own curry. Check it out here https://www.africanbites.com/jamaican-curry-powder/. Feel free to add extra veggies . I do it all the time.
myra bonella says
Made this today and my tastebuds are purring with joy!
imma africanbites says
Glad you love it, Myra as much as I do!
Lori says
THIS RECIPE IS VERY HEALTHY, AND NOT FATTENING AT ALL. I can’t wait to make it. It fits right in with my low carb diet. Thank You! I would recommend this recipe for somebody under the weather, it will bring you back to life!!!
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Lori, so happy to hear this. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Keith says
Hello 2 questions, have you tried the recipe in a pressure cooker? Do you have a recipe for rice and peas i can have?
ImmaculateBites says
No I haven’t . Here’s a recipe for rice and peas https://www.africanbites.com/caribbean-rice-and-beans/
Sadaf G. says
This recipe is absolutely delicious!!!!
Lindse says
Any tips on what we could marinate the oxtail in before cooking?
ImmaculateBites says
Marinate using minced garlic, minced thyme, pinch of curry, onions, salt and pepper
AK says
Hi! Any tips on how to make this in an Instant Pot?
ImmaculateBites says
Sorry Haven’t tried it with instantpot yet.
Sheena says
I did the recipe in the instant pot. I sautéed the meat in the instant pot. Added all of the ingredients and broth. I selected the meat/stew selection and it turned out delicious.
imma africanbites says
Yaay! Glad it turned out well for you, Sheena! Thanks for sharing.
LaTonya D Miller says
I made this delicious entree last night and my family loved it. It is now a favorite, I will never make my oxtails the same ever again. Thanks!