Oxtail Stew
Oxtail seared until deeply browned, then braised for hours with a whole scotch bonnet and allspice until it's genuinely falling off the bone, with butter beans folded in only near the end so they stay whole rather than disintegrating. A beloved Jamaican comfort food built from a once-cheap cut, its color coming from the same caramelized-sugar browning technique used across the island's stews.
Meat
Ingredients
- 3 lb oxtail, trimmed
- 2 tbsp browning sauce, or 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 scallions
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper, whole
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1 can (15 oz) butter beans, drained
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Steps
- Marinate the oxtail overnight with garlic, scallion, thyme, allspice, salt, pepper, and half the browning sauce.
- Heat the oil in a heavy pot, and caramelize the brown sugar, or add the remaining browning sauce, until deep amber.
- Sear the oxtail pieces in batches until well-browned on all sides.
- Add the onion, remaining garlic, whole scotch bonnet, and stock, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer 2.5-3 hours until very tender.
- Add the carrots in the last 30 minutes.
- Stir in the butter beans in the final 20-30 minutes, and simmer until the gravy thickens and the beans are heated through without breaking apart.
- Remove the scotch bonnet, adjust seasoning, and serve over rice and peas.