Best Jamaican Oxtail Stew Recipes

JAMAICAN OXTAIL STEW

Steps:

• Season oxtails aggressively with salt and pepper. Heat a large Dutch oven or a heavy-bottomed pot over high heat. Add brown sugar to pot and melt, stirring with a wooden spoon, until it darkens and starts to smoke ­- about six minutes. When sugar is nearly black, add 2 tablespoons boiling water. (It will splatter.) Stir to mix.
• Add the oxtails to the pot, working in batches, stirring each time to cover them with blackened sugar, then allowing them to cook, turning occasionally, until they are well browned. Remove oxtails to a bowl and keep warm.
• Add half of the onions, garlic and ginger to the pot, along with the pepper, the thyme, the allspice and a third of the scallions, and stir to combine. Allow to cook until softened, approximately 5 minutes.
• Return the oxtails to the pot along with any accumulated juices and put water into the pot so that the oxtails are almost submerged. Bring to a simmer and then cook, covered, approximately 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
• Add remaining onions, garlic and ginger to the pot, along with another third of the scallions. Add sugar, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to combine and continue to cook until the meat is yielding and loose on the bone, approximately one hour longer. Remove approximately one cup of liquid from pot and place in a small bowl. Add flour to this liquid and stir to combine, working out any lumps with the back of a spoon. Add this slurry to the pot along with ketchup, then stir to combine and allow to cook a further 15 minutes or so. Remove Scotch bonnet pepper and thyme stems. Fold butter beans into the stew and allow these to heat through. Scatter remaining scallions over the top. Serve with white rice or rice and peas.

INSTANT POT® JAMAICAN OXTAIL STEW

Steps:

• Combine brown sugar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, allspice, cinnamon, and liquid smoke in a bowl. Toss oxtails in the mixture until well coated.
• Turn on a multi-functional pressure cooker (such as Instant Pot®) and select Saute function. Allow to heat up. Add vegetable oil to the hot pot and lay oxtail pieces inside, flat side down. Brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
• Pour 2 tablespoons of beef broth into the pot to deglaze, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Add carrots, onion, green onions, garlic, and scotch bonnet pepper. Stir and saute until onions have softened, about 5 minutes. Add oxtails, remaining beef broth, ketchup, and thyme. Cancel Saute function.
• Close and lock the lid. Select high pressure according to manufacturer's instructions; set timer for 45 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.
• Release pressure using the natural-release method according to manufacturer's instructions, 20 to 40 minutes. Unlock and remove the lid.
• Remove oxtails and vegetables from the pot, leaving liquid behind. Select Saute function and bring liquid to a simmer. Combine water and cornstarch in a small bowl; stir into the simmering liquid. Add pinto beans and simmer until liquid is slightly thickened and beans are warmed, about 5 minutes. Add oxtails and vegetables back to the pot, and mix to combine.

JAMAICAN OXTAIL STEW

Steps:

• Clean and trim excess fat off oxtail. Stem and seed habanero peppers.
• Combine onions, bell peppers, 1 habanero pepper, scallions, ginger, thyme, garlic, and beef bouillon in the bowl of a food processor. Blend until a paste-like consistency is achieved.
• Season oxtails with 1/2 cup of the blended mixture, jerk seasoning, browning sauce, and soy sauce. Massage mixture deep into oxtails; cover, refrigerate, and allow to marinate, 8 hours or overnight.
• Remove from refrigerator and let stand until room temperature, about 30 minutes. Remove oxtails from the mixture, reserving marinade.
• Heat olive oil in a large pot with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Add oxtails, turning and browning on all sides, about 6 minutes. Add 90% of the reserved marinade, ketchup, and cover. Cook until oxtail has created its own juices, about 15 minutes. Add water, remaining habanero pepper, allspice, and bay leaf. Cook over medium heat until tender, stirring often to prevent sticking, 2 to 3 hours.
• Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Reduce heat and let simmer, 15 to 20 minutes. Add beans and tomatoes; let simmer, 5 to 10 minutes more.

JAMAICAN OXTAIL STEW

Steps:

• Clean oxtails, trim away any excess fat, and cut into 2-inch pieces.
• Combine all ingredients, except the dumplings, in a large, heavy saucepan.
• Cover and simmer for about 2 hours.
• Add water if necessary.
• Stir, add the dumplings, and return to low heat for 20 minutes.
• Serve hot.
• FLOUR DUMPLINGS:.
• Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and slowly add enough cold water to make a stiff dough.
• (A sticky dough makes a soft pasty dumpling.).
• Knead in the bowl or on a lightly floured board until smooth.
• Break off small pieces about the size of a walnut and roll between your hands. It should be similar to a long tube with pointy ends. They're usually about 3-4 inches long.
• Add to the stew for the last 20 minutes of cooking.
• *As an alternative to the dumplings, 1 1/2 cups large dry lima beans can be added with the other ingredients at the start of the cooking.
• Or 1 (16 oz.) can of lima beans can be drained and added 15 minutes before the end of the cooking time.