๐ฅฉ Ingredients
๐ Main
- 1.5โ2 kg oxtail pieces
- Salt & black pepper
- 2 tbsp browning sauce (key for color + depth)
- 2 tbsp oil
๐ฟ Jamaican flavor base
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4โ5 cloves garlic, minced
- 3โ4 scallions (green onion)
- 1โ2 tsp thyme (fresh or dried)
- 1โ2 Scotch bonnet peppers (whole or chopped, careful ๐ฅ)
๐ง Seasoning
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp allspice (pimento)
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 beef stock cube or bouillon
- 2โ3 cups beef broth or water
๐ซ Add-ins
- 1 can butter beans (or lima beans)
- Optional: carrots, ginger, Worcestershire sauce
๐ฅ How to Make It (the SMASH method)
1. Season & sear
- Wash and season oxtail well
- Heat oil and brown oxtail on all sides
This builds deep flavorโdonโt skip it.
2. Build the base
Add onion, garlic, scallion, thyme, and Scotch bonnet.
Sautรฉ until fragrant and slightly soft.
3. Add liquid + braise
Add:
- browning sauce
- soy sauce
- stock cube
- beef broth
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat.
4. Slow cook (the magic step)
- Cover and simmer 2.5โ3.5 hours
- OR pressure cook ~45โ60 minutes
Oxtail should become:
๐ tender
๐ jelly-rich
๐ falling off the bone
5. Add beans
Stir in butter beans during last 20โ30 minutes.
Let sauce thicken naturally.
6. Finish & adjust
Taste and adjust salt, pepper, heat.
Let it rest 10 minutes so gravy thickens.
๐ What it tastes like
- Deep beefy richness
- Slight sweetness from browning sauce
- Warm spice from allspice + thyme
- Heat from Scotch bonnet
- Thick, glossy gravy that clings to rice
๐ฝ๏ธ Best way to serve
- ๐ Rice and peas (classic pairing)
- ๐ฅ Mashed potatoes (fusion style)
- ๐ฅ Crusty bread to soak gravy (no regrets)
๐ Level-up moves
- ๐ฅ Add extra Scotch bonnet for real heat
- ๐ง More garlic = deeper savory base
- ๐ฅ Carrots for sweetness balance
- ๐ง Finish with a small knob of butter for glossy gravy
- โณ Cook longer = even more fall-apart texture
โก Pro tip
The flavor gets better the next dayโthis is one of those โovernight upgradeโ dishes.
If you want, I can also make:
- ๐ฅ pressure cooker 1-hour โquick smashโ version
- ๐ Jamaican oxtail rice bowl meal prep
- ๐ถ๏ธ or a extra spicy jerk-oxtail fusion version
