Oxtail Stew Recipe

I have always enjoyed eating oxtails. After cooking it so many times, I can put my spin on a classic Jamaican dish. This recipe is infused with spices such as ginger, cinnamon, and pimento seeds, which adds so many wonderful flavors to the stew. These added spices are different from your traditional Jamaican oxtail recipe but, I guarantee you will not regret giving this recipe a try! I have tested this oxtail recipe many times and it is simply amazing…..It is always a feast at home when I make it. I love to pair my oxtail stew with either rice and peas or white rice along  with fried plantains and steamed cabbage. When I make oxtail it never lasts long at home, that’s how much everyone really enjoys it.

Oxtail is rich in gelatin therefore, it takes a while for the meat to break down. This is the main reason why it takes a few hours to cook until it is tender.  For this recipe I used the pressure cooker to tenderize the meat and reduce cooking time. I personally prefer not to wait hours until I can enjoy my oxtail. While pressuring the meat, I love to add a bit of herb and spices so that all those flavors can infuse into the meat while cooking. It is so flavorful and yummy!

Do hope you enjoy this recipe! 

Helpful Tips: 

  1. Oxtail takes a long time to cook when using traditional methods. The use of a pressure cooker will significantly speed up the process and provide delicious juices which can also be added to your stew.
  2. The final gravy should be thick and glossy, I usually boil my stew down until it thickens up.
  3. I used a traditional pressure cooker for this recipe, but you can also use an instant pot.
  4. I usually clean my oxtail with ¼ cup vinegar and lime juice. This is optional, and it is all about preference.
  5. If you do not like your food spicy, then you can use ½ of a scotch bonnet pepper as well. Just remove the seeds.
  6. A top tip for thickening the gravy is to add a sprinkle of flour. 
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Oxtail Stew Recipe


  • Author: FoodieNotAChef

Description

Rich, savory, fall-off-the-bone pot of goodness. This oxtail recipe is full of flavor and absolutely delicious!


Scale

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs. Oxtail 
  • 2 scallions 
  • 1/2 green bell pepper 
  • Adobo seasoning 
  • Chicken bouillon 
  • Creole seasoning 
  • Salt and Black Pepper 
  • 2 tbsp browning sauce 
  • 1 onion 
  • 5 cloves garlic 
  • 1 tbsp. green seasoning 
  • 1 tbsp. ketchup 
  • ½ large green onion 
  • 4 sprigs thyme 
  • 1 can butter beans 
  • 2.5-inch piece of cinnamon 
  • ½ small carrot
  • 6 pimento seeds 
  • Pinch of brown sugar  

Instructions

  1. Clean oxtail in a large bowl. Season with green seasoning, adobo seasoning, chicken bouillon, creole seasoning, salt and pepper to taste. Mix together well. 
  2. Chop onions, garlic, ginger, carrot, bell pepper and scallions. Add all ingredients to bowl.
  3. Add thyme. Add browning sauce. Mix very well. 
  4. Place only the meat into the pressure pot along with scotch bonnet pepper, pimento seeds and cinnamon stick (leaving behind chopped onions, carrots, and bell peppers). Add enough water to cover the meat then add ¼ tsp of chicken bouillon to water. 
  5. On medium-high heat, pressure meat for 1 hour (**depending on the cut of the oxtails it might require a bit longer). Be sure not to overpressure oxtail as it will be cooking on the stove top as well.
  6. Remove cinnamon stick and transfer oxtail to a deep skillet with juices (**you will not need to add any water the juices should be enough). Add scallions, onions, carrots, bell peppers and butter beans. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add a pinch of brown sugar. (Note: I usually love my oxtail stew on the thicker end, so I add a pinch of flour as well to give the sauce some body).
  7. On medium-high heat; cook oxtail until sauce thickens and reduces by half. The meat should be soft and tender. 
  8. Serve with your favorite rice, plantains and sauteed vegetables.
  • Category: Lunch

12 Comments

  1. Mary Awuah
    January 4, 2021 / 4:57 pm

    This looks great, I’m going to try it soon!

  2. Elwanda Carter
    April 10, 2021 / 8:23 am

    Would like recipes to teach my after-school group of teens.

  3. Princess
    April 22, 2021 / 11:28 pm

    Can’t wait to try this recipe for my family

  4. Kadija Jacobs
    May 3, 2021 / 5:25 pm

    Tried this recipe last night and it was beautiful. I enjoyed how well the flavors came together. It took more more than the avg cooking time but it was all worth it. Paired it with some sliced bread and had it for breakfast.

    • May 6, 2021 / 3:03 am

      hehe sooooo worth it!!! so happy you enjoyed this recipe!

  5. Samantha
    June 11, 2023 / 1:36 pm

    Thank you for posting your recipes. I too grew up in a Guyanese household with many of these recipes cooked by my mother and grandmother ❤️. Unfortunately, they’re both no longer here and at times I struggle to recall all that’s needed in these recipes.

    Samantha

    • Tiffany FoodieNotaChef
      February 16, 2024 / 5:27 am

      Samantha, this truly touched my heart and I really do hope some of these recipes ignite memories of them. It’s my pleasure 🙂

  6. Th O
    January 17, 2024 / 12:46 pm

    Is there a difference between green onion and scallion? In my country they are synonyms.

    • Tiffany FoodieNotaChef
      February 16, 2024 / 5:30 am

      No in the US they call it green onions and where I am from it’s scallion 🙂

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