About this Dish
Jamaica's greatest comfort food — oxtail slow-braised for hours with butter beans, scotch bonnet, allspice and browning until the collagen melts into an intensely rich, glossy gravy. Served with rice and peas. The long braising time is non-negotiable — oxtail cooked quickly is tough and disappointing. The dish improves dramatically if made a day ahead.
IngredientsServes 4
🥩Oxtail, 1.5kg cut into pieces
🫘Butter beans, 1 x 400g tin, drained
🧅Brown onion, 1 large, roughly chopped
🌶️Scotch bonnet pepper, 1 whole (keep it whole to control heat)
🧄Garlic cloves, 5 large, minced
🌿Fresh thyme, 6 sprigs
🫙Browning sauce, 2 tablespoons (Grace brand or similar)
🟤Allspice berries (pimento), 1 teaspoon whole
🥫Beef stock, 500ml
🫒Vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons
Method
1
The night before, marinate the oxtail pieces in the browning sauce, minced garlic, thyme, allspice berries, half the onion, a generous pinch of salt and plenty of black pepper. Mix everything well, cover and refrigerate overnight — this step builds deep flavour and the browning helps create a beautiful dark colour.2
When ready to cook, heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over high heat. Working in batches, sear the oxtail pieces on all sides until deeply browned, about 3–4 minutes per side — don't rush this, the crust is where the flavour lives. Remove and set aside.3
In the same pot, fry the remaining onion over medium heat until softened, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom. Add the seared oxtail back in, pour over the beef stock, and add the whole scotch bonnet pepper — keeping it whole means you get the flavour and gentle warmth without blowing the roof off.4
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a very low simmer, cover tightly and cook for 3.5 to 4 hours, checking every hour and adding a splash of water if it looks dry. The oxtail is ready when the meat is completely tender, pulling away from the bone, and the gravy is thick and glossy.5
In the final 30 minutes of cooking, stir in the drained butter beans gently so they warm through without breaking apart. Taste the gravy and adjust salt — if you want more heat, press the scotch bonnet gently with a spoon, or remove it entirely if you prefer mild.6
Ideally let the stew cool completely and refrigerate overnight — the fat will solidify on top (skim it off) and the flavours will deepen dramatically. Reheat gently over low heat, stirring carefully. Serve over rice and peas with the glossy gravy spooned generously over the top.7
Serve hot with rice and peas, spooning plenty of that rich gravy over everything. Remove the whole scotch bonnet before serving unless your guests want the extra heat.User Reviews
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