Caribbean oxtail stew

Serves: 4 | Prep time: 30 Mins | Cooking time: 4 Hours

This classic stew transforms the humble oxtail into a luxurious, melt-in-your-mouth delicacy, slow-cooked to perfection with a medley of aromatic vegetables, and fragrant herbs.

For the Marinade

½ Lemon
2 cloves finely chopped garlic
2cm piece finely chopped ginger
½ tbs of all purpose seasoning
½ tbs of black pepper
1 tbs of Worcestershire sauce
1 bunch of fresh thyme
2 chopped spring onions
½ scotch bonnet or habanero pepper

For the Stew

1 whole oxtail
2 chopped large yellow onion
1 cloves finely chopped garlic
1 tbs of whole pimento seeds (whole allspice)
½ scotch bonnet or habanero pepper
1 bunch of fresh thyme
2 chopped carrots
2 diced tomatoes
3 chopped spring onions
Beef stock

Method

  1. Rinse oxtail in cold water and pat dry
  2. Place all the ingredients for the marinade in a ziplock bag with the oxtail, massage all the mix so the meat is well covered and leave overnight in the fridge.
  3. Heat Dutch oven or heavy bottom stock pot with 2 tbs of vegetable oil
  4. Brown all sides of the oxtail being careful to save the marinade in the bag.
  5. Remove browned oxtails and set aside. Add the onion and carrots to the pot. Cook until onions are translucent.
  6. Add in the scotch bonnet, garlic, pimento seeds (whole allspice), remaining marinade and cook for a further 5 mins.
  7. Return the oxtails to the pot and add The stock, diced tomatoes, spring onions, fresh thyme, and enough water to cover the oxtail. Bring pot to a simmer and cook for 4 hours.
  8. Add in one can of drained butter beans (lima beans) and simmer for another 30 minutes or until oxtails are fork tender.
  9. Plate stew on a bed of rice and garnish with parsley.