Jamaican Oxtail Recipe

There’s nothing like a pot of slow-cooked oxtail simmering in a rich, flavorful gravy. This dish is the definition of comfort food—tender, fall-off-the-bone meat infused with bold Caribbean spices, fresh herbs, and deep, savory goodness in every bite.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Jamaican
Calories: 1050
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 lbs. oxtail
  • 2 tbsp green seasoning
  • 1 tbsp low sodium dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp sazon complete seasoning
  • 1 tbsp Caribbean sazon any sazon is fine
  • 1 tsp Debbie’s Caribbean soul spice email how to purchase
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp ground annatto
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp combination dry seasoning blend ( rosemary thyme, parsley and oregano
  • Salt to taste
  • 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 large white onion sliced
  • 2 tsp. minced garlic
  • 1 bell pepper roughly chopped
  • 3 tomatoes diced
  • 4 1/2 cups water hot or low sodium beef broth
  • 8 whole all spice berries
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 4 tbsp ketchup
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 ½ tbsp brown sugar optional
  • 3 tbsp avocado oil
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 can butter beans
  • 3 medium size carrots peeled and cut into desired sizes
  • 1 scotch bonnet pepper diced, leave or remove seeds

Method
 

  1. Wash meat with water and lemon juice, rinse until water is clean ( no blood ). Drain well. Season with green seasonings, soy sauce and all the seasoning mix except for salt. Rub seasonings well into oxtail, add the garlic, onions, bell peppers and tomatoes, again using your hand toss into meat until everything is fully coated cover and marinade ( preferably overnight)
  2. Heat oil on medium heat, remove vegetable pieces best as you can brown oxtail about 2 minutes on each side. ( Do this in batches. Set aside, Add all the brown oxtail back in the pot with 2cups of liquid stir well to combine. Cook for 2 hours slowly. Stir well then add remaining 2 cups of liquid , stir well and taste for salt, add salt to taste , cover and cook for 1 hour. Then stir well add the butter and stir, add scotch bonnet pepper, all spice berries, bay leaves and stir well, add butter beans , carrots, fresh rosemary, fresh thyme and stir well to combine. Add the chopped vegetable seasonings that were seasoned with oxtail, (diced tomatoes, bell peppers and onions).Stir well to combine, cover and cook 15 minutes, add remaining 1/2 cup liquid by pouring it into the bowl the oxtail was seasoned in and swoosh it around to get all the goodness. Cover and cook 1 0minutes in the meantime in a bowl combine ketchup, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce and using a fork mix well until sugar dissolves, add it to meat and stir well to combine cook for 10minutes stirring consistently.

Notes

There’s nothing like a pot of slow-cooked oxtail simmering in a rich, flavorful gravy. This dish is the definition of comfort food—tender, fall-off-the-bone meat infused with bold Caribbean spices, fresh herbs, and deep, savory goodness in every bite.
This recipe brings together layers of flavor—from seasoned oxtail and aromatic vegetables to a slightly sweet, perfectly balanced sauce finished with butter beans and carrots. It’s the kind of meal that fills your home with warmth and brings everyone to the table.