Oxtail Stew Recipe

Cleaning & Prepping Oxtail (Caribbean Style)

• 3 lbs Oxtails
• ½ cup white vinegar
• 2 lemons (or ¼ cup fresh lemon juice)
• Cold water, as needed
• Paper towels

For seasoning the oxtail

• 3 tbsp green seasoning
• ½ tsp Goya Adobo all-purpose seasoning
• ½ tsp chicken or beef bouillon
• 1½ tsp fine salt (slightly more to account for added liquid during pressure cooking)
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp browning sauce

For Browning & Pressure Cooking

• 2–3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 10 pimento seeds
• 5 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 cups of water (use as needed to cover meat)

For the stew

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tbsp green seasoning
• ½ red bell pepper, chopped
• 3 scallions, chopped
• Reserved oxtail cooking liquid (from the pressure cooker), as needed
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tsp flour (for thickening)
• 1 whole scotch bonnet pepper
• 6 pimento seeds
• ¼–½ teaspoon browning sauce (for deeper color)
• ½ teaspoon chicken or beef bouillon
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

To finish

• 1 can butter beans, drained

Clean & Prep Oxtail (Caribbean Method)

1. 1Use a knife or kitchen scissors to remove any large pieces of excess fat from the oxtail.
2. 2Add the oxtail to a bowl with vinegar, lemon juice, and enough cold water to cover. Soak for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse well.
3. 3Pat the oxtail completely dry with paper towels so it can be properly seasoned and browned.

Season the oxtail

1. 1Place the oxtail in a large bowl. Add green seasoning, adobo, chicken or beef bouillon, salt, black pepper and browning sauce. Massage the seasoning thoroughly into the meat until evenly coated.
2. 2Cover and marinate for at least 30 minutes (4–12 hours is ideal for the most flavorful, tender oxtail).

Saute and Pressure cook the oxtail (Instant Pot)

1. 1Set the Instant Pot to Sauté (High) and heat the oil. Arrange the oxtails in a single layer and brown for 3–5 minutes per side, until deeply caramelized.
2. 2Transfer the browned oxtails to a bowl and repeat with the remaining pieces, working in batches so the meat browns on both sides instead of steaming.
3. 3Once all the oxtails are caramelized, return them to the Instant Pot. Add any reserved marinade juices, along with the pimento (allspice) seeds, fresh thyme, and cinnamon stick.
4. 4Pour in 4 cups of water or enough to just cover the oxtails.
5. 5Secure the lid and pressure cook on Low Pressure for 8 minutes.(This step is meant to jump-start the cooking process; not fully tenderize the oxtails yet).
6. 6When the cooking time is complete, carefully perform a controlled pressure release. Let the pot rest for about 1 minute, then open the lid and skim off some of the excess oil and fat from the surface of the sauce. This keeps the gravy rich and flavorful without becoming greasy.
7. 7Leave the cinnamon stick in the pot after pressure cooking so it can continue to infuse the stew as it simmers.

Built the Stew

1. 1Heat vegetable oil in a skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, bell pepper, scallions and ginger and green seasoning. Sauté for 2–3 minutes until fragrant and slightly softened.

Brown the oxtail

1. 1Add only the oxtail pieces to the skillet, reserving the cooking liquid. Allow the meat to brown for 1–2 minutes.

Build the gravy

1. 1Add enough of the reserved oxtail cooking liquid to the skillet to just cover the meat. Stir in brown sugar, ketchup and flour. The flour helps thicken the gravy, since the Instant Pot method doesn’t allow for as much natural reduction.
2. 2Give everything a good stir, then add the whole Scotch bonnet pepper, the additional pimento (allspice) seeds, browning sauce, and chicken or beef bouillon. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Simmer until tender

1. 1Cook the oxtail covered over medium-high heat for the first 15 minutes, then uncover and continue cooking until the sauce reduces by about half and the meat is fork-tender. This allows the flavors to deepen and the gravy to thicken naturally.

Add butter beans and finish

1. 1Stir in the butter beans and cook for 2 minutes, just until heated through.

Serve

1. 1Serve hot with rice, fried plantains, and sautéed vegetables for a classic Caribbean meal.