The Best Jamaican Oxtails Recipe

Savory, tender, finger licking good Jamaican oxtails recipe. Made with a bunch of vegetables, soy sauce, and scotch bonnet. Making it an authentic oxtail recipe even your Jamaican friends will love.

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Words cant explain how pumped I am to share this Jamaican Oxtail recipe with yall. Jamaican oxtails are probably one of the few things I can eat for a week straight and not get tired of.

These oxtails are so savory and delicious, juicy, tender, with a sauce that will have you sucking the juice out the bones. This is definitely a classic jamaican oxtails recipe jamaicans will be proud of.

What are Jamaican Oxtails?

Jamaican oxtails are a dish created by Jamaicans and apart of Jamaican cuisine. It’s seasoned with typical seasonings like complete seasoning garlic onion and black pepper and simmered in water or broth with soy sauce and browning seasoning..

It’s made with jamaican all spice sometimes pimentos, scotch bonnett and bell peppers, onions, thyme sprigs, and sometimes even celery and tomatoes. These ingredients are what makes them Jamaican oxtails and different from regular oxtails.

Origin of my love for Jamaican Oxtails

My love for oxtails goes waaaay back to my adolescent years. First off I’m from Philadelphia and if anyone knows anything about Philly, it’s your typical Northeastern city. Filled with restaurants of every cuisine known to man.

And outside of Chinese stores, Rican/Dominican poppy stores, and Italian Pizza shops, Jamaican and African stores are the most common, they’re everywhere. And so the bottom line is, Jamaican food is easily accessible to us here.

I had my first Jamaican oxtails platter probably around 18 or so from this Jamaican 🇯🇲 restaurant called Actree on 76th and Woodland Ave in Southwest Philly. So if you visit Philly and love Jamaican food, they’re one of the best.

I remember as early as 10 having Jamaican Curry chicken. A Jamaican sister in our church who passed in 96 made some of the best curry chicken. My mom would have her make some for us. I remember having Curry goat and jerk chicken too.

These are all popular Jamaican foods sold in Jamaican shops. Now I’ve had oxtails and gravy a few times, but don’t remember having Jamaican Oxtails. But once I finally did I fell in love with them and would order them often.

The problem is, and this not a knock on Jamaican restaurants but it’s common knowledge, they’re stingy with their oxtails. 😡 They give you a whole lot of rice and cabbage but 5 little oxtails mainly bones and gravy and want to charge you $14🤦🏾‍♂️

That’s when I decided to start buying oxtails and learned how to make them myself. You get way more for your money. So I’ve been doing that for a while now and I think I finally perfected it. So check my recipe out. All the ingredients and tools you need a red below.

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Tools:

• Large Mixing Bowl: You’ll need a big mixing bowl to season the oxtails in.
• Knife: Have a sharp knife to chop up all the vegetables.
• Large Pot: You need a large pot because we’re making a lot of oxtails and make sure it has a lid because that’s what gets the oxtails nice and tender.
• Big Spoon: Have a big spoon to stir the oxtails and to stir the oxtails while they cook
• Measuring Cups: You need this to accurately measure some of the condiments, vegetables, and the water, and broth.
• Measuring Spoons: Make sure you have measuring spoons to accurately measure the seasonings.

What you need:

• Meat: Oxtails
• Seasonings: Jamaican All Spice, Seasoning Salt, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Paprika, Black Pepper, and Brown Sugar
• Condiments: Ketchup, Soy Sauce, Worcestershire Sauce, and Browning seasoning sauce
• Vegetables & Herbs: Butter beans, Onions, Tomatoes, Scallions, Green Peppers, Red Peppers, Celery, Minced Garlic, Ginger Paste, 5Thyme Sprigs, Scotch Bonnet, and Bay leaves
• Thickener: Cornstarch
• Liquids: Beef Broth, Water, Olive oil

Cleaning the Oxtails

The first thing you want to do is remove any hanging fat from the oxtails with a cooking knife. Oxtails are not known for having a lot of excessive fat or skin, but they may have some.

You may see some yellow-colored fat on the sides of the oxtails. Just make sure you remove that, and then you’re going to soak the oxtails in a big bowl of water and a cleaning agent. Your commonly used products to clean meats are:

A combination of salt and water, a combination of vinegar and water, and a combination of an acidic fruit like lemon or lime juice and water. Lemon and lime are more common in Jamaica, and salt and vinegar are more common in the states.

You can use baking soda to clean the meat as well. You only want it to soak in the saltwater or whatever solution you create for 15-20 minutes, then scrub the oxtails with your hands to remove the tiny sediments that are often felt on the bones.

Cleaning meat has long been a controversial topic that dates back to slavery and many centuries before. Lol! While most agree that you should remove excess fat from meat, many believe you shouldn’t clean it because doing so spreads germs.

It’s mostly cultural, though. I was always raised to clean meat after you take it out of the package it was sealed in at the store. Some people believe the heat will kill any bacteria in the food. At the end of the day, the choice is yours.

If you’re like me and decide to clean your oxtails, make sure you pat them dry with a paper towel, then put them in a big mixing bowl so you can season and prepare them. Now that the cleaning process is complete, here’s how to make Jamaican Oxtails.

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How to make Jamaican Oxtails

Season the oxtails

• Season the oxtails with all the seasonings except and massage the seasonings in.
• If you don’t have seasoning salt, just use salt. However, be mindful that salt is stronger than seasoning salt, so don’t use the same amount as seasoning salt in the recipe; use slightly less.

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Add the condiments

•  Add in the condiments along with the cornstarch and stir everything.

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Sear the oxtails

• We’re going to sear the meat, so add the oil to the pot and then add the oxtails.
• To speed things up, I typically sear oxtails on high heat, medium-high, to be exact.
• Searing meat creates and extracts flavor, which adds more flavor to the dish.
• We don’t sear them for too long. A good 10 minutes will get the job done. The last thing you want to do is burn the oxtails.
• Strain the oxtails and let the condiments drip off the oxtails before adding them to the pot.

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Chop the vegetables:

• Meanwhile, chop the vegetables into small pieces. You don’t have to cut them too small because they’ll disintegrate as they simmer for 3 hours anyway.
• Don’t chop the sprig leaves, bay leaves, or scotch bonnet pepper. Just add them to the pot when it’s time.

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Add everything to the pot:

• First, reduce the heat from medium-high to medium. You don’t want the oxtails to cook over high heat because the water will cook out before they’re done.
• Pour in the water, but first, add water to the bowl in which you seasoned the oxtails. You do this because you want all the leftover seasonings and condiments added to the dish.
• If your pot cannot handle all 3 qts of water, let it simmer down, then add the remaining water when there is room.
• Some people use just three quarts of water and omit the beef broth. They believe the beef broth diminishes the Jamaican flavor.
• Add in all the vegetables and stir the oxtails a little.
• Scotch bonnet peppers are hot, so split it in half if you don’t want it too spicy.
• If you don’t have or can’t find a Scotch Bonnet pepper, which is hard to find, you can replace it with Habanero peppèrs or another hot pepper.

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Cook and simmer

• Cover the oxtails with a lid. This is what makes them nice and tender. Leave a crack on the side so the liquid doesn’t overflow.
• Stir periodically, every 20 minutes or so, and every 5 minutes during the last 30 minutes of cooking when the gravy tends to thicken, to prevent the oxtails from sticking to the pot.

Add beans

• Add the beans during the last 5 minutes of cooking and stir them in well. 
• Butter beans are completely optional. If you don’t like them, you can omit them.

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Tips for best results:

• Make sure you purchase or have a nonstick pot on hand. This will also help prevent your oxtails from sticking at the end of cooking. 
• Do not cook them too long, as they will become too tender and break apart like stew meat.

Serving suggestions:

• Butter beans: Oxtails and beans go together like peanut butter and jelly. Their soft, creamy texture complements savory oxtails and makes them a great side dish.
• Rice and red beans: Rice tastes great with gravy. It’s a good combination, and rice and beans are often served as a side dish on oxtail platters at Jamaican restaurants.
• Macaroni and cheese: Baked macaroni and cheese is frequently served as a side dish for oxtail Jamaican platters at Jamaican restaurants. The cheesy baked mac and cheese and the gravy of the oxtails are a good combination and taste great together.
• Sweet Candied Potatoes: Candied sweet potatoes taste great with the savory gravy of oxtails. That sweet and savory combo in food is always a hit.
• Fried Cabbage: If you’re looking for a vegetable, fried cabbage or steamed cabbage is also commonly eaten with oxtails, and the pair taste great together.

Storage and reheating

• How to store Jamaican oxtails: Place them in a bowl like a Tupperware bowl and cover with a lid. Then, store them in the refrigerator.
• Can you freeze Jamaican oxtail? Yes, oxtails freeze very well. You can store them in a Ziploc bag and place them in the freezer. They can last up to 9 months in the freezer. Just make sure they’re tightly sealed to prevent freezer burn.
• How do you reheat Jamaican oxtails? The best way is to reheat them in a pot covered with a lid over low heat until they’re hot.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Where do you buy oxtails? You can find oxtails at butcher shops, where they sell and cut meat. Some grocery stores have a butcher meat section in the back of the store where you can order some, and some are sold in packs.
• How long do they last? As long as they’re in the refrigerator and well covered, they can remain fresh for up to five days and for months if you store them in the freezer.

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Okay, guys. I hope you all love this recipe as much as I do. It’s truly one of a kind! Jamaican oxtails cannot get too much better than this recipe. You’ll be making this at home pretty often. 

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Enjoy, later!

PBJ~

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The Best Jamaican Oxtails Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review

• Author: PhillyboyJay
• Prep Time: 30 Mins
• Cook Time: 3 hrs 30 mins
• Total Time: 4 hrs
• Yield: 6
• Category: Jamaican
• Method: Jamaican
• Cuisine: Jamaican

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Description

Savory, tender, finger licking good Jamaican oxtails recipe. Made with a bunch of vegetables, soy sauce, and scotch bonnet. Making it an authentic oxtail recipe even your Jamaican friends will love. 

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Ingredients

• 4 Lbs Oxtails
• 2 Qts Water
• 1 Beef Broth
• 2 Tbs Olive Oil
• 1/4 Cup Cornstarch
• 2 Cans of Butter Beans
• 1 Cup Onions, chopped
• 1/2 Cup Tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 Cup Scallions, chopped
• 1/4 Cup Green Bell Peppers, chopped
• 1/4 Cup Red Bell Peppers, chopped
• 1/4 Cup Celery, chopped
• 2 Tsps Minced Garlic
• 2 Tsps Ginger Paste
• 1 Scotch Bonnet or Hot Pepper
• 5 Fresh Thyme Sprig
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 1/3 Cup Ketchup
• 1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
• 2 Tbs Browning and Seasoning Sauce
• 4 Tsps Worcestershire Sauce
• 3 Tbs Brown Sugar
• 2 Tbs Seasoning Salt
• 4 Tsps Jamaican All-Spice
• 2 Tsps Garlic Powder
• 2 Tsps Onion Powder
• 2 Tsps Paprika
• 1 Tsp Black Pepper

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Instructions

1. Place the oxtails in a big mixing bowl and add in all the seasonings and toss well.
2. Add in the condiments and cornstarch and stir well.
3. Place a large pot over medium-high heat and add olive oil.
4. After a minute, add in the oxtail and toss periodically for 10 minutes to sear them.
5. Meanwhile, chop the vegetables into small pieces, except the thyme sprig and scotch bonnet.
6. Reduce to medium heat, then pour in the water or broth and water and stir well.
7. Add in the vegetables and cover them with a lid, leaving a crack on the side.
8. Simmer for 3-1/2 hours, 4 if you want them to fall off the bones. Make sure to stir periodically.
9.  Add in the butter beans during the last 5 minutes, then cut the fire off.

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Notes

• If you like your oxtails spicy, add the whole scotch bonnet and if you don’t, cut it in half.