Jamaican Oxtail Stew Recipe

I love making this Jamaican-style oxtail stew when I’m craving rich, Caribbean comfort food with deep, savory flavor. I slowly braise tender oxtails with fresh vegetables, beans, thyme, and warm island spices until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender and the gravy is thick and full of bold heat. Whether I cook it on the stovetop, in the slow cooker, or in the Instant Pot, this hearty main dish turns out incredibly comforting and satisfying every time. It’s an easy, flavor-packed stew that’s perfect for Sunday dinner or whenever I want a truly soulful meal.

Intensely flavorful oxtail and beans stew is a classic Jamaican dish, and it’s not hard to see why it is so loved! Perfectly caramelized and tender oxtails are cooked low and slow with carrots, peppers, and bold aromatics. The result is a fork-tender, hearty soup that tastes both comforting and exciting at the same time, fairly similar to my beef lentil stew, but with a spicy kick! This traditional recipe is quite simple to make but creates an deep deliciousness that’s impossible to resist. Now, you might be a bit intimidated by the idea of oxtail. However, I promise the protein is very easy to work with! When cooked, the pieces have a texture and taste similar to beef short ribs.

Andrea Thueson – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I was a little leery of giving this a try, but I was surprised by how much we all loved it! It is fun to expose my kids to new ways of eating and different cultures, so thank you!

Key Ingredients and Tips

• Oxtails – Use pre-sliced and packaged oxtail bones. I pick these up when they’re available at my grocery store, or order them anytime at a local butcher. I’ve also found them at Asian markets!
• Worcestershire sauce – You could also use soy sauce. Either one adds a nice deep, savory, and umami flavor.
• Brown sugar – I use light brown sugar for a mellow sweetness that balances the spicy peppers.
• Spices – A trio of allspice (ground or whole allspice berries), salt and pepper seasons the meat before cooking.
• Olive oil – This is my favorite oil for high-heat cooking, but you can use avocado oil or whatever you prefer.
• Veggies – Garlic, onion, carrots, and any color bell peppers you like.
• Scotch bonnet pepper or habanero pepper – I love both of these peppers! They are spicy but still have an amazing flavor, so you get a great smoky taste and not just a mouthful of heat.
• Bay leaves and thyme leaves – You want dry or fresh bay leaves, and ideally fresh thyme. However, a pinch of dried thyme will do in, well, a pinch.
• For the broth – A combination of tangy ketchup and apple cider vinegar, plus beef broth, forms the base of the oxtail soup. Together, they make the meat super tender and create a flavor that is perfectly balanced with the other more savory, spicy, and sweet ingredients.
• Canned beans -Use your choice of canned butter beans or lima beans, drained. Another option is to use canned peas if you want a slightly sweeter stew.
• Cornstarch – I use cornstarch to thicken the stew, making this recipe totally gluten-free.
• Scallions– I sprinkle on fresh chopped green onions right before serving. The freshness is lovely to balance the other heavier flavors!

How to Make

Find the full ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, storage tips, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.

Season the Oxtails – First, I place the oxtail pieces in a large baking dish. Then I pour in the Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, salt, black pepper, and allspice, and toss well to coat the oxtails.

Brown the Meat – Because the oxtails are large, I work in two batches to brown them. I place a large 6-8 quart saucepot over medium heat, and once hot, I add the olive oil to the pot. In go half the oxtails to brown for 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Keep moving the oxtails around the pan while they cook so the sugar doesn’t burn on the bottom. Once they’re browned, I remove the oxtails and repeat the process with the remaining batch. Then I remove all of the pieces from the pot and set them aside.

Veggies Etc. – Next, I add the onions and garlic to the pot, and sauté them for 2-3 minutes. Then, back into the pot go all the browned oxtails.

Top them with chopped carrots, seeded and chopped bell peppers, one whole scotch bonnet pepper, bay leaves, thyme, ketchup, and apple cider vinegar. Lastly, I pour the beef broth over the top.

Cover and Cook – I place a heavy lid onto the pot, and cook on medium-low for 2-3 hours, until the meat is fork-tender and the liquid thickens into rich brown gravy.

When the meat is cooked, I drain the butter beans and toss them with cornstarch in a small bowl. Then I stir the beans into the oxtail soup and simmer, uncovered, for another 5-10 minutes to thicken the stew.

Once done, I turn off the heat and pull the pot from the burner. I like to sprinkle some chopped scallions over the top before serving warm.

Serving Suggestions

Like my favorite Caribbean brown chicken stew, spicy Jamaican oxtail stew is delicious in a bowl on its own, or nestled alongside a bed of fluffy white or brown rice.

For a low-carb option, pair the veggie-filled stew with roasted cauliflower rice.

Storage Notes

Leftovers of this soup are fantastic, since the flavors become more intense the longer it sits. It will keep well for up to 3-4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

To freeze, transfer cooled leftovers to an airtight container and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the stew overnight in the fridge, and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.

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