Jamaican Oxtail Stew Recipe
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Jul 23, 2025 
This Jamaican Oxtail Soup Recipe is easy to prepare on the stovetop, in a slow cooker, or in an Instant Pot. It features fresh veggies and a kick of spice for a savory, delicious, and comforting dish!
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
Oxtail stew with veggies is a fabulous cold-weather and holiday dinner party dish… It is rich and hearty, a little spicy, and unique enough to serve to dinner guests.
Plus, this Jamaican Oxtail recipe can be made on the stovetop in a few hours, in an Instant Pot in a bit over an hour, or simmered in the slow cooker all day for an effortless evening meal. The result is a fork-tender hearty soup that tastes both comforting and exciting at the same time!
Why You’ll Love Jamaican Oxtail Stew
- Comfort food hero – This meaty oxtail stew is the ultimate soul-warming comfort dish that’s perfect for a weeknight meal and future meal prep planning!
- Burst of Caribbean flavors – This dish is loaded with rich and vibrant Jamaican flavors that are spicy, sweet and savory.
- One pot wonder – Whether you make this over the stovetop or in an Instant Pot, all you need is one pot for a fuss-free cleanup!
For a cozy, hearty dish that delivers every single time, then this oxtail stew is perfect recipe for you!
Ingredients and Tips
- Oxtails – Use pre-sliced oxtail bones.
- Worcestershire sauce – Use for a deep, savory flavor.
- Brown sugar – Adds a bit of sweetness.
- Allspice – This is a key spice for classic oxtail stew.
- Vegetables – You’ll need chopped onion, carrots, minced garlic, seeded and chopped bell peppers and a scotch bonnet pepper.
- Herbs – Use dried bay leaves and thyme leaves.
- Ketchup – Ketchup will add a hint of tangy taste.
- Beef broth – Or you can use bouillon with water
- Canned butter beans – I prefer to use drained lima beans.
Recipe Variations and Dietary Swaps
- Turn up the heat – Make this dish even spicier by adding an extra scotch bonnet pepper or sprinkling in a dash of cayenne pepper.
- Veggies – Mix in some leafy greens like spinach, collard greens or kale towards the end.
- Other protein – If you can’t find oxtail, or you’re just not a fan of it, opt instead for beef short ribs or beef shank!
- Vegetarian twist – Turn this stew into a vegetarian version by swapping the beef with mushrooms and jackfruit.
- Beans – Use cannellini beans or chickpeas instead of butter beans.
How To Make Jamaican Oxtail Stew
Whether you make this over the stovetop, in a slow cooker or in an Instant Pot, this delicious and hearty Jamaican Oxtail Stew takes just a bit of time and slow simmering before you can dig in to the most tender spoonful of savory flavors!
Find the full Jamaican Oxtail Stew recipe with detailed instructions and storage tips in the printable form at the bottom of the post!
Tips For Success
- Make sure to brown the oxtail pieces well in order to get that rich caramelized flavor. Don’t rush this step!
- Don’t forget to toss the beans with cornstarch. This cornstarch slurry will thicken the broth in the stew.
- Rest before serving. This will allow the flavors to settle and the sauce to thicken a bit more.
Storage Notes
- Storing Leftovers – Place cooled stew in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Freezing Leftovers – You can store portions of this stew in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Reheating Leftovers – Reheat in a pot or saucepan over medium or medium-high heat. If needed, add extra broth or water.
Serving Suggestions
I love to serve this Jamaican Oxtail Stew the classic way, in a bowl over steamed white rice. However, you can also enjoy this with coconut Caribbean Rice or with Jamaican Peas and Rice. Don’t forget to garnish with sliced fresh green onions…and a some extra gravy!
You can also soak up all the juicy and savory flavors by enjoying this stew with some plantains, Roti or Corn Bread!
Jamaican Oxtail and Beans Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 3 pounds oxtails
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion peeled and chopped
- 4-5 cloves garlic minced
- 3-4 large carrots peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
- 2 bell peppers seeded and chopped into 1 inch pieces
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper habanero
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves or 2 tsp dried
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups beef broth
- 16 ounces canned butter beans drained
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ cup chopped scallions
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Place the oxtails in a large baking dish. Poor in the Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, and 1 teaspoon of allspice. Toss well to coat the ox tails in the seasonings.
- Place a large 6-8 quart saucepot over medium heat. Add the olive oil to the pot. Once hot, place half the oxtails in the pot and brown for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Move the oxtails around the pan so the sugar doesn’t burn on the bottom. Remove the ox tails and repeat with the remaining second batch. Remove all the oxtails from the pot.
- Add the onions and garlic to the pot. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. Then place all the browned oxtails back to the pot. Top them with the chopped carrots, bell peppers, one whole scotch bonnet pepper, bay leaves, thyme, ketchup, and apple cider vinegar. Pour the beef broth over the top. Cover with a heavy lid and cook on medium-low for 2-3 hours, until the oxtail meat is fork-tender.
- Drain the butter beans and toss them with cornstarch. Stir the beans into the stew. Simmer another 5-10 minutes.
- Sprinkle of scallions, and serve as-is or with a side of rice.
Notes
- For the Instant Pot: Sauté the oxtails and veggies as directed. Then pressure cook on high for 40 minutes. Stir in the beans and cornstarch at the end and simmer for another 10 minutes.
- For the Slow Cooker: Saute the oxtails and veggies as directed, on the stovetop. Move everything to the slow cooker and set on high for 7-8 hours, or on low for 12-14 hours. Stir in the beans and cornstarch at the end and simmer another 10 minutes.
- Storing Leftovers – Place cooled stew in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezing Leftovers – You can freeze portions of this stew for up to 3 months.
- Reheating Leftovers – Reheat in a pot or saucepan over medium heat. If needed, add extra broth or water.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Intensely flavorful oxtail 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.
This traditional recipe is quite simple to make but creates an intense deliciousness that’s impossible to resist. If you aren’t already familiar with the ingredients, 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.
Yes! It actually tastes even better if you make this stew ahead of time!
A…mazing. The dish was outstanding but I think the layout, the info, and the visuals were some of the best I have seen. Nice job and thank you for the recipe!
My husband is Jamaican, born and raised. When I met him he moved to a small town in Massachusetts with me with nothing out here. There are no Caribbean restaurants or stores with any Caribbean ingredients. The only thing we can find and on occasion only is oxtail in the grocery store and that’s it.
He has struggled with this and living out here because of it. I have tried to make him feel at home, but it’s hard when we don’t have anything here to help
I went through a lot of recipes to see what I could make with that ingredients. I could find and there were none but this one.
So I made it but I did the slow cooker technique. He was extremely skeptical, and even kind of giggled when he saw me making it. But once he tried it, he now asks for it weekly. He says I make it better than home and tells all his family and shows everyone back in Jamaica pictures.
So thank you for that!!!
Oh Nicole, that’s so amazing. Thanks for sharing this with me. You just made my day! :)