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1
Season & Marinate the Oxtail
30 Mins
Room temperature, then fridge 4°C (40°F) if resting longer
Rinse the oxtail pieces in water with a splash of vinegar and the lime juice, drain and pat very dry. Rub in the green seasoning, ground allspice, salt, black pepper, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, ginger and half the scallions and thyme, working the seasoning into every fold. Cover and leave for 30 minutes while you chop the vegetables.
Dry meat browns instead of steaming, so pat the oxtail really dry before it meets the hot pot.
Done when: Every piece evenly coated in the dark, fragrant green seasoning.
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2
Brown the Oxtail
10 Mins
Medium-high heat, ~190°C (375°F)
Heat the oil in a heavy pot and, working in batches, lay the oxtail in and sear each piece for 2–3 minutes a side until deeply browned, then lift out and set aside. The browned bits left in the pot are the start of the sauce.
Do not crowd the pot or the meat will steam pale; brown in two batches.
Done when: Deep brown crust on the outside of each piece.
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3
Build the Tomato Sauce
10 Mins
Medium heat, ~175°C (350°F)
In the same pot, soften the onion, remaining scallions and fresh tomato for 3–4 minutes, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes until it darkens, then add the crushed tomatoes, brown sugar, the whole scotch bonnet and the remaining thyme. Return the oxtail to the pot and pour in the beef stock. It should almost cover the meat.
Cooking the tomato paste until it darkens takes away its raw edge and deepens the sauce. Keep the scotch bonnet whole for aroma with gentle heat; pierce it only if you want the stew properly fiery.
Done when: A thick, red, fragrant sauce with the meat submerged and the vegetables softening.
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4
Braise Low & Slow
2 Hours 15 Mins
Low simmer, ~95°C (200°F)
Bring to a gentle simmer, cover with the lid slightly ajar and cook low and slow for about 2 hours 15 minutes, turning the pieces once or twice. Top up with a little hot water if the level drops below the meat. The stew is ready for the next step when the meat is nearly falling off the bone.
A lazy bubble, not a rolling boil, keeps the meat tender — boiling hard makes oxtail tough and stringy.
Done when: Meat pulls away from the bone with a gentle tug; the sauce has reduced and darkened.
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5
Add Carrots & Potato
25 Mins
Gentle simmer, ~95°C (200°F)
Stir in the carrots and potato chunks, pushing them down into the sauce. Simmer uncovered for 25 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the sauce turns thick and glossy. Fish out the scotch bonnet, taste and adjust the salt.
Add the vegetables late or they break down and cloud the sauce; the potato should be cooked through but still hold its shape.
Done when: Sauce coats the back of a spoon, potato and carrot are tender but whole, meat falls off the bone.
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6
Rest & Serve
10 Mins
No heat
Take the pot off the heat, cover loosely and rest for 10 minutes so the sauce settles and thickens slightly. Spoon the oxtail, vegetables and plenty of tomato gravy over rice and peas, with fried plantain and steamed cabbage alongside.
Skim any fat pooled on the surface before serving if you prefer a lighter gravy.
Done when: Thick, glossy tomato gravy that clings to the meat and the rice.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Fish out the whole scotch bonnet, taste the gravy and adjust the salt, then rest the stew for 10 minutes so the gravy thickens slightly before serving over rice and peas.
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