One of our favorite Caribbean food is by far oxtails. We don’t eat it often, but whenever we do, this recipe is a delicacy. The flavors profile is truly leveled up from the ones we buy from takeout – although many are pretty decent. The herbs and spices combination is a game changer and the use of potatoes serves as a thickener. When I created this recipe, I used a tip from my sister; trim off the excess fat as much as possible. It makes the dish a bit healthier – my original recipe had a lot of floating oil that I had to spoon off before serving. This dish is so delicious and you can pair it with one of our rice and beans recipes – link in recipe notes. I hope you will try this recipe and enjoy it as much as we do. Happy cooking!
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Oxtails | Chef Yasmin’s Version
A suoer delicious and melt in your mouth oxtails. Great for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
- 4 pounds oxtails chunks trim off the excess fat from the larger pieces
- 2 teaspoons sea salt (adjust for your diet)
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil.
FOR THE BRAISING STEW:
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.
- 1 large onion peeled and chopped or diced
- 1 tablespoon crushed garlic
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- 2 teaspoons fresh oregano leaves chopped
- 5 small plum tomatoes cut into chunks
- 1 teaspoon all spice
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 5 small plum tomatoes chopped
- 4 scallions chopped
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon browning sauce I used casreep (can use your prefered browning sauce and can increase amount up to 1 1/2 tbsps).
- 2 cinnamon sticks (about 3 inches long)
- 6 cups chicken bone broth or chicken stock
- 1 large idaho potato cut into 1 inch chunks. I leave the skin on. You can sub butter beans.
- 1 hot pepper of choice, like a scotch bonnet or habanero. Leave the pepper whole.
Instructions
Let's season the oxtails:
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Mix together the salt and black pepper
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Rinse and dry the oxtails after removing the excess fat from the larger chunks.
Note: Removing the excess fat makes the dish less greasy.
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Season the oxtails with the salt and pepper mix.
Let's brown the oxtails:
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Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large saute pan. The oil should be hot but not smoking – use medium high heat.
Note: Adjust heat to medium if necessary while the meat is browning.
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Cook the oxtails, meaty sides, until lightly browned. About 4 minutes total.
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Remove the oxtails to a bowl or plate. Turn the heat to low.
Let's cook the veggies and braising liquid:
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Add 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil to the same saute pan.
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Add in the onions. Stir/Mix. Cook 2 minutes on low to medium-low heat.
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Add in the crushed garlic, thyme and oregano. Cook 30 to 60 seconds.
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Add in spices – allspice, turmeric and smoked paprika. Stir and cook 30 to 60 seconds.
Note: Keep the heat medium-low.
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Add in chopped tomatoes and scallions. Season with 1/4 teaspoon sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Stir and cook 3 to 4 minutes until tomatoes starts to break down.
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Stir in brown sugar.
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Add in Worcestershire and browning sauce. Stir.
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Add the cinnamon sticks.
Note: Remember to discard the cinnamon sticks before serving.
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Add in chicken broth. Turn up the heat to medium-high to high. Stir the broth, while scraping up the brown bits form the bottom of the pan. Cover the pan and bring to boil.
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Carefully add back the browned oxtails meat with any liquid drippings. Give it a careful and quick stir.
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Add in the potato chunks, tucking them in between the meat. Add in the whole hot pepper.
Note: Keeping the hot pepper whole flavors the dish without making it spicy. And the potatoes serve as a thickening agent. You can sub butter beans if preferred.
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Bring to a boil and cover. Lower the heat to medium-low to low and simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours until the meat is fork tender and the potatoes will be mushy.
Note: You can give it a stir half way through the cooking.
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Turn off the stove. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with chopped scallions.
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Serve with a side of rice and beans and vegetables.
Recipe Notes
Video tutorial available. Oxtails
If you don’t like oxtails, the braising sauce works if you use short ribs and the cook time is usually very similar.The cassava casareep browning sauce can be found in many West Indian grocery store or I buy it online.I like to use potatoes instead of the typical butter beans and it help to thicken up the sauce.Try serving this recipe with our Black Eye Peas and Rice  or Red Beans and Rice.Note that nutritional information is based on larger serving size and also the calories and fat content is less due to the excess fat that was removed from the meat. The fat becomes healthier since EVOO is added back.
