Oxtail Curry

Name: Oxtail Curry
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 3 h
Total time: 3 h 15 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 3 lb oxtail, cut into medium pieces (2-3 inches each); kosher salt; 1.5 tsp freshly ground white or black pepper; 0.5 tsp garlic, finely minced; 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, stripped from stems; 1.5 tsp chicken or beef bouillon powder; 2 green onions, white and light green parts diced; 2.5 tbsp neutral cooking oil (vegetable or canola); 1 yellow onion, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces; 1 tbsp garlic cloves, minced; 2 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped; 5.5 whole allspice berries (pimento seeds); 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce; 1.5 tsp browning sauce (like Kitchen Bouquet); 2 tbsp tomato paste (or ketchup in a pinch); 1 tbsp beef bouillon powder or 1 cube, crumbled; 1 tsp curry powder (Jamaican or Madras preferred); 2 green onions, chopped including green tops; 5 cup water or beef stock; 1 15-ounce can butter beans, drained and rinsed; 1 Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper, left whole; kosher salt to taste

Jamaican-Style Slow-Braised Oxtail Curry

Oxtail transforms from tough to fork-tender through patient braising, while curry powder and aromatic pimento seeds build a deeply satisfying sauce. The butter beans soak up all those rich flavors during the final simmer, creating a complete one-pot meal that's worth every minute of cooking time.

CaribbeanDinnerComfort FoodOne PotSlow CookerBraisingBeefFallWinter

Prep15 min

Cook3 hrs

Total3 hrs 15 min

Servings6

Difficultymedium

Ingredients

Oxtail Seasoning

3 lboxtail, cut into medium pieces (2-3 inches each)
kosher salt
1½ tspfreshly ground white or black pepper
½ tspgarlic, finely minced
2 tspfresh thyme leaves, stripped from stems
1½ tspchicken or beef bouillon powder
2 green onions, white and light green parts diced

Jamaican Oxtail Stew

2½ tbspneutral cooking oil (vegetable or canola)
1 yellow onion, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tbspgarlic cloves, minced
2 tspfresh thyme, finely chopped
5½ whole allspice berries (pimento seeds)
1 tbspWorcestershire sauce
1½ tspbrowning sauce (like Kitchen Bouquet)(optional)
2 tbsptomato paste (or ketchup in a pinch)
1 tbspbeef bouillon powder or 1 cube, crumbled(optional)
1 tspcurry powder (Jamaican or Madras preferred)
2 green onions, chopped including green tops
5 cupwater or beef stock
1 15-ounce canbutter beans, drained and rinsed
1 Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper, left whole
kosher salt to taste

Instructions

Massage the oxtail pieces thoroughly with salt, pepper, minced garlic, thyme, bouillon powder, and diced green onions, making sure the seasoning coats every surface. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, though overnight is even better. Before cooking, remove from the fridge and brush off any visible herbs or onion pieces that might burn during searing.
⏱ 2 hrs
Warm the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add the seasoned oxtail pieces and brown them thoroughly on all sides, stirring frequently and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom — these add crucial flavor. If the pot seems greasy after browning, drain off all but 2-3 tablespoons of fat.
Toss in the chopped onions, minced garlic, fresh thyme, and allspice berries, stirring constantly so the aromatics don't burn. You want the onions to just start softening and everything to smell fragrant.
⏱ 1 min
Push the aromatics aside and nestle the browned oxtail back into the pot. Add the Worcestershire sauce, browning sauce (if using), tomato paste, bouillon powder, curry powder, and green onions, stirring everything together until the oxtail is well coated. Let this mixture cook briefly to bloom the curry powder's flavor.
⏱ 1 min
Pour in the water, starting with 4 cups and adding more as needed to just cover the meat. Bring the whole pot to a vigorous boil, then immediately reduce to a gentle simmer.
Cover and let the oxtail braise at a lazy simmer for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. The meat is ready when it's fork-tender and pulling away from the bone slightly. At high altitude, plan on 4-5 hours. Don't rush this step — tough oxtail needs time to break down into silky richness.
⏱ 2 hrs 30 min
About 20-30 minutes before the oxtail is done, stir in the drained butter beans and add the whole Scotch bonnet pepper for heat (don't pierce it unless you want serious spice). If the stew looks too thick, add a bit more water or stock to reach your desired consistency.
Continue simmering uncovered for the final 20-30 minutes, allowing the butter beans to absorb the curry flavors and the sauce to concentrate slightly. Taste and adjust salt as needed — the long cooking often requires a final seasoning boost. Remove the whole pepper before serving.
⏱ 25 min