Oxtail with Butter Beans

Story

During Caribbean slavery and the post-emancipation era, enslaved and poor communities were given the parts of the animal that enslavers discarded: tails, feet, and offal. Through slow braising with pimento, thyme, and Scotch bonnet, they transformed these cuts into deeply flavoured stews that became the foundation of Caribbean cooking. As oxtail's gelatinous richness became more widely appreciated from the late 20th century onward, the once-cheap cut became prized and expensive, appearing at high-end restaurants and James Beard dinners, turning a survival food of Afro-Caribbean cooks into a global comfort dish. In Jamaica, oxtail braised with butter beans and served with rice and peas remains a cornerstone of Sunday cookshops and family celebrations.

Ingredients

• 1.5 to 1.8kg oxtail, cut into thick pieces and trimmed of excess surface fat
• Juice of 1 lime or 2 to 3 tablespoons white vinegar for washing
• 15g coarse salt, plus more to taste
• 5g freshly ground black pepper
• 15g all-purpose or Caribbean mixed seasoning
• 6g garlic powder
• 15ml Caribbean browning sauce
• 15ml dark soy sauce
• 5ml Worcestershire sauce
• 1 medium onion (about 150g), diced
• 2 to 3 spring onions, chopped
• 4 large garlic cloves, smashed or finely chopped
• 2 to 3cm piece of fresh ginger, sliced
• 5 to 7 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, left whole for gentler heat or sliced for more
• 5 to 8 pimento (allspice) berries, lightly crushed
• 30 to 45ml vegetable or neutral oil
• 30g tomato paste
• 10g brown sugar
• 900 to 1000ml water or low-sodium beef stock
• 400g tin butter beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 medium carrot, sliced (optional)
• 10g fresh flat-leaf parsley or spring onion, finely chopped, for garnish

Method

• 1. Clean and season: place oxtail in a large bowl, cover with cold water and lime juice or vinegar, rub well, then drain and rinse with fresh water. Pat thoroughly dry with paper towels. Season all over with salt, black pepper, all-purpose seasoning, garlic powder, browning sauce, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce, rubbing the seasonings into all the crevices. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. Bring to room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before cooking.
• 2. Brown the oxtail: heat 2 to 3 tablespoons of oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the oxtail pieces on all sides for 4 to 6 minutes per batch until deeply coloured. Do not overcrowd the pot. Transfer browned pieces to a bowl and set aside.
• 3. Build the flavour base: reduce to medium-low heat. Spoon off any excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pot. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes until it darkens and smells sweet and roasted. Add the diced onion, spring onions, garlic, ginger, thyme, whole Scotch bonnet, and pimento berries. Saute for 3 to 5 minutes until the onion softens and everything is fragrant.
• 4. Slow braise: return the browned oxtail and any resting juices to the pot and stir to coat in the aromatic mixture. Pour in 900 to 1000ml of water or stock, just enough to cover the meat, scraping the base of the pot to release all the browned bits. Stir in the brown sugar. Bring to a full boil, then reduce to low heat, cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar, and simmer gently for 2.5 to 3 hours until the oxtail is very tender and starting to pull from the bone. Check every 30 to 40 minutes, turning the pieces and adding a splash of hot water if the liquid drops too low.
• 5. Skim and season: when the oxtail is tender, skim off any excess fat from the surface of the gravy. Taste and adjust salt and black pepper. A small pinch of extra brown sugar can round out the flavour if needed.
• 6. Add butter beans: gently stir in the drained butter beans and the sliced carrot if using. Simmer uncovered on low heat for 10 to 15 minutes until the beans are heated through and have absorbed some of the gravy but are still mostly whole. Remove the thyme stems, pimento berries, and whole Scotch bonnet.
• 7. Finish and serve: scatter over the chopped parsley or extra spring onion. The gravy should be glossy, well-seasoned, and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If too thin, reduce on medium-low for a few minutes. Serve piping hot with rice and peas or plain white rice, with steamed cabbage on the side.

Common questions