Best Bajan Oxtail Stew

Name: Best Bajan Oxtail Stew
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 3 h 30 min
Total time: 4 h 30 min
Yield: 4-6 serving(s)
Ingredients: 2 lbs oxtails, jointed; 3 tablespoons paprika; 2 tablespoons ground black pepper; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 tablespoons Trinidadian green seasoning; 1 1/2 onions, very thinly sliced; 1 green pepper, very thinly sliced; 1 garlic clove, minced; 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce; 1 tablespoon soya sauce; 3 tablespoons vegetable oil; 3 tablespoons brown sugar; 1 1/2 tablespoons browning sauce (optional); 2 -3 cups water; 2 bay leaves; 1 scotch bonnet pepper; 1 1/2 teaspoons whole cloves; 4 stalks fresh marjoram; 8 stalks fresh thyme; 2 beef bouillon cubes; 2 tablespoons ketchup; 2 potatoes, diced; 2 carrots, diced

Submitted by Karen in Toronto

"I learned to make this when I was living in Barbados. My friend, who is the grandson of a well known local cook in Speightstown (Mile and a Quarter), never used measurements, so everything here is approximated to the best of my ability. Feel free to play around with it, as it is hard to go wrong. You can find all the ingredients at any West Indian supermarket. This is the best oxtail stew I have ever had and I consider myself quite the connoisseur. If you want to impress your West Indian friends, try this delicious dish."

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Ready In:: 4hrs 30mins
Ingredients:: 23
Serves:: 4-6

ingredients

Marinade
2 lbs oxtails, jointed
3 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons Trinidadian green seasoning
1 ¹⁄₂ onions, very thinly sliced
1 green pepper, very thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon soya sauce
Stew
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 ¹⁄₂ tablespoons browning sauce (optional)
2 -3 cups water
2 bay leaves
1 scotch bonnet pepper
1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons whole cloves
4 stalks fresh marjoram
8 stalks fresh thyme
2 beef bouillon cubes
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 potatoes, diced
2 carrots, diced

directions

Marinade: put the clean oxtail in a large bowl and add all the ingredients to the meat so it is completely coated. Cover bowl, refrigerate and allow to marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Stew: Heat vegetable oil and brown sugar on medium in a large pot until the mixture turns a light brown. Add the oxtail and brown them for a few minutes per side. Add browning sauce and stir.
Add water so that meat is almost covered. Turn heat up and add bay leaves, scotch bonnet pepper (make sure this doesn't break!), cloves and herbs. Cover pot and bring to the boil then reduce heat to medium and cook for 3 hours, or until meat is extremely tender. Stir every 30 minutes and add hot water whenever necessary: meat should always be mostly covered.
Remove scotch bonnet pepper carefully after about 1 1/2 hours of cooking. After 3 hours, or when the meat is done, add beef bouillon, ketchup, potatoes and carrots. Cook for another 30 minutes.
Taste and see if you need to add anymore spices or salt. It should be perfect at this point. If the sauce needs thickening just add a teaspoon of cornstarch or flour. Serve with rice and peas and a side of coleslaw. Enjoy!

Questions & Replies

Hi there, what is Green Trinidadian Seasoning? How different from Bajan seasoning is it? Also, what is browning sauce?

tanz5462

Reviews

I've been using this recipe for years. There might be a lot of ingredients, but the flavour is so incredibly worth it. My only changes are minor... I use about 8 cloves, and I prefer the flavour of vegetable cube rather than beef cube. It's worth the time to make

Diana G.

RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

Karen in Toronto

I live in Toronto with my fiance Andrew and our two dogs, Ziggy (a poodle) and Jean-Pierre (a chihuahua). I love to cook, especially for Andrew who is willing to try anything. That is a good thing because my styles of cuisine vary dramatically. I've traveled all over this globe (35 countries) and have observed local cooks wherever I could. For the most part, I like cooking anything spicy, saucy or stewy. The longer it takes to cook, the more I enjoy cooking it.

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