How many of you love doing slow cooker recipes? I know I do. I usually make Crockpot beef stew and slow cooker chicken potpie both of which are great recipes, but what about oxtails?
Well, if you love Jamaican cuisine then oxtail dishes are definitely going to be your favorite.
Oh, Jamaica reminds me of childhood memories spent in the summertime.
It was always steamy and hot outside with the sweet smell of sugar cane in the air. However
Now if you’re wondering how to make the recipe for Jamaican oxtails in slow cooker, don’t worry, I’m here to help.
For only you, today I am going to show you exactly how to prepare Jamaican oxtails for your slow cooker so that they come out perfectly tender and juicy.

What is Jamaican oxtail?
If you’ve never had Jamaican oxtail before, then you are in for a real treat. Oxtails are the tail meat of a cow or sheep and they are stewed until very tender.
They have a unique flavor that is hard to describe but definitely unique.
What I love most about oxtails is that they are a very affordable and relatively easy dish to prepare. In fact, many people don’t even realize that oxtails are an incredibly versatile and easy meat dish to make.
Glad that you are at least trying to know about the Jamaican oxtail recipe and why it is a great slow cooker recipe.
Do you have to soak oxtails before cooking?
Before I show you how to make Jamaican oxtail in slow cooker, let’s talk about one thing first. Do you have to soak your oxtails before cooking them?
I personally suggest people soak their oxtails for at least one hour before cooking them if they want them to come out tender.
That’s because some people believe that soaking oxtails in water helps tenderize them and remove some of the fat.
Additionally, some people think that soaking oxtail gives it a more flavorful broth because it softens the meat while also adding flavor.
I hope this information is enough to understand what you should do. And don’t worry my below step-by-step guide will guide you through the whole process.
Recipe for Jamaican oxtails in slow cooker

- Prep Time15 min
- Cook Time8 hr 10 min
- Total Time8 hr 25 min
- YieldJamaican Oxtails
- Serving Size6
- Energy624 cal
- Cuisine
- Caribbean
- Course
- Main Course
- Suitable for Diet
- Low Fat
- Tags
Ingredients
For marinating, you will need
- 4 chopped green onion
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 tsp soy sauce (or any other type of soy sauce)
- 3 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, fresh
- 2 teaspoon browning
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon fresh curry powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
For stewing oxtail in the slow cooker
- 2.5 lbs chopped oxtail (about 2 inches per cube)
- 2 medium size chopped carrots
- 1 can butter beans
- 1 chopped medium size onion
- 1 scotch seeded and minced bonnet pepper
- 2 and 1/2 cups of beef broth
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 4 sprigs thyme, fresh
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 4 large bay leaves
- 3 tablespoon vegetable oil
Instructions
Combine all of the ingredients for the marinating in a large bowl and mix well.
Keep the green onion aside for later use.
Add oxtail to the bowl and coat evenly with the marinating sauce.
You can add the green onion this time.
Marinate for at least 2 hours, up to overnight if you have time.
It’s time to prepare the stew but we will take out the oxtails before we do that.
In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat and brown oxtail cubes in batches for about 2 minutes each on all sides.
Make sure not to overcrowd the pot and burn them.
Remove the oxtail from the pot with a slotted spoon and set it aside in a bowl or dish.
Sauté the garlic and onions in the pot until softened.
Once everything is simmering nicely, pour in beef broth until it just covers everything.
Stir occasionally and let cook until tender.
It’s time to place our oxtails in a clean slow cooker.
Add carrots, onions, bonnet pepper, scotch pepper, and thyme sprigs.
Pour beef broth over all of the ingredients in the slow cooker and stir well to combine.
The remaining beef broth and cornstarch can be used as oxtail broth gravy. Now add ketchup and stir.
Lock the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours.
It’s time to add the butter beans.
Once the oxtail is cooked through and the butter beans are tender, remove the stew from the slow cooker.
Remove bay leaves and thyme sprigs before you serve.
One simple salad recipe is the Chicken salad chick recipe.
- Serving Size6
- Amount per serving
- Calories624
- % Daily Value*Standard DV
- Total Fat33 g78 g42.31%
- Saturated Fat11 g20 g55%
- Trans Fat1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat- g
- Monounsaturated Fat- g
- Cholesterol208 mg300 mg69.33%
- Sodium868 mg2300 mg37.74%
- Total Carbohydrate18 g275 g6.55%
- Dietary Fiber5 g28 g17.86%
- Total Sugars6 g
- Added Sugars- g50 g0%
- Sugar Alcohal- g
- Protein64 g50 g128%
- Vitamin D (Cholecalciferol)- IU800 IU0%
- Calcium82 mg1300 mg6.31%
- Iron9 mg18 mg50%
- Potassium447 mg4700 mg9.51%
- Vitamin A- mcg900 mcg0%
- Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)8 mg90 mg8.89%
- Vitamin E (Tocopherol)- IU33 IU0%
- Vitamin K- mcg120 mcg0%
- Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)- mg1.2 mg0%
- Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)- mg1.3 mg0%
- Vitamin B3 (Niacin)- mg16 mg0%
- * The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Pro Tips to make the recipe tastier:
1) Did you notice that oxtail cubes brown a little bit in the pot? That is intentional and means they are slowly cooking in their own fat.
2) If you want to make it extra tender, reduce the stew broth and cornstarch gravy by half.
3) In case, the stew seems too thick or hearty for your taste, feel free to thin it out with some chicken broth or water.
How healthy this Jamaican oxtail slow recipe is?
The concerning part is that this stew is high in saturated fat (33g) and cholesterol (208g). So, the health benefits of this Jamaican oxtail stew may be a bit limited.
But the good news is that it is low in sugar (6g). And, it contains very vital nutrients like vitamin A, Potassium, iron, sodium, and calcium.
Beef is always a great source of protein and this Jamaican oxtail stew has more benefits than you expect. So, it is definitely satisfying. Luckily, all the spicy flavors are balanced out by sweetness from the butter beans.
So, overall, this recipe deserves a thumbs up for its healthy features.
How to serve this Caribbean oxtail?
When I start writing this content, I knew this recipe would be a huge hit with slow cooker enthusiasts. Now, people are asking me to tell them how to serve it.
First, tell me, Are you even considering serving oxtail stew without rice? Nope, not happening. This stew is perfect as a hearty main dish paired with some steamed or boiled white rice.
Alternatively, you can serve this Jamaican oxtail stew as part of an all-day brunch or lunch menu. Plus, it would make an amazing potluck favorite too.
Our previous article: Popeyes coleslaw recipe.
Frequently asked questions:
Q: Can I freeze this stew?
A: Of course! Just be sure to wrap it well in plastic wrap and then in a freezer-safe container.
Q: Can I make this recipe without a slow cooker?
A: You can cook oxtail stew on the stovetop too. But wait, don’t you think everything has its own process of cooking?
The slow cooker is definitely the best way to make this stew because it brings all the flavors together perfectly.
Q: What vegetables can I add to this stew?
A: As you can see, we already have added butter beans and carrots. But feel free to add in any other veggies you like, such as peas, corn, or green beans.
Final Thoughts
Well, I don’t often take the time to write lengthy blog posts, but I really think this recipe deserves it. Jamaican oxtail stew is a recipe that needs our time, attention, and creativity.
If you are thinking, you won’t follow my above steps properly but still, your recipe will be amazing then, sorry dear, you’re wrong.
This recipe for Jamaican oxtails in slow cooker is an art form and needs to be followed correctly in order for it to turn out amazing.
That’s why I’ve shared all the necessary steps along with tips and health benefits so that you can make this recipe perfectly.
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