Gluten-Free Jamaican Oxtail Stew Recipe for Rich, Authentic Flavor

If you’re craving a richly seasoned, traditional Jamaican dish, this Jamaican Oxtail Stew with butter beans delivers bold Caribbean flavor. It’s a slow-cooked comfort stew that rewards patience with tender, fall-off-the-bone meat and a deep, savory sauce. You can make it the classic way on the stove or adapt it for the Instant Pot or a slow cooker for convenience.

This recipe takes time, so plan ahead — but it’s straightforward: season and brown the oxtails, sauté aromatics and spices, then simmer low and slow until the meat is meltingly tender. The butter beans added near the end add creaminess and body to the stew. Leftovers reheat beautifully and also freeze well, making this a great choice for meal prep or feeding a crowd.

Why Make This Recipe

• Budget friendly – Uses mostly pantry staples; a little oxtail goes a long way.
• Feeds a crowd – Perfect for Sunday dinners, potlucks, family gatherings and soul food meals.
• Simple to prepare – Brown the meat, sauté the aromatics, add liquids and simmer. It’s easy and forgiving.
• Customizable – Adjust spices, swap beans or add vegetables to suit your taste.
• Freezes well – Make extra and freeze portions for quick weeknight meals.

Ingredient Notes

• Meat – Use uncooked oxtails that have been sliced and rinsed.
• Vegetables – This version uses onion and green onion (spring onions).
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp Jamaican curry powder
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp pimento (allspice) berries
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 cups (946 ml) water
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp tamari (or regular soy sauce if not gluten-free)
• 1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp browning sauce (optional)
• 1 15-ounce (425 g) can butter beans, rinsed and drained
• Salt to taste

Pick up a few pounds of oxtail and these spices at the market, and you’ll be ready to make a classic Jamaican oxtail stew that’s hearty and full of character.

How to Make Jamaican Oxtail Stew

See the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and measurements.

1. Season the washed, sliced oxtails with salt and pepper.
2. Heat 1 tsp oil in a heavy pot and brown the oxtails on both sides. Work in batches if needed, then remove and set aside.
3. Add the onion and green onion to the pot and cook about 5 minutes until softened.
4. Stir in the tomato paste, Jamaican curry powder, ginger, garlic, pimento berries and thyme. Fry about 5 minutes until fragrant.
5. Return the oxtails to the pot and add water, Worcestershire sauce, tamari, brown sugar and browning sauce (if using).
6. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 2–2½ hours, or until the meat is very tender.
7. About 15 minutes before the end of cooking, add the butter beans and adjust seasoning with salt to taste.
8. Serve over rice, rice and peas, mashed potatoes, or cauliflower rice. Enjoy.

Make This In A Slow Cooker

This stew adapts well to a slow cooker, which is ideal for long, gentle cooking that develops deep flavor.

1. Follow the stove-top recipe through step 5.
2. Transfer everything to a slow cooker, reducing the water by about 1 to 1½ cups. Cook on low for 7–8 hours until the meat is tender.
3. Add the butter beans and any additional water at around the 6-hour mark if needed, then finish cooking.

Expert Recipe Tips

• Cooking time depends on the size of the oxtail pieces — larger chunks may need longer.
• Try to keep pieces similar in size so they cook evenly.
• Oxtail with more fat yields a richer, more flavorful stew.
• After cooking, skim excess fat from the surface if desired to avoid an overly oily finish.
• If gluten is not a concern, regular soy sauce can replace tamari.

Delicious Variations

• Swap the beans – Butter beans are traditional, but broad beans or other large beans work well.
• Extra vegetables – Add potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots or bell pepper to bulk up the stew.
• Spice adjustments – Start with small amounts and adjust spices to your preference.
• Pimento substitute – If you don’t have pimento berries, use ½ tsp ground allspice.
• Add heat – For spice, add a whole scotch bonnet while cooking, removing it before serving, or chop a scotch bonnet for a hotter stew. Handle hot peppers with care.

Prep Ahead And Storing

This stew freezes and refrigerates well, making it ideal for meal prep and stretching your food budget.

• Refrigerator: Cool completely, store in an airtight container and refrigerate up to 4 days.
• Freezer: Portion into freezer-safe bags or containers, remove excess air, label and freeze up to 3 months.
• Reheat: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. If the sauce thickens during storage, thin with a little water; if it’s too thin, reduce uncovered on the stove or add a cornstarch slurry to thicken.

FAQs

More Jamaican Recipes

• Easy Jamaican Steamed Cabbage
• Jamaican Sorrel Drink
• Jamaican Curried Goat
• Dump-and-Start Jamaican Instant Pot Carrot Soup
• Jamaican Cornmeal Porridge

Serving Suggestions

Enjoy a bowl on its own or serve alongside:

• Jamaican rice and peas
• Crockpot mashed potatoes
• Brown rice
• Fried plantains

Weight Watchers Points

There are approximately 8 Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of this oxtail stew.

Thank you for reading this Jamaican Oxtail recipe. I hope you enjoy making and sharing this flavorful, comforting stew.

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Jamaican Oxtail

This traditional Jamaican oxtail recipe is full of authentic flavor.

Prep Time
15 mins

Cook Time
4 hrs 45 mins

Servings: 8

Calories: 352kcal

Ingredients

Jamaican Oxtail Recipe Ingredients:

• 2 lbs (908g) oxtails sliced and washed
• 1 onion peeled and sliced
• 4 green onions (spring onions) sliced
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp Jamaican curry powder
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp pimento berries allspice berries
• 4 sprigs of thyme
• 4 cups (946ml) water
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp Tamari soy sauce or regular soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp browning sauce
• 15 ounce can (425g) butter beans rinsed and drained
• salt to taste

Instructions

Jamaican Oxtail Instructions:

• Start by seasoning the washed and sliced oxtails with salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 tsp oil in a pot and brown the oxtails on both sides. Remove and set aside.
• Add onion and green onion to the pot and cook 5 minutes until softened.
• Stir in tomato paste, Jamaican curry powder, ginger, garlic, pimento berries and thyme; fry about 5 minutes until fragrant.
• Add the oxtails back to the pot with water, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, tamari and browning sauce.
• Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 2–2½ hours, or until the oxtails are very tender.
• About 15 minutes before the end of cooking, add the butter beans and adjust salt to taste.
• Serve warm and enjoy.

Notes

Expert Recipe Tips

• Depending on the size of the oxtail chunks, you may need to cook a bit longer.
• Keep pieces similar in size for even cooking.
• Fat adds flavor — tails with more fat give a richer sauce.
• Scoop excess oil after cooking if desired.
• Swap tamari for regular soy sauce if gluten is not a concern.

Delicious Variations

• Swap butter beans for another large bean variety if preferred.
• Add potatoes, sweet potatoes or carrots to bulk up the stew.
• Use ½ tsp ground allspice if you don’t have whole pimento berries.
• Add a scotch bonnet for heat, removing it before serving for milder spice or chopping it for extra heat (handle carefully).

More Jamaican Recipes

• Easy Jamaican Steamed Cabbage
• Jamaican Sorrel Drink
• Jamaican Curried Goat
• Dump-and-Start Jamaican Instant Pot Carrot Soup
• Jamaican Cornmeal Porridge

Serving Suggestions

Enjoy the stew on its own or serve with rice and peas, mashed potatoes, brown rice or fried plantains.

Weight Watchers Points

There are about 8 Blue Plan SmartPoints per serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 352 kcal
|
Carbohydrates: 15 g
|
Protein: 39 g
|
Fat: 15 g