Today was my grocery shopping day. And like any other day, I left to go to Walmart but ended up at 5011 other places.
I’ve come to accept the fact that I’m a drifter, I’m what they call a “walk-a-pickney” in Guyana. On any typical day I will leave to go to Point A and end up at Points A-Z…its a disease. Yeah..I’ve diagnosed myself because I’ve been trying to understand why I can’t just go to the store and come back home.
So after my tour of the East Side of Atlanta, I returned home to start making curry chicken patties. I had just put the chicken on the fire when my mother in law called to say she was stopping by and she was bringing oxtail.
I thought to myself “that woman knows how to make me happy”…she always brings food whenever she visits and spares me from having to cook. I was elated. I started calculating in my head when would be the next day that I would have to cook. I concluded that it would be 2 days from now.
I did my happy dance and went back to business.
The doorbell rings and in she walks with RAW oxtails in hand. Apparently either her or her husband were going to cook it here…that’s what they had planned. Let’s just say I ended up cooking the oxtails.
And why you ask? Because I love my readers, and because I’ve wanted to post oxtails for quite some time. And despite me being bone tired and wanting to do nothing but grab a cold beer and throw my feet up on the table while I catch up on my cooking shows, I decided to cook. I hope you enjoy the effort I’ve put in…don’t say I’ve never done anything for you.
Oxtails Stew
4 lbs oxtails
1/2 tsp crushed ginger
4 cloves garlic
10 sprigs thyme
3 scallion, chopped finely
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper*
3 tbsp ketchup
2 beef bouillon
1/2 tsp pimento
3 tbsp canola oil
4 tbsp sugar
water
16 oz can butter beans
Wash oxtails thoroughly. Place in a large bowl. Add ginger, garlic, thyme, scallion, onion, scotch bonnet pepper, crushed bouillon, pimento and ketchup; mix well. Let sit for at least 4 hours.
Heat 3 tbsp of canola oil over a medium fire, add sugar and allow to caramelize. The sugar will melt and turn dark brown(not black), add oxtail and stir. Cook oxtails for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.* Add enough water to cover oxtails, bring the water to a boil then lower the heat and allow to simmer. Cook oxtails for 1 hour or until tender.**
Add butter beans. If the liquid has reduced add enough water to cover the oxtail. Cook for an additional 25-30 minutes. The beans will become very soft and thicken the gravy. Remove from heat and garnish with additional chopped scallion.
Notes:
*To reduce cooking time, after stewing the oxtails for 15 minutes, add enough water to cover and pressure for 10 minutes. Cook for an additional 15 minutes, then add the butter beans.
**Cooking time will vary when cooking oxtails because it comes in a variety of sizes. Just make sure to cook until meat is almost falling off the bone.
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Gina
Hahahahaha, you’re funny! But I can totally relate to the drifting bit when shopping. I’m not sure it’s just a Guyanese disease, I think it’s a female disease!
Thank you for sharing your recipe. I’m absolutely going to give it a try. Taking the frozen oxtail out of the freezer right now!!! xoxo
Deborah
I have always wanted to try oxtails! I’m glad you found the energy to cook, because it looks delicious!
Shahidah
So glad you decided to add this post.I loveeeee oxtails I can’t wait to try your recipe!
Kathleen
Oh my goodness! This sounds scrumptious! I’ve never cooked oxtails, but I’m going to try this recipe next week when my brother and his wife come over. I have 2 little questions which are probably silly ones:
1/ What do you mean by crushed ginger? Finely minced fresh ginger? Powdered ginger?
2/ What do you mean by pimento? Dried red pepper powder? Minced fresh red pepper? The kind of pimientos that come minced in a jar or can?
Thanks so much! Can’t wait to try it!
JehanP Post author
Hi Kathleen, by crushed ginger I’m referring to fresh ginger crushed into a paste. Pimento is the same as Allspice which you should be able to find at any grocery store.
Kathleen
Thanks for such a quick answer, Jehan! I have now also read your recipe for chicken curry patties, and I’m really excited about trying that one too. I’ll let you know how they both turn out!
reen
OMG. Thank you so much for this oxtail recipe I cooked it this weekend and it was awsome thank you so much again I will be trying other recipes from you. Keep up the good work
Yaw
this is amazing….cooking it for the second time today. Theres a spanish version called Rabo de Toro… look it up.
Take care
JehanP Post author
Hi Yaw, thanks for the feedback. I google it and yes it’s very similar.
Skyy
Thanks for this recipe!
Mikey
I stumbled across your blog while Googling polenta (still can’t figure out the connection there…lol). Anyways, I love cooking, and love fiddling ’round with recipes even more.
This is what I’ve done…and i can just say, everyone went in for thirds: Instead of ketchup (which I never use or have on hand) I used my favorite organic bbq sauce instead (not sweet, but mildly hot), and just a pinch of crushed red pepper; I omitted the Allspice; and rather than four hours, I let it stand for 24 (in the fridge, or course); instead of canned beans, I used flash frozen (for some odd reason canned beans freak me out). Finally, since I did not have canola oil on hand, I used coconut oil.
Thanks for sharing this recipe. I think it will be on the menu for my annual dinner that I throw for all the wonderful women in my family.
Love & Light
Mikey