By Chef Minna Lafortune
Oxtail with butter beans, a Caribbean delicacy, is not what the name suggests (the tail of an ox) but rather just cattle cut into small pieces. Like short ribs, oxtail is tasty, rich and beefy. This dish takes a long time to cook, but is definitely worth the wait if done properly. Not many people make great oxtail. Timing, temperature and a “Dutch Pot” are key in its preparation. They soak up any flavors you cook them down with. The average cooking time needed to make a killer oxtail would be at least 3 hours. Oxtails work particularly well in slow cookers and pressure cookers. The recipe will taste even better if left to sit overnight, and if cooked with butter beans. If done right, the meat will be sliding off the bone and easy to consume. Follow these steps and take your time, and your taste buds will thank you for it.
Ingredients
- 4 lbs trimmed oxtails
- 4 cans butter beans
- 1/2cup coconut oil
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 2 tsp. salt
- 3 tsp. black pepper
- 4 stalks escallions
- 2 large onions
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper
- 6 pimento seeds
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 4-6 cups of beef or vegetable stock or water
Method
Wash oxtails then season with salt, black pepper, soya sauce, onions, thyme, fresh garlic. Marinate overnight. Separate meat from marinade and seasonings. Cover and put marinade and seasonings aside. In a large Dutch pot add coconut oil. Allow to heat. Add oxtails and brown on all sides. Pour oil from pot. Put oil aside for disposal. Add oxtails back to the Dutch pot, add marinade and seasonings, beef or vegetable stock or water. Taste for saltiness, add soy sauce if needed and allow to cook for two hours on low flame until fork tender. Add drained butter beans. Add more water or some of the drained liquid from butter beans if necessary to cook beans and provide enough sauce. Skim the fat off the top of the pot with a spoon. Taste for salt and pepper, add more if needed. Continue to cook until beans are soft and sauce thickens. Serve with rice and peas.
Do not forget your vegetables! Steamed cabbage and carrots are an excellent accompaniment.
