Jamaican Oxtails

June 19th, 2009

This is how I would cook Jamaican Oxtail. I learned from my mother.

JAMAICAN OXTAIL

2 lb. Oxtail
1 Lg. Onion (chopped)
1 lg. Green Bell Pepper (chopped)
2 tbsp. Salt or Seasoned Salt
3 Carrots (cleaned and chopped)
1oz. Jamaican Browning
1 can Butter Beans
2 clove Garlic
4 Stlks.Thyme
6 Pimento Berries (Allspice)
Vinegar

Trim the extra fat from the meat if there is any. Wash oxtails in cold water/vinegar solution. (my mother used lime or lemons)

Season oxtail with the browning, onion, salt, garlic, thyme, allspice.
Place oxtail on a baking sheet/pan and bake for 30 minutes on high. (My mother browned the oxtail in a pot) This will give the oxtail a nice brown color and remove any remaining fat.

Put the oxtails in the pressure-cooker and add 4 cups of water to the pot. Place the pot on the stove and set the fire to high. Allow the meat to cook at high pressure for 30 minutes.

Remove the pressure-cooker from heat and cool according to the manufactures guidelines. After opening the pot, let it sit for 5 minutes and skim grease from the oxtails. Taste the gravy and put in additional seasonings if needed.

Put the oxtail back on the stove and set the fire to medium. Cook to desired tenderness. This should be for approximately 10 minutes. Add carrots, peppers and butter beans five minutes before cooking is complete.

Serve with your favorite sides – rice and peas, dumpling, pasta, yam

Note:
The cooking time this version of Jamaican oxtails is about 1 hour 15 minutes. That’s a lot less than the usual 4 to 5 hours it takes to cook oxtails.
The type of oxtails you use will reduce/increase the amount of time it takes when preparing this dish.

To taste Oxtails such as this try the restaurant Under D Tree (Yes, I am an owner)

Ingredient Substitution

June 16th, 2009

To have our favorite Caribbean dishes, there are many ways to make them, and they are all correct. Do you have a favorite Caribbean receipt?

Who taught you how to cook; was it your mother, grandmother or father?

When you add new twists to old favorites, what do you change? When you can’t get authentic ingredients, what do you use as substitutes?