Rich, tender oxtail cooked down in a full-bodied gravy and seasoned with Luv’s House Blend and Monty Blend. House gives you the savory foundation, while Monty adds a deeper, beef-forward flavor that works perfectly with oxtail.
Ingredients
-
Oxtail, cleaned with fresh lime, rinsed and patted dry
-
Luv’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil
-
Luv’s House Blend
-
Luv’s Monty Blend
-
Worcestershire sauce
-
Soy sauce
-
Browning
-
Beef stock or beef broth
-
Hot water, as needed
-
Butter
-
Ketchup
-
1 can butter beans, drained
-
1 whole Scotch bonnet pepper
-
1 Scotch bonnet pepper, deseeded and finely chopped - optional
-
Onion, chopped - optional
-
Garlic, chopped - optional
-
Fresh thyme - optional
-
Scallion, chopped - optional
A note on the fresh vegetables: Luv’s House and Monty are complete spice blends, so additional onion, garlic, thyme and scallion are completely optional. Add them if you enjoy the extra vegetables and texture they bring to your oxtail and gravy.
Season the Oxtail
Clean the oxtail with fresh lime, rinse well and pat dry.
Drizzle generously with Luv’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil. If using fresh vegetables, add about half of the chopped onion, garlic, thyme, scallion and deseeded Scotch bonnet.
Season generously all over with Luv’s House Blend.
Follow with Luv’s Monty Blend, using approximately ¼ to ½ the amount of Monty as House Blend. House is the main seasoning here, while Monty adds another layer of rich, beef-forward flavor.
Add Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and a drizzle of browning. Toss everything together thoroughly so every piece of oxtail is well coated.
Go easy with the browning. You want enough to develop deep color, but too much can make the finished gravy bitter.
Cover and marinate for at least 2 hours.
Shortly before cooking, remove the oxtail from the refrigerator to take some of the chill off.
Cook the Oxtail
Heat a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.
Add the seasoned oxtail and allow it to cook down and develop good color. Cover the pot and continue cooking, turning the pieces occasionally. The oxtail will begin releasing its own juices as it cooks.
Once it has developed good color and cooked down, add enough beef stock or broth to begin the slow-cooking process.
Reduce the heat to medium, cover and allow the oxtail to cook slowly until it begins becoming tender.
Check the pot approximately every 15–20 minutes. Stir gently and add additional beef stock, broth or hot water whenever necessary. Don’t allow the bottom of the pot to catch.
Luv’s Kitchen Cooking Tip
If you need to add water while your oxtail is cooking, use hot water. Adding cold or room-temperature water can bring down the temperature of the pot and slow the cooking process. Hot water blends right into the simmering gravy so your oxtail can keep cooking without interruption.
Build the Gravy
Once the oxtail is almost tender, add:
-
Butter
-
The remaining fresh vegetables, if using
-
Drained butter beans
-
Approximately ¼ cup ketchup, adjusting according to the amount of oxtail you’re preparing
Stir gently and allow everything to begin bubbling together.
The vegetables will cook down into the sauce and help give the gravy additional body and thickness.
If you want a deeper color, add just a touch more browning. Again, don’t overdo it.
Add a little more beef stock or broth if the gravy needs additional liquid.
Place one whole Scotch bonnet pepper into the pot. Do not cut or burst it. Keeping the pepper whole allows its distinctive flavor to infuse the gravy without releasing all of its heat.
Bring everything together over medium-high heat for a short time, stirring gently and making sure the gravy isn’t catching on the bottom. At this stage, the oxtail should be tender, so stir carefully to avoid breaking up the meat.
Before reducing the heat for the final simmer, carefully remove the whole Scotch bonnet pepper so it doesn’t soften enough to burst.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow everything to cook together for approximately 10 more minutes, until the oxtail is tender and the gravy is rich and full-bodied.
Serve hot with your favorite sides.
Slow Cooker Option
For an easier, hands-off option, place the seasoned and marinated oxtail directly into the slow cooker. There’s no need to brown it first.
Start the slow cooker on HIGH to get everything going, then reduce the heat and allow the oxtail to cook slowly until it is nearly tender.
Once the oxtail is almost tender, turn the slow cooker back to HIGH. Add the butter, drained butter beans, ketchup and remaining fresh vegetables, if desired. Add the whole Scotch bonnet and allow everything to cook together as the gravy develops and thickens.
Remove the whole Scotch bonnet before it becomes soft enough to burst.
Continue cooking on HIGH until the oxtail is completely tender and the gravy has come together to your liking.
Luv’s Kitchen Tip
Luv’s House Blend and Monty Blend are complete spice blends, so the fresh vegetables are completely optional. Add them if you enjoy the extra vegetables and texture they bring to your oxtail and gravy.
