Jamaican Instant Pot Oxtail Stew
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Jamaican oxtail stew is the ultimate comfort food, rich, hearty, and bursting with bold island spices. Traditionally, this dish simmers on the stovetop for up to eight hours to transform tough oxtails into tender, fall-off-the-bone meat steeped in deep, savory flavor.
With the Instant Pot, you’ll enjoy the same authentic taste in just four hours, cutting the cooking time in half without sacrificing any of the soul! This recipe delivers all the richness of classic Jamaican oxtail stew, with a pressure-cooked twist that makes it easier to bring Caribbean comfort to your table any day of the week.
Jamaican-style oxtail stew
Oxtail stew carries a deep history in soul food and Caribbean cooking, rooted in resourcefulness and resilience. What was once considered a humble, overlooked cut of meat became a cornerstone of flavor in Brown and Black kitchens around the world. With time, patience, and a blend of spices, families transformed tough oxtails into rich, hearty stews that symbolized comfort, celebration, and the art of making something extraordinary from simple beginnings.
I created this soulful Instant Pot version because oxtail isn’t a difficult dish to make. It just demands time, often a full day of simmering over a hot pot. And for most modern home cooks, that’s simply not realistic! By adapting this recipe for the pressure cooker, you get the same authentic Jamaican flavor and fall-off-the-bone tenderness in half the time, without standing over the stove all day.
Ingredients
Oxtail makes a wonderfully hearty stew, turning a small amount of meat into a rich, comforting dish when paired with fresh vegetables and bold spices. Beloved as a Jamaican country favorite, this dish layers savory broth, aromatic seasonings, and tender vegetables for soul-warming flavor in every bite.
- Oxtail cuts – The star of the stew, oxtail is rich and tender, with a small amount of meat surrounding the bones that transforms when slow-cooked or pressure-cooked. The difference between oxtail and oxtail stew? Oxtail is the ingredient, and oxtail stew is the comforting, soupy, sop-it-up-with-a-biscuit-worthy meal it creates!
- Beef broth – Builds a deep, savory base.
- Sauces – Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste for tangy, rich depth.
- Seasonings – Thyme, ginger, seasoning salt, cinnamon, allspice, and white pepper for authentic island flavor.
- Vegetables – Stewed carrots, garlic, onion, and scallions to add freshness and aroma.
How to make oxtail stew
To make Jamaican oxtail stew, pressure-cook the oxtail with broth, sauces, spices, and vegetables until the meat is rich, tender, and fall-off-the-bone flavorful. This recipe is truly a “drop it in and walk away” kind of meal!
- Season the oxtail and add it to the Instant Pot – Add the oxtail, mix of broth, sauces, spices, and then the veggies.
- Cook – Pressure cook on high for 4 hours, followed by a natural release for 1 hour.
- Serve – Enjoy rich, fall-off-the-bone Jamaican oxtail stew.
Serving oxtail stew
Oxtail stew certainly holds its own, but it’s even better served with Jamaican coco bread or soulful cornbread to soak up all those flavorful juices. Add a side of rice or sweet plantains for the perfect balance to the dish’s rich, savory flavors.
Storing and reheating leftovers
My Instant Pot oxtail stew is easy in the pot and soulful on the plate! Leftovers keep beautifully. Store them in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months to enjoy later.
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Equipment
- mixing bowl
- Basting brush
- Instant Pot electric pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 2 pounds oxtail cuts
- 1 tablespoon Jamaican oxtail seasoning can be replaced with your favorite all-purpose seasoning
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 cup yellow onion coarsely chopped
- 6 scallions chopped
- 3 large carrots chopped
- 6-8 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup tomato paste
- 6 teaspoons garlic minced
- 3 teaspoons ginger minced
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon ground
- 1 teaspoon allspice ground
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon white pepper ground
Instructions
- Generously season the oxtail with the oxtail seasoning or your favorite all-purpose seasoning, and set them aside.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the ingredients for the oxtail stew (beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, garlic, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and white pepper), then pour the sauce into the inner pot.
- Next, add the oxtail to the inner pot, followed by the carrots, onions, scallions, and thyme.
- Close the Instant Pot lid, ensuring the valve is set to the sealing position (up), and then pressure cook on high for 4 hours.
- Once the cooking time is complete, allow the pressure to naturally release for at least 1 hour.
- To open the Instant Pot lid, switch the valve to ‘venting’ and manually release any remaining pressure if necessary, then serve and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
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it’s the flavorful Jamaican brown stew I know and I love!