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Chicken and Oxtail has a vibrant Jamaican flavor and the authentic taste of the islands. It’s an excellent meal for children, as well as the Jamaican curry chicken, which is an everyday meal.
Jerk chicken is a recipe that uses cooking techniques native to Jamaica, wherein the meat is dry-rubbed or wet marinated with Jamaican jerk spice.
Meanwhile, Oxtail is a rich, slow-cooked meat prepared with butter bean and rice as a main course. It is common in Jamaica and other West Indian cultures. Oxtails are rich with flavor, which comes from onions, scallions, fresh thyme, allspice, and garlic.
In line with this, we’ve listed the best jerk oxtail recipes that you can easily make and enjoy solo or with your friends and family.
Click here on Amazon to buy Jamaican Oxtail seasoning.
Jerk Oxtail with Rice and Peas by Chef Kenneth Temple

Ingredients for Jerk Oxtails
- 8-12 oxtails
- kosher salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 10 oz. of Walkerwood’s or Grace Jerk Paste
- 12 peeled cloves of garlic
- ½ teaspoon of dry thyme or 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 cups of unsalted stock (vegetable, chicken, or beef)
For the Rice and Peas
- 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter
- 1 chopped onion
- 2 cups of rinsed basmati or white long grain rice
- 13 oz. can of full coconut milk, add some water to make it equal to 2 cups
- 2 cups of unsalted chicken stock
- 15 oz. of canned red beans drained
- ½ teaspoon of dry thyme or 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon of all-spice
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- ½ teaspoon of black pepper
Cooking with an Instant Pot
- Season the oxtails with salt and pepper, then place it in a heavy bottom skillet over medium-high heat.
- Cook on each side in batches for 3-4 minutes.
- Transfer the oxtails to a bowl, add jerk paste, and cover with a lid. You can store this in a fridge overnight.
- Add the oxtails to an instant pot. Pour some stock in a bowl where you tossed the oxtails to get the remaining jerk paste. Add it to the instant pot, along with garlic, thyme, and bay leaf. Cover it with a lid, press pressure cook, then set the timer for 75 minutes. The oxtails should be fork tender when they’re done. Continue cooking if more time is required.
- When the oxtails have about 30 minutes left, preheat a saucepan over medium heat then add a tablespoon of butter to melt.
- Cook the onions into the saucepan for 2 minutes then add the rice and cook it for an additional 1 minute. Stir in the remaining butter, coconut milk, stock, red beans, thyme, allspice, salt, and pepper.
- Bring it to a boil, cover with a lid, then turn the heat to a low simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Fluff the rice cover for 5 minutes before serving.
- To serve, add the rice and peas to a plate, followed by the oxtails, and gravy. Best served hot.
Cooking in the Oven
- Season the oxtails with salt and pepper, then place it in a pot over medium-high heat. Cook on each side in batches for 3-4 minutes.
- Cover it with jerk paste and cover with a lid. Store in the fridge overnight (optional).
- Preheat the oven then add in the garlic, thyme, bay leaf, and stock. Bring to a boil and cover with a lid.
- Cook it in the oven for 5 hours. Oxtails should be fork tender when they’re done. Keep on cooking if needed.
Easy Jerk-Spiced Oxtail Stew by Lefty Spoon

Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of coconut or olive oil
- 3 pounds of oxtails, trimmed of excess fat if needed
- 1 large diced yellow onion
- 4 large peeled and diced carrots
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 3 tablespoons of Jerk Seasoning
- 4 seeded and diced Roma tomatoes
- 2 cups of dry red wine
- 2 1/2 cups of beef broth
Instructions
- Preheat the oil in a medium (5-quart) oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium-high heat.
- Sear the oxtails in batches to avoid crowding the pan. Let all sides turn brown.
- Transfer the browned oxtails to a plate and set them aside.
- Add the onions, carrots, and salt in the pot and turn the heat down to medium. Cover the pot with a lid, letting the vegetables sweat until the onions are softened and translucent.
- Uncover the pot, then add in the Jerk Seasoning and Habanero Garlic Pepper. Sauté until it is aromatic.
- Add the tomatoes and sauté them for an additional two minutes.
- Put the oxtails back to the pot, then add in the red wine and beef broth. Give it a nice stir to combine them well until it simmers.
- Reduce the heat and cover with a lid. Let it simmer until the oxtails are very tender but not falling apart. This step takes about three and a half to four hours.
- If you are making the stew in advance, store it in the fridge until it is solid, then skim off the layer of fat on top. Reheat the stew over low heat, then serve it over mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles.
Jamaican Oxtail Recipe by My Jamaican Recipes

Ingredients
- 2 lbs of chopped oxtails
- 2 tbsp of vegetable oil may be substituted with olive oil
- 1 tbsp of black pepper
- 1 whole yellow onion sliced into halves
- 2 cloves of chopped garlic
- 1 whole scotch bonnet pepper (chopped and de-seeded)
- 1 tsp of paprika
- 2 stalks of chopped scallions
- 7 whole seeds of allspice
- 1 1/2 tbsp of ketchup
- 1 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce
- 1 can of butter beans
- 1 tbsp of browning sauce
Instructions
- Clean your oxtails: Start by scraping the excess fat from your chopped oxtails with a knife. Then dip them in a water and lemon juice mixture. Let the oxtails rest in the mixture for about an hour. Finally, rinse the oxtails in freshwater.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of black pepper, 1 teaspoon of paprika, chopped onion, scallions (green onions), chopped garlic, scotch bonnet (habanero) pepper, thyme, and allspice seeds then give them a nice toss.
- Add some Worcestershire sauce and browning sauce to your oxtails then rub it vigorously until your oxtails are completely covered and infused with seasonings. Let it sit for 1 hour or overnight for a more proper marinade.
- When it is done marinating, add 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil to a large saucepan under a medium flame. When the oil becomes hot (approximately 5 minutes), add the seasoned oxtails in the saucepan and let it brown.
- Add 3 cups of water then add the beef bouillon cube. Stir it occasionally and let it cook for about 2 hours while stirring occasionally.
- Add the drained butter beans after about 1 ½ hr. Let it simmer and add a little water if required.
- Serve and enjoy!
Jamaican Oxtail Recipe by Food Fam

Ingredients For the Jerk BBQ Sauce
- A bottle of bbq sauce of your choice
- 1/4 cup of mild jerk paste Walkerswood or Grace store-bought brand
- 1 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tbsp of pineapple juice
- 1 tbsp of olive oil
- 1/2 tbsp of kosher salt
- 1/2 tbsp of black pepper
- 1/4 cup of cider vinegar
- 1 cup of ketchup
For the Oxtails
- 1 tbsp of olive oil
- 5 lbs of oxtails
- 2 tbsp of all-purpose flour
- 1 diced medium onion
- 3 diced garlic cloves
- 1 peeled and diced medium carrot
- 2 diced stalks of celery
- 1 diced red bell pepper
- 1 habanero pepper
- 1 tbsp of kosher salt
- 1 tbsp of black pepper
- 1 tbsp of allspice
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 1/2 cup of red wine
- 3 cups of Jerk BBQ Sauce
- 1 cup of beef broth
- 3 fresh sprigs of thyme
Making the Sauce
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk together all the ingredients for the barbeque sauce. Allow it to come to a bubble, and then reduce the heat to low.
- Let it simmer until thickened for about 10 minutes.
- Serve immediately or allow it to slightly cool and store it in an airtight container inside the fridge for up to a week.
Cooking the Oxtail
- Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Season the oxtails with salt and pepper. Dust the oxtails with flour then set them aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven pot on medium. Add the oxtails to the oven pot and let it turn brown on all sides. Do not overcrowd the pan. Transfer the oxtails to a plate line with paper towels.
- Make small slits or incisions on each side of the habanero using the sharp end of a knife.
- Saute the carrots, garlic, onions, and celery for 4-5 minutes. Stir them as needed.
- Add the habanero and red bell peppers, mixing them with the other vegetables. Add the bay leaves, half pinch of salt, pepper, and allspice seasonings. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes while mixing as needed.
- Add the wine to the pot and deglaze it using a wooden spoon to scrape up the bits.
- Add the BBQ sauce, beef broth, and the remaining spices. Mix them well, then add the oxtails and fresh thyme.
- Cover the dish with a heavy lid and bake it for 4 hours. Oxtails should come out fork-tender. The sauce should have the same consistency as a thin bbq sauce.
Jamaican Jerk or Curry Oxtail by Cookpad

Ingredients
- 1 Oxtail
- 1/2 tbsp of black pepper
- 1/2 tsp of (Lawry’s) season salt
- dash of crushed red peppers
- 1 can of tomatoes
- 1 tsp of cilantro leaves
- dash of cayenne peppers
- tsp of jerk/curry season (dry)
- tsp of hot Jamaican jerk season
- tsp of mild sweet chili sauce
- 1 cup of diced onion
- 1 cup of diced red pepper
- 1 cup of green pepper
- tbsp of Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Trim the fat out from the Oxtails. Using your hand, season it with black pepper, (Lawry’s) season salt, crushed red peppers, can of diced tomatoes, a teaspoon of cilantro, cayenne pepper, teaspoon of dry jerk or curry season, a teaspoon of hot Jamaican jerk season, a teaspoon of mild sweet chili sauce, 1 cup of diced onion, red and green peppers, and 2 tablespoons of Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce.
- Give each oxtail a nice toss and marinate it for 2 hours or overnight.
- In an 8 to 12 quart pot, pour in some water, just enough to cover the oxtail. Let it boil for two hours.
- Transfer the oxtail into a deep foil pan and cook it in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 4 hours or until the desired tenderness is met.
- Serve the Oxtails over some rice, with a side of collard greens, and Jamaican cornbread.
NOTE: The oxtail will fully absorb all of the flavors by slow cooking, but be careful in adding too much Jerk and Curry season, as this can be very spicy.
Smoke Jerk Oxtail by Food Fidelity

Ingredients
- 4 lbs of oxtails
- ¼ cup of Jerk Marinade or a store-bought Walkerswood is a good alternative
- ¼ cup of apple juice
- 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Place the oxtails in a large bowl. Rub the jerk marinade all over the meat. Cover and store it inside the fridge overnight.
- Heat the barbecue to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Smoke it over indirect heat for 2 hours.
- Mix the apple juice and vinegar in a spray bottle and spray it on the meat.
- Keep on cooking the oxtail meat for 2-3 more hours or until its internal temperature reaches 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray liberally with the apple mixture as needed to keep the oxtails moist.
- Remove it from the smoker and let it rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Jamaican Oxtail by All Recipes

Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds of oxtail
- 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon of salt
- 1 tablespoon of white sugar
- 1 tablespoon of garlic and herb seasoning
- 1 teaspoon of browning sauce
- ¼ teaspoon of ground paprika
- ¼ teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
- 2 thinly sliced carrots
- 2 thinly sliced stalks of celery
- 1 chopped onion
- 4 minced garlic cloves
- 3 cups of low-sodium beef broth
- 1 bunch of fresh thyme
- 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
Instructions
- Place the oxtail in a shallow dish. Add the Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, salt, sugar, garlic and herb seasoning, browning sauce, paprika, cayenne pepper, and black pepper in a small bowl. Rub both sides of the oxtail with the marinade then pour out the excess.
- Preheat the vegetable oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Char-broil the oxtail in hot oil until it is golden brown (about 3 minutes per side). Transfer to a small plate.
- Saute the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic in the same skillet until it softens.
- Add the beef broth, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf then bring it to a boil.
- Add the oxtail, with its juices and butter. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer it until the oxtail is fork-tender for about 3 hours.
- Remove the cover of the skillet and bring the heat to high. Cook it while stirring occasionally or until the sauce thickens for about 5 minutes.
Jamaican Oxtail & Broad Beans by Roxy Chow Down

Ingredients
- 2 kg of oxtail stew
- 1 can of broad (fava) or butter beans, optional
- 1 tsp of cooking oil
- 3 tbsp of brown sugar to make the browning
- 2 tsp of salt to taste
- ½ tsp of black pepper
- 1 tsp of allspice powder
- 1 tsp of paprika
- 1 tsp of ginger powder
- 2 tsp of onion powder
- 2 tsp of garlic powder
- 1 tsp of dried thyme leaves
- 1 – 2 tbsp of soy sauce msg-free
- 1 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce msg-free, optional
- ½ tsp of scotch bonnet pepper to taste
- 4 cloves of crushed garlic
- 1 chopped medium onion
- 1-inch crushed ginger root
- 6-8 pimento seeds
- 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
- ½ large chopped green bell pepper
- ½ large chopped red bell pepper
- 3 stalks of chopped scallion (green onion)
- 1 small diced tomato
- ½ cube of Knorr beef or chicken bouillon or 1 tsp of all-purpose seasoning
- 2 tbsp of ketchup (optional)
Instruction
- In a large bowl, wash the oxtail in vinegar, lime, or lemon juice then drain it completely.
- Combine the salt, black pepper, paprika, allspice, onion powder, garlic powder, ginger powder, dried thyme leaves, soya sauce, and Worcestershire sauce in a mixing bowl. And rub into the oxtail.
- Prepare the fresh herbs and spices (onion, garlic, ginger, thyme, tomato, scotch bonnet pepper, bell pepper, scallion, and pimento seeds), then cut each of them into two portions.
- Add half of the portion of the fresh herbs and spices to the oxtail and rub in well. Cover and let the seasoned oxtail marinate for 6 – 8 hours.
- In a large skillet, preheat the cooking oil on medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, stirring it quickly and thoroughly for about 1 minute or until the sugar starts to melt.
- Immediately add the seasoned oxtail and let each side of the meat turn brown for 1 – 2 minutes.
- In the same bowl that was used to season the oxtail, add 1 cup of water and mix them well.
- When both sides of the oxtail have turned brown, add the water from the bowl, stir the pot then cover it with a lid and let the meat cook for 10 – 15 minutes.
- Add some water just enough to cover the meat. Stir the pot then cover it and let the oxtail cook on high heat for 2 ½ to 3 hours. Don’t forget to stir the pot every 10 minutes.
- Check the pot constantly to make sure that the water is enough to cover the meat and top it up each time it runs low. For about 3 hours, taste a small piece of the meat to check if it’s completely cooked.
- When the oxtail stew is completely cooked or tender, add ½ of the bouillon cube, ketchup (or 1 tbsp brown sugar), and the second portion of chopped seasoning. If the water has dried out, just add enough water to cover the meat then cook it for an additional 10 – 15 minutes.
- Drain the can of beans, then add it to the pot.
- If the oxtail stew is not yet brown, add 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and stir. Cover and cook it on medium-high heat for another 8-10 minutes.
- Check the gravy for the desired texture and taste. If the gravy is too thin, leave the pot uncovered to let the gravy thicken (about 10 minutes). You can also add a teaspoon of cornstarch diluted in 2 tablespoons of cool water to thicken the gravy.
- Season with salt to taste. Stir the pot and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
Final Thoughts

Oxtails and all things “jerked” will have a special place in your heart. You will love the warm spices and heat that the jerk spices give. You’ll also have a deeper appreciation for all things braised because it makes tough pieces of meat tender.
You can also make these jerk oxtails recipes ahead. Just put it inside an airtight container and leave it inside the freezer for up to 6 months, and in the fridge for 7 days.
When reheating, just pop it inside a 350-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes.
Do you want the perfect jerk chicken experience?
Below are some essential items that you should use to cook the perfect jerk chicken.
Get the smokey flavour in your jerk chicken.
Learn from others that have perfected the jerk chicken cooking technique.
Make sure your food is well cooked by turning the meat properly with turning tongs.
Keep save with BBQ gloves, which will allow you to cook the meat properly.
Vary the smokey flavour by using different BBQ woods and charcoal.
Check the temperature of your meats while cooking.
Get a complete BBQ set so that you are prepared to BBQ the best jerk chicken.
