Jamaican Flair: Southern Oxtails and a Meal with Soul
I love eating ethnic foods that represent the many corners of the world and history. So many meals can take you places that you’ve traveled - or even places that you yearn to travel.
Jamaica is close to my heart for many reasons, but mainly because it was our honeymoon spot for almost 10 days. My husband and I had the opportunity to enjoy some amazing sights and simply marvelous foods.
I enjoyed every second of watching food being cooked on a fire-kissed smoker. Watching men and women cook in the middle of paradise, with such ease and muscle memory, reminded me of watching my grandmothers as a little girl, cooking in the kitchen as if they were creating love on a plate. I can still smell all the spices and herbs.
I enjoy creating dishes that bring back memories of great times, and this flavorful meal is a fan favorite, for sure, with my family and friends.
I often cook oxtails, rice and peas, with fresh corn on the cobb - a meal I’ve recreated from my mother and with the flavors of Jamaica.
Please note that I always add a little Southern twist (like any good Southern Belle). I use crowder peas instead of pigeon peas mainly because they are extremely flavorful without much effort. They are also easy finds at my local farmer’s market or on the frozen section of any grocery store.
I also season foods with herbs and spices from my tiny backyard garden instead of “store bought” seasoning which tends to be high in sodium. I frequently stop at international farmer’s markets during my travels to pick up authentic spices, herbs, and vegetables that would not be found in the local grocery stores around my small town.
It’s so funny that I’d rather be at a fresh market compared to a mall!
Here are recipes for a Southern style meal – oxtails, peas and rice, and corn on the cob - with a Jamaican flair …
Southern Style Oxtails with a Jamaican Flair
Prep: 30 mins
Cook time: 3.5 hours
Ingredients
2 ½ pounds oxtail
1 TB Worcestershire sauce
1 TB garlic and herb seasoning
¼ tsp ground paprika
¼ tsp ground black pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
Directions
Clean oxtails using lemon wedges. Wash with cold water and rub lemon wedges over the oxtails. Place oxtail in a deep boiler completely covered in water. Fill the boiler half way to allow plenty of boil time.
Combine Worcestershire sauce, spices and herbs (garlic and herb seasoning, paprika, and black pepper) together in the boiler on top of the water and oxtails. Add thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until oxtail is fork tender, about 3 hours.
Uncover boiler and increase heat to high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce reduces and thickens, about 5-10 minutes. Add more Worcestershire sauce for browning and to taste.
Jamaican Rice and Peas
Prep: 20 min.
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
½ tsp unsalted butter
½ onion, diced
1 whole carrot, finely diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup rice, dry (basmati)
1 bay leaf
½ tsp thyme
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 cup water
½ cup coconut milk (canned)
½ cup cooked crowder peas (kidney beans or pigeon peas)
½ tsp salt
Directions
Heat butter in a medium saucepan. Add onion, carrots, and garlic, and sauté 1-2 minutes over medium heat.
Add rice, bay, thyme, pepper, water, and coconut milk. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, 10 minutes.
Add the beans and continue to cook, covered, until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, 8-10 minutes.
Remove the bay leaf and mix in the salt. Let the rice stand, covered, for 5 minutes to finish steaming.
Taste the rice and adjust the salt and pepper as desired.
Fresh Corn on the Cob
Prep: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes
Simply clean and boil until tender. I add 1 tsp of coconut oil to the boiling water. Brush on a tiny bit of butter and enjoy its natural taste!