Jamaican Braised Oxtail with Rice and Peas

In a large bowl, clean the oxtail with water, white vinegar, and sliced lemon. Rinse and drain.

Pat the oxtail dry and season generously with all-purpose seasoning, dried oregano, smoked paprika, and Creole seasoning.

Add the chopped red onion, bell peppers, green onions, minced garlic, and fresh ginger to the bowl with the oxtail.

Pour in the brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and browning sauce. Mix thoroughly, massaging the marinade into the meat. Cover and refrigerate to marinate overnight.

In a separate bowl, cover the dried kidney beans with water and let them soak overnight.

The next day, drain the soaked kidney beans.

In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, add canola oil and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar. Stir until the sugar caramelizes.

Add the marinated oxtail to the pot and sear on all sides until a deep brown crust forms. Remove the oxtail and set aside.

Deglaze the pot with a splash of beef broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.

Add the tomato paste and cook for a minute, then add the leftover marinade from the bowl and cook until fragrant.

Return the seared oxtail to the pot. Add 1-2 cups of beef broth, enough to partially cover the meat. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and braise for 3 hours until tender.

While the oxtail cooks, prepare the rice and peas. Add the soaked and drained beans to a pot with 6 cups of water, thyme sprigs, bay leaves, minced garlic, and allspice. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 45-60 minutes until the beans are tender.

To the cooked beans, stir in the coconut milk, cream of coconut, Creole seasoning, ginger paste, and chopped green onions.

Add the rinsed jasmine rice and the whole scotch bonnet pepper. Bring to a light boil, then immediately reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked.

For the Jamaican cabbage, prepare all vegetables by chopping the cabbage, carrots, green onions, bell peppers, yellow onion, and mincing the garlic.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil. Add all the prepared vegetables, thyme, seasonings, butter, and vinegar. Stir to combine, then cover and cook for 8 minutes.

Uncover the cabbage, stir, and continue to cook for another 10-15 minutes until tender-crisp.

Once the oxtail is fall-apart tender, remove it from the pot. Skim any excess fat from the surface of the gravy.

Bring the gravy to a simmer and let it reduce until it has thickened to your desired consistency.

Serve the oxtail over a bed of rice and peas with a side of the Jamaican cabbage. Spoon a generous amount of the reduced gravy over the oxtail and rice.