West Indian Beef Stew Recipes

BEST BAJAN OXTAIL STEW

Steps:

• Marinade: put the clean oxtail in a large bowl and add all the ingredients to the meat so it is completely coated. Cover bowl, refrigerate and allow to marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Stew: Heat vegetable oil and brown sugar on medium in a large pot until the mixture turns a light brown. Add the oxtail and brown them for a few minutes per side. Add browning sauce and stir.
• Add water so that meat is almost covered. Turn heat up and add bay leaves, scotch bonnet pepper (make sure this doesn't break!), cloves and herbs. Cover pot and bring to the boil then reduce heat to medium and cook for 3 hours, or until meat is extremely tender. Stir every 30 minutes and add hot water whenever necessary: meat should always be mostly covered.
• Remove scotch bonnet pepper carefully after about 1 1/2 hours of cooking. After 3 hours, or when the meat is done, add beef bouillon, ketchup, potatoes and carrots. Cook for another 30 minutes.
• Taste and see if you need to add anymore spices or salt. It should be perfect at this point. If the sauce needs thickening just add a teaspoon of cornstarch or flour. Serve with rice and peas and a side of coleslaw. Enjoy!

WEST INDIAN BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Stir together flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 6-quart wide heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking.
• While oil is heating, dredge one third of beef in flour, shaking off excess, then brown on all sides, about 6 minutes total. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Dredge and brown remaining meat in 2 batches in same manner, adding 1 tablespoon oil per batch and transferring beef as cooked with slotted spoon to bowl.
• Add remaining tablespoon oil to pot and sauté garlic, onions, and bell peppers, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 12 minutes.
• Whisk together tomato paste and water in a small bowl.
• Add tomatoes with reserved juice to onion mixture along with tomato paste mixture, bay leaf, Tabasco, and sugar. Bring to a boil and add beef, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until meat is very tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Stir in rum and olives and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes, then season with salt and pepper. Discard bay leaf.