Braised Oxtail with Butter Beans

This is a delicious cold weather supper richly flavoured with thyme and bay leaves and firey Scotch Bonnet Pepper!


4 lbs oxtail, trimmed
2 tablespoons Sunflower oil
2 bay leaves1 1/2 pints beef stock
2 tablespoons flour for coating the oxtail
2-3 Spring onions, chopped
1 Scotch Bonnet Pepper
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1lb onions, peeled and roughly chopped
1lb carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
2 sprigs thyme
Freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste
2 tins butter beans
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Season the oxtail with salt and pepper, thyme, bay leaves, spring onions and leave overnight or a couple of hours to absorb the flavours. When ready to cook, thinly dust the oxtail with the flour. Put two tablespoons of sugar in a sauce pan with the Sunflower oil. Heat gently and then add the oxtail. When browned add the 1 1/2 pints of beef stock, the carrots, onion, Scotch Bonnet pepper (left whole) and the rest of the seasonings. Allow to simmer for about 90 minutes on a low heat or until the meat falls off the bone. Add more water if necessary. Finally, add the butter beans and cook for another 10 minutes. Serve with mashed potatoes or boiled white rice.


To drink - a rich red Burgundy