Jamaican Pot Roast/Oxtails

[chef jimmyj]

LOL I tried that once. Chunk and Tails cooked together. Didn't fly. They said they could taste the difference from straight up Chuck roast. Ok with me. I just make separate batches when the mood strikes. And you are right, more for me!...JJ

 

[chef jimmyj]

Guess that makes it a dessert!

You brought back a memory. As a kid, a special occasion warranted a trip to our favorite Buffet. Carved Rib Roast, Ham and Turkey were available and a big selection of,Appetizers, Salads, Veg, Pastas and Desserts. After we ate the savory stuff. We all agreed it was time for a Dessert Run. Dad would agree and we all got up. Mom and us kids came back with Cakes, Pies or Ice Cream Sundaes. Here comes Dad with a big plate of Peel and Eat SHRIMP! He sat down and as we questioned his choice, his response, " THIS is my kind of Dessert! " That became SOP any time we hit a Buffet.
I could totally see Gravy and Bread as Dessert...JJ

 

[indaswamp]

Awesome post. I love a hearty beef stew. I have an old timey chicken and dumplings recipe that was brought across the Great Plains in a wagon made with homemade dumplings made in a similar fashion. Lot of work but oh so good! Like!

 

[DRKsmoking]

make the Spinner (Dumpling Dough) and rest 1 hour. The following is the Make Up of the Spinners...

That looks fantastic JJ. And as I was reading I said to myself, self I will have to ask for the dough recipe because mom always added dumplings to any stew she would make . I know yours are more of a dough hers were a wet dumpling, but good

That meal is bookmarked and also printed off the dough and your process to make them

Thank you sir

David

 

[Wurstmeister]

Chief Jimmyj you just reminded me how much I miss ox tail! Your recipe sounds outstanding. The "spinners" remind me of my wife and her families schwäbische Schupfnudeln only smaller. They take about the same amount of work.
John

 

[jcam222]

Jimmy that is just off the chain amazing meal!! I really need to try oxtails. I made something awhile back that suggested using them for the collagen it would add. I cannot for the life of me remember what I was making.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Thanks for the kind words, everyone. That style of Dumpling is, well, Tummy Sinkers! Poor Folk Food where Flour, Water and Salt, can take a little meat and vegetable Soup or Stew and make a Hearty meal for a big family. That recipe, as Pot Roast, fed 6 adults, well, with enough leftover for lunch portions or for another nights supper for 2 or 3 of my family. I would take that amount to a family gathering, having an assortment of other proteins and sides, and all 20 of us had a half cup portion or so, with leftovers for seconds for those that wanted.
Add water when heating leftovers as the Dumplings absorb water and getting more tender, as it cools to refrigerate. We have not held leftovers more than 4 days before its gone. Portions can be frozen as well...JJ

 

[Wurstmeister]

You brought back a memory. As a kid, a special occasion warranted a trip to our favorite Buffet. Carved Rib Roast, Ham and Turkey were available and a big selection of,Appetizers, Salads, Veg, Pastas and Desserts. After we ate the savory stuff. We all agreed it was time for a Dessert Run. Dad would agree and we all got up. Mom and us kids came back with Cakes, Pies or Ice Cream Sundaes. Here comes Dad with a big plate of Peel and Eat SHRIMP! He sat down and as we questioned his choice, his response, " THIS is my kind of Dessert! " That became SOP any time we hit a Buffet.
I could totally see Gravy and Bread as Dessert...JJ

Chef, you mean Gravy and Bread or as my Dad would call it … “Dippy Bread” IS NOT A DESERT ITEM???? My one feeling is devastated!. . Ok, I’m over it..
John

 

[HalfSmoked]

Not only for gravy I mop all the juices from a steak or roast.

Warren

 

[HalfSmoked]

Thanks for the likes they are appreciated.

I just enjoy the best of my food.

Warren

 

[forktender]

Damn, now you are talk'in!!!!

That looks Killer JJ I flagged it, so I can find it again this winter.

 

[gmc2003]

Now that would be an excellent belly warmer for our winter months. Great Job JJ

Point for sure
Chris

 

[chef jimmyj]

Thanks guys. I agree, the Thick Gravy and Filling Spinners are a perfect, Winter Sunday Early Supper and Nap, Food! Kept Warm in a Crock Pot, its a tasty addition to a Game Day Buffet.
Here, my Family likes the Chuck Roast version so much, we have it about every 8 weeks or so year round...JJ

 

[dls1]

I'm a little late to the party, but that's a great looking dish JJ, and a nice presentation, as well.

I prepare the same dish occasionally during the cooler months, and your ingredient list looks pretty much spot on with mine. The only differences are that I don't use carrots, but I do add 3-4 tablespoons of minced fresh ginger. Also, using using a tip that a chef at a small place near Montego Bay who made an exceptionally good rendition once gave me, I'll add some Jamaican rum, preferably Appleton Estate 12 year. I omit the butter beans as you did, and I rarely make it with the spinners, or sinkers, where the dough is fashioned to resemble small flattened biscuits.

I've never made the dish with chuck, but I sometimes substitute short ribs for the oxtails. Also, I always make the dish a day in advance. When the cooking is done, I remove the bones and extraneous fat from the meat, shred it coarsely, and refrigerate. I strain the sauce very well, discard the solids, and refrigerate the sauce, as well. When it's time to serve, I heat the sauce, adjust seasonings as needed, then add the meat until it's warm. The side dish is always traditional Jamaican rice and peas, peas meaning red kidney beans.

 

[chef jimmyj]

dls1 Thanks for the Rum Tip and I'll give Ginger a shot as well. Ive not seen Carrots in many Recipes. My first taste was a hole in the wall Jamaican Restaurant in York, PA. The Owner put Carrot in his Oxtail Stew to add some sweetness, on top of the Caramelized Sugar. His was the best Ive had, so I went with Carrot in mine.
Im sure Short Ribs would be great! But feeding my family, 5 Pounds of Beef per recipe, Chuck is just cheaper and easier to get, where we lived. They don't care for the Gelatinous Mouthfeel and flavor of Tails, so they get Chuck Roast and I get 2 meals from 3 pounds of Oxtails. Silly Family!...JJ

 

[dls1]

dls1 Thanks for the Rum Tip and I'll give Ginger a shot as well. Ive not seen Carrots in many Recipes. My first taste was a hole in the wall Jamaican Restaurant in York, PA. The Owner put Carrot in his Oxtail Stew to add some sweetness, on top of the Caramelized Sugar. His was the best Ive had, so I went with Carrot in mine.
Im sure Short Ribs would be great! But feeding my family, 5 Pounds of Beef per recipe, Chuck is just cheaper and easier to get, where we lived. They don't care for the Gelatinous Mouthfeel and flavor of Tails, so they get Chuck Roast and I get 2 meals from 3 pounds of Oxtails. Silly Family!...JJ

The rum is an extra touch that fits the French term "Je Ne Sais Quoi" which refers to a feature of an item, or even a person, that while pleasing, you can't identify, distinguish, or describe. Compared to rums from other islands in the Caribbean, aged Jamaican rums are considered superior because their taste charateristics, and, among it's native peers, Appleton's is considered the best. For a meal such as the size of yours, ½ cup, added during the last hour of simmering, should do the trick.

My wife is not a fan of oxtails either. I think it's psychological because when she was young, her family didn't have much money, and oxtails, because they were so cheap, were on rotation weekly. She grew to hate them at the time. She's a clinical psychologist, and sees patients 4 days a week, one of which is Saturday. I do all of the prep work and cooking on Saturday and, by the time she gets home, the finished meal is in the refrigerator waiting to be served for Sunday dinner. I simply tell her I used short ribs, and she loves it.

 

[chef jimmyj]

1/2C sounds good. Thank you. Appletons may be a challenge locally. All Liquor distribution is run by the Commonwealth. There are stores in many towns but, the best stocked stores are in densely populated areas. Small mountain towns have a small store with limited selection and usually the less expensive brands. Special orders often have a 6 bottle minimum. That's a lot of Oxtails!...JJ

 

[dls1]

1/2C sounds good. Thank you. Appletons may be a challenge locally. All Liquor distribution is run by the Commonwealth. There are stores in many towns but, the best stocked stores are in densely populated areas. Small mountain towns have a small store with limited selection and usually the less expensive brands. Special orders often have a 6 bottle minimum. That's a lot of Oxtails!...JJ

Ah, I forgot about the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board. A text book case of an inefficient State run monopoly. In 1979, I negotiated, and was awarded, a comprehensive one-year consulting contract with a major company headquartered in Bethlehem, PA. At the time, I lived in NYC and I knew that frequently commuting from there to Bethlehem, where I anticipated being 1-3 days weekly,was going to be a major PITA so I sublet my apartment in Manhattan, and leased one in Philadelphia. That's when I became acquainted with the PLCB. Small stores with limited hours and inventory, meaningless staff, and overpriced wine and spirits. Purchasing beer was a sometimes futile exercise, as well. I started "importing" my stock form NJ, DE, and MD and almost got nabbed by the PLCB investigators once, but managed to evade them.

I checked the PLCB website and things look as if they've improved quite a bit over the past few decades. The stores do carry the Appleton Estate 12 year (86 proof) for $39.99, but is listed as "Limited Distribution". They also have Appleton's 8 year (80 proof) for $20.99 listed as "Widely Available". As a good alternative, they carry Myer's Original Dark rum (80 proof) for $17.99 also listed as "Widely Available".

Good Hunting!