1 cup dried broad (fava) beans or white butter (lima) beans, soaked overnight
4 lbs beef oxtails
8 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp salt, more to taste
1 tsp black pepper, more to taste
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp raw sugar, organic cane sugar, or coconut palm sugar
2 tbsp coconut oil, olive oil, lard, or bacon grease
1 onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 yellow or orange bell pepper, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
4 green onions, thinly sliced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp Caribbean hot pepper sauce, more to taste
2 to 3 cups beef stock
2 carrots, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
chopped cilantro to garnish
white rice to serve
fried plantains to serve
1. Place the beans in a large bowl and fill with enough cold water to cover the beans by 3”; soak overnight. Combine the oxtails, thyme, paprika, salt, pepper, allspice, and sugar; marinate for at least 1 hour, but up to overnight.
2. Warm the oil in a dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat. Brown the oxtails on each side until dark and crusty, in batches if needed, about 8 minutes, turning the oxtails every couple minutes. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the oxtails and set aside. Reduce heat to medium and stir in the onion, bell peppers, tomatoes, green onions, garlic, tomato paste, and hot pepper sauce; simmer until the onions and peppers are very tender and the tomatoes have lost their shape, about 15 minutes, stirring often.
3. Return the oxtails to the dutch oven and add enough beef stock to nearly cover everything. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the oxtails are tender, about 3 hours. Add the carrots about 20 minutes before the oxtails are tender.
4. While the oxtails cook, prepare the beans: drain them and transfer to a saucepan, then fill with enough water to cover the beans by 1”. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the beans are just tender, about 55 minutes, then set aside.
5. Once the oxtails are tender, fish them out using a slotted spoon or tongs and set aside. Increase the stovetop temperature to medium-high and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half and the sauce takes on a coffee color, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low and return the oxtails to the pot. Transfer the beans to the pot along with about 2 tbsp of the liquid you simmered them in. Simmer for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to marry.
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste then garnish with chopped cilantro and serve.