Description
This one-pot, Oxtail Pelau recipe features succulent oxtail, rice, pigeon peas, and carrots slowly cooked to perfection. Everything comes together in a melting pot of deeply rich and bold flavors from fresh green seasoning, coconut milk, and a glorious + aromatic array of spices and herbs. Pelau is a traditional dish of the West Indies, and you’ll definitely want to add this delicious meal to your dinner rotation!
Ingredients
- 4 lbs fresh oxtail pieces, trimmed of excess fat as needed
- Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper- to taste
- 1 packet (about 1 ¼ teaspoons) Sazon seasoning- (culantro y achiote)
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons ground allspice
- 2 teaspoons browning sauce, I use Grace browning
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ⅓ cup + 2 tablespoons green seasoning– homemade or store-bought– divided
- 2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil (or canola)- for searing oxtail
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 6 scallions, chopped
- 3 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 (15-ounce) can pigeon peas, drained
- 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
- 2 cups parboiled rice, rinsed until the water runs clear!
- 2 large carrots, chopped
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose or Adobo seasoning
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper- kept whole, do not cut open!
- Fresh sliced scallions, for garnishing- optional
Instructions
- Prep & marinate oxtail: Place the oxtail pieces into a large bowl or gallon-sized ziplock bag. Then season the oxtail with salt/pepper- to taste, Sazon seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, dried thyme, ground allspice, browning sauce, soy sauce, and ⅓ cup green seasoning. Use your hands to massage all the aromatics and spices into the oxtail pieces, massaging very well to ensure the oxtail pieces are thoroughly coated in the marinade.
- Cover the bowl with a lid/plastic wrap or seal ziplock bag and transfer to the refrigerator to allow flavors to marinate for at least 2 hours or- more preferably, overnight (8 hours for the best results!).
- Preheat oven: After marinating the oxtail, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Brown oxtail pieces: In a large, oven-safe heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven (at least 5 quarts); heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, gently swirl the pot around to evenly coat the bottom. Add a few oxtail pieces into the pot, working in batches, careful not to overcrowd. Sear the oxtail on all sides until a deep brown crust appears, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Transfer the browned oxtail onto a clean plate and repeat the process until all the oxtail pieces are browned- adding another tablespoon of oil in between browning, only as needed. Then set the browned oxtail aside and reduce the heat to medium.
- Sauté & assemble the oxtail braise: Add the onion and scallions into the pot and sauté until the onion is tender and golden, scraping up any caramelized bits on the bottom of the pot, about 3-4 minutes. Then shut off the stovetop heat. Add all browned oxtail pieces back into the pot along with any residual juices that have been collected. Pour the beef broth over the oxtail- the oxtail pieces should be almost completely submerged under the liquid. Gently stir everything together to briefly combine and cover the pot with a lid.
- Braise the oxtail: Let the oxtail braise for 1 ½ hours at 350°F.
- Finish the pelau: Remove the pot from the oven- but do not shut off the heat. Add the pigeon peas, coconut milk, rinsed rice, carrots, butter, all-purpose/Adobo seasoning, 2 tablespoons of green seasoning, and scotch bonnet pepper into the same pot. Gently stir all ingredients together with the oxtail to fully combine and cover with a lid.
- Place the pot back into the oven to continue cooking for 1 hour at 350°F.
- Let the pelau rest: Discard the scotch bonnet pepper and shut off the oven heat. At this stage, the oxtail pelau is done, and the oxtail should be meltingly tender, and the rice grains should be cooked through and tender as well. I like to remove the lid from the pot and then let the pot sit in the oven, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes. This allows for the dish to soak up and evaporate any residual braising liquid. The finished oxtail pelau should be somewhat moist and not bone-dry. Use a fork to gently fluff the rice and ingredients.
- Serve this Caribbean oxtail pelau recipe immediately with a garnish of fresh sliced scallions if you’d like. This dish is delicious on its own but also nice with a little side salad or sliced avocado, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Please read blog post in its entirety for more tips + tricks.