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1
Season oxtails aggressively with salt and pepper.
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2
Heat a large Dutch oven or a heavy-bottomed pot over high heat.
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3
Add brown sugar to pot and melt, stirring with a wooden spoon, until it darkens and starts to smoke about six minutes.
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4
When sugar is nearly black, add 2 tablespoons boiling water.
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5
(It will splatter.)
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6
Stir to mix.
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7
Add the oxtails to the pot, working in batches, stirring each time to cover them with blackened sugar, then allowing them to cook, turning occasionally, until they are well browned.
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8
Remove oxtails to a bowl and keep warm.
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9
Add half of the onions, garlic and ginger to the pot, along with the pepper, the thyme, the allspice and a third of the scallions, and stir to combine.
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10
Allow to cook until softened, approximately 5 minutes.
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11
Return the oxtails to the pot along with any accumulated juices and put water into the pot so that the oxtails are almost submerged.
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12
Bring to a simmer and then cook, covered, approximately 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
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13
Add remaining onions, garlic and ginger to the pot, along with another third of the scallions.
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14
Add sugar, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce.
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15
Stir to combine and continue to cook until the meat is yielding and loose on the bone, approximately one hour longer.
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16
Remove approximately one cup of liquid from pot and place in a small bowl.
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17
Add flour to this liquid and stir to combine, working out any lumps with the back of a spoon.
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18
Add this slurry to the pot along with ketchup, then stir to combine and allow to cook a further 15 minutes or so.
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19
Remove Scotch bonnet pepper and thyme stems.
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20
Fold butter beans into the stew and allow these to heat through.
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21
Scatter remaining scallions over the top.
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22
Serve with white rice or rice and peas.
