Jamaican Oxtail Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 Scotch bonnet pepper (For green seasoning)
• 1 Parsley (Handful; for green seasoning)
• 1 Coriander leaves (Handful; for green seasoning)
• 0.5 Green bell pepper (For green seasoning)
• 1 Lime juice (Juice of 1 lime; for green seasoning)
• 3.5 Spring onions (For green seasoning; source gives 3–4)
• 6 sprigs Fresh thyme (For green seasoning)
• 5 cloves Garlic (For green seasoning)
• 1.5 tsp All-purpose seasoning (For green seasoning; source gives 1–2 tsp)
• 0.5 tsp Black pepper (For green seasoning)
• 1 tbsp Vinegar (For green seasoning)
• 2 tbsp Olive oil (For green seasoning)
• 1.5 kg Oxtail (Clean before seasoning)
• 1 Scotch bonnet pepper (Diced; for oxtail)
• 3 tbsp Green seasoning
• 1 Green bell pepper (Diced)
• 2 Spring onions (Chopped; for oxtail)
• 1 Onion (Small; diced)
• 8 cloves Garlic (Minced)
• 1 tsp Salt (Adjust to taste)
• 3 tbsp All-purpose seasoning (For oxtail)
• 1 tbsp Oil (Neutral oil, as mentioned in transcript)
• 1.5 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1.5 tsp Black pepper (For oxtail)
• 1 tsp Ground pimento (allspice)
• 1.5 tbsp Browning sauce
• 1 tbsp Curry powder (Add to oil before frying)
• 3 Spring onions (Add to braising liquid)
• 1 Fresh thyme (Handful; add to braising liquid)
• 1 Scotch bonnet pepper (Add to braising liquid)
• Beef stock (Add enough, together with water, to cover the oxtail; amount not stated)
• Water (Add enough, together with beef stock, to cover the oxtail; amount not stated)
• 3 tbsp Butter (For cheese sauce)
• 3 tbsp Plain flour (For cheese sauce)
• 1 Macaroni (One pack; package size not stated)
• 500 ml Whole milk
• 1 ladle Oxtail gravy (Source also says reduce braising liquid by half; ladle volume unspecified)
• 100 g Mozzarella (Grated)
• 150 g Mature cheddar (Grated)
• 100 g Red Leicester cheese (Grated)
• Salt (To taste, for macaroni and cheese)
• Black pepper (To taste, for macaroni and cheese)
• 1 cup Pasta water (Reserve from cooking the macaroni)
• 1 Scotch bonnet pepper (Fresh; thinly sliced for garnish)
• Chives (For garnish; amount not stated)
• Spring onion greens (Finely sliced, for garnish; amount not stated)
• Red onion (Diced, for garnish; amount not stated)
• Lime juice (Used with water to wash the oxtail, as stated in transcript; amount not given)

Steps

1. 1

   Put the Scotch bonnet, parsley, coriander, green bell pepper, lime juice, spring onions, thyme, garlic, all-purpose seasoning, black pepper, vinegar, and olive oil for the green seasoning into a blender. Blend to make the seasoning; the source does not specify a blending duration or texture.

2. 2

   Wash the oxtail with lime juice and water, then clean it as directed in the source. Drain it and place it in a bowl.

3. 3

   Add the diced Scotch bonnet, green seasoning, diced green bell pepper, chopped spring onions, diced onion, minced garlic, salt, all-purpose seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, ground pimento, and browning sauce to the oxtail. Massage the seasonings into the meat. Marinate in the refrigerator; no marinating time is provided.

4. 4

   Heat the oil in an ovenproof pot. Add the curry powder to the oil before frying, as specified, then sear the oxtail until browned. The transcript identifies neutral oil; the exact heat level is not stated.

5. 5

   Add the seasoned vegetables back to the pot. Cover and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes according to the comment method; the transcript describes sautéing with the lid on for 5 minutes, so the source gives conflicting times.

6. 6

   Pour in enough beef stock and water to cover the oxtail. Add the spring onions, thyme, and Scotch bonnet designated for the braising liquid. Bring the liquid to a simmer and add a cartouche, as stated in the comment method.

7. 7

   Cover the pot as indicated by the cartouche method and cook in the oven until the oxtail is very tender and falling off the bone. The written comment says 140°C for 5–6 hours, while the audio says 130°C for 4 hours; these source times and temperatures conflict.

8. 8

   Remove the oxtail from the braising liquid. Shred the meat, then strain the braising liquid.

9. 9

   Reduce the strained braising liquid by half to make the gravy for the macaroni and cheese sauce.

10. 10

    Cook the macaroni, reserving 1 cup of pasta water before draining. The source does not give a package size, water quantity, or cooking time.

11. 11

    In a pan, melt the butter. Add the plain flour and stir to combine into a roux.

12. 12

    Gradually pour in the whole milk, stirring as it is added, and cook until the sauce thickens. The method gives no heat level or time.

13. 13

    Add a ladle of reduced oxtail gravy and the mozzarella, mature cheddar, and Red Leicester. Stir until the cheese is incorporated; add more milk if the sauce is too thick, as the comment method notes.

14. 14

    Fold the cooked macaroni into the cheese sauce with shredded oxtail and some of its gravy. Add the reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the mixture; the source lists it but does not specify exactly when or how much to use.

15. 15

    Place the assembled macaroni and cheese in the oven and bake until bubbling, as described in the transcript. The source does not specify a baking temperature, vessel, or duration.

16. 16

    Garnish with thinly sliced fresh Scotch bonnet, chives, finely sliced spring onion greens, and diced red onion. Serve without breadcrumbs, consistent with the source's note.

Notes

The source leaves several details unspecified: the macaroni pack size, the amount of beef stock and water, marinating duration, final bake temperature and time, and quantities for garnishes. Braising time and temperature conflict between the written comment method (140°C for 5–6 hours) and audio transcript (130°C for 4 hours); the covered sauté duration also differs (10 versus 5 minutes). The description explicitly says breadcrumbs are not used. Serving estimate is based on 1.5 kg oxtail and a pack of macaroni.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• comfort food
• Caribbean
• Jamaican-inspired
• slow-cooked
• oven-braised
• pasta
• spicy