With the overwhelming success (and demand for more crockpot recipes) of the Slow-cooker Curry Goat recipe, I thought I’d share another Caribbean classic done in the very same crock-pot (slow-cooker). Fall off the bone tender oxtail, in a rich stew gravy like moms and grandma make, but in a slowcooker. Seasoned as we’d normally do in the Caribbean, these oxtails are slowly braised for tenderness and to infuse every piece with tons of mouth-watering flavor. Set it and forget it.. the perfect recipe for busy (and lazy) individuals.

You’ll Need…

4-5 lbs oxtails (cut, trimmed and washed with water and lime or lime juice)
3/4 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 scotch bonnet (optional)
2 tablespoon tomato paste (concentrated tomato)
4 sprigs thyme
1 large tomato (diced)
2 scallions (chopped)
3-5 cloves garlic (smashed)
1 medium onion (diced)
1/2 teaspoon Caribbean Browning
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
1 star anise
1 large carrot (cut into thick wheels)
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 Bay-leaf
1 beef cube (stock)
1 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon parsley (chopped fine)

Important! If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Especially the soy sauce, browning and Worcestershire sauce. Remember to wash your hands with soap and water immediately after handling Scotch Bonnet peppers.

Place the prepared oxtails (get your butcher to cut it for you – 1 inch pieces) into a large bowl or in the crock pot you’ll be using. For better results you can season and marinate this overnight. I didn’t.

Add the salt, dark soy, grated ginger, tomato paste (puree), Caribbean Green Seasoning, black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, scallions, garlic, onion, carrot, tomato, star anise, scotch bonnet, Caribbean Browning, 1 beef stock cube and water. Mix and marinate if you want.

Set the slowcooker to high and add the bay leaf and brown sugar. Cover and let it cook on high for 5 1/2 hours or until fork tender. Times may vary depending on how thick you cut your oxtails, how old the cow was when butchered and the temperature of your slowcooker.

After 5 1/2 hrs, taste for salt and adjust accordingly. Remove the pieces of oxtails and big pieces of carrots and set aside. Pour the gravy into a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce by about 30%, then use a whisk or potato masher and break everything up in the pan to thicken. Being careful, strain so all the thick stuff is removed and you have a smooth sauce. Bring back to a simmer and add the parsley. Adjust the salt if you wish. (watch the video below to follow along).

Pour 1/2 (or all) onto the oxtails we set aside and the rest can be saved to a gravy boat to pour onto any starch you serve these tasty oxtails with.

Packed with tasty Caribbean flavors and fork tender, there’s no easier way to make stewed oxtails. Your family, friends and tastebuds can thank me later (smile).

Do you own a copy of my cookbook ?- The Vibrant Caribbean Pot 100 Traditional And Fusion recipes Vol 2

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Delicious Chinese Influenced Green Beans With Chicken.

May 27, 2025May 7, 20191 Comment

Like Spinach (all greens), beans of all types are my some of my favorite food to eat/cook. This recipe is based on a bean dish found at many Chinese restaurants in Trinidad and Tobago (and Markham). While not the exact thing, it can hold it’s own on any dinner table. Feel free to use ground beef, turkey or pork if you want to play around with the protein a bit. And I’m sure my vegan friends can make use of some firm tofu if you’d like to give this one a test-drive. BTW, salted cod bits would rock in this recipe too (instead of the chicken).

You’ll Need…

1 lb string beans (trimmed)
1/2 lb ground chicken
2 tablespoon veg oil (add more if needed)
1 tablespoon diced ginger
2 large cloves garlic (diced fine)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Hoisin Sauce
2-4 drops sesame oil
1 1/4 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2-3 birds eye pepper
1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine

IMPORTANT! Please go though the entire list of ingredients if making this dish gluten free, to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Especially the Soy and Hoisin Sauces.

In your wok or pan, add the vegetable oil and ground chicken and brown off on a medium heat. As it cook, bring a pot of water to a boil, then go in with the trimmed beans. Blanche quickly (about 2-3 minutes), then rinse in cold water or in a bowl with water and ice. The idea is to stop the cooking and help maintain the brilliant green color.

I added the vegetable oil as the ground chicken can be very dry. Note that during the winter months in Canada, the water in the tap is very cold so I didn’t have to use ice.

Be sure to break up the chicken as it browns off. it took about 5-7 minutes. Now add the garlic, ginger and diced bird’s eye pepper (I included the seeds for a gentle kick). Cook on low heat so you don’t burn the garlic. After about 3 minutes, add the Hoisin, black pepper, and soy sauce. Stir well and cook for 2-3 minutes. Then add the sesame oil and cooking wine and stir.

Turn the heat (med/high) up to get a bit of crisp edges on the ground chicken, then go in with the beans and stir well. Top with the salt. Do keep in mind that the soy sauce we used will help to season this dish, so be mindful if adding extra salt.

After adding the beans I cooked it for another 4 minutes or so, but you can cook for longer or less, depending on how you like your beans cooked – be mindful that we did precook the beans a bit at the start. Adjust the salt at this point. I topped with a whole bird’s eye pepper for show.

A lovely dish influenced by our rich Chinese history and culture in the Caribbean.. do give it a try and be sure to come back and share your comments below.

Do you own a copy of my cookbook ?- The Vibrant Caribbean Pot 100 Traditional And Fusion recipes Vol 2

Meat & Poultry

Fork Tender Herb and Wine Braised Oxtails.

May 14, 2019April 28, 20195 Comments

Is there anything more comforting that fork tender oxtails served with a heaping pile of garlic mashed cassava (yams or potato will work also) on a chilly night, when you’re tired from a long day? Yes, there is. Oxtails fork tender stewed in a rich herb and wine sauce! The flavors of this dish will surely impress you, your family and the lucky friends you invite over for dinner. While oxtail is a classic cut of meat to cook in the Caribbean, we rarely ever use wine in our cooking so this may seem a bit strange for my Caribbean people. Nevertheless… a stunning dish.

You’ll Need…

3 lbs oxtails (cut and trimmed)
2 scallions (chopped)
2 tablespoon veg oil
2 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon black pepper (divided)
3/4 tablespoon salt (divided)
1 tablespoon tomato puree (concentrate)
2-3 cups beef stock
1 stalk celery (minced)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 large carrot (sliced)
1 pimento pepper (minced)
1 cayenne pepper
1 cup red wine
4 sprigs thyme
3/4 teaspoon allspice
10-12 pearl onions
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

* lime or lemon for washing the oxtail pieces

Have your butcher cut the oxtails into 1.5 inch pieces as you kitchen knife will struggle to do so. Wash with cool water and the juice of a lime or lemon, drain and pat dry with paper towels. Heat the oil in a heavy (oven-proof) pan on a medium heat. Dust the oxtail pieces with the flour, then add a 1/3 of it and brown on all sides. Remove and repeat until all the pieces of oxtails get a little color. The flour will help to develop a nice thick gravy later, along with helping us achieve some color.

Remove all the oxtail pieces from the pan and set aside. Turn the heat down to low (add a bit more oil in the pan if it’s dry) and go in with the celery, scallions, pimento pepper and garlic. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, then add the tomato puree and stir well. If you can’t find pimento (aka seasoning) pepper, add a bit of diced bell pepper.

Now add the red wine to deglaze the pan and cook out until it’s back to a relatively dry pan. After which you can crank up the heat and add the rest of the ingredients, followed by the beef stock. Bring to a boil.

Cover with foil and place on the middle rack in preheated 375 F oven. Be sure to keep an eye on things, in the event you need to add a bit more beef stock. After 3 hrs and 15 minutes the oxtails should be fork tender and you’ll have a thick and rich gravy. Taste for salt and adjust. Keep in mind that the beef stock you use may have a sodium element to it. Try not to break the cayenne pepper or risk the entire dish becoming peppery.. unless that’s what you want. Do remember to skim off any fat (oxtails are notoriously fatty) and discard (not down your sink).

A classic oxtail stew, rich with flavors of herbs and wine. Watch the video below to see how I made a quick gremolata which not only helps to cut the fattiness of the oxtails, but elevates the dish with a bright fresh finish.

Do you own a copy of my cookbook ?- The Vibrant Caribbean Pot 100 Traditional And Fusion recipes Vol 2

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

The Ultimate 5 Alarm Curry Chicken Recipe.

May 27, 2025April 22, 20191 Comment

There’s something very WRONG about a Curry Chicken which is not spicy (IMHO). However what we’re about to make here is simply insane when it comes to raw heat.. so be warned. With an abundance of hot peppers in my garden and with my luv for spicy foods, I thought I’d share what I call my 5 Alarm Curry Chicken recipe with you. Packed with deep flavors of a good curry and the added heat from organically grown peppers, this curry chicken is absolutely delicious.

You’ll Need…

3-4 lbs Chicken (cut into pieces)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 small onion (diced)
3-4 cloves garlic (diced)
1 heaping tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 large tomato (diced)
2-3 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 habanero peppers (sliced)
2 scotch bonnet peppers (sliced)
1 fatali pepper (sliced)
4 dried cayenne peppers
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
2 tablespoon Curry powder
2-3 Carolina Reapers (cut in half)
1 cup water
1 scallion (chopped)
3-4 leaves shado beni (optional – chopped)
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro (chopped)

Important: If doing this recipe gluten free, be sure to go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Especially the curry powder you use as a some may have flour as a filler.

Let’s start by seasoning the cleaned chicken (I used legs and thighs which I cut into small pieces .. remove the skin and fat as best you can). Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl, followed by the salt, black pepper, tomato, Caribbean Green Seasoning, Habanero peppers, scotch bonnet peppers and Fatali pepper. I included the seeds of the pepper as I wanted the raw heat. Remember to wash your hands with soap and water immediately after handling such hot peppers. Stir well and allow to marinate for at least 1 hr in the fridge.

Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy pot (I used a cast iron pot) on a medium heat, then go in with the onion and garlic.. turn the heat down to as low as it will go and cook gently for 2-3 minutes. Then add the dried cayenne peppers along with the coriander and cumin seeds. Heat still on low, cook for a further 2-3 minutes.

It’s now time to add your favorite curry powder. I have a blend I make, which is based on the Madras curry blend. Mix well and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the rawness of the curry is cooked out… it gets darker in color and the spices which makes up a good curry powder is allowed to bloom. You may need to add a bit more vegetable oil.

It’s now time to crank up the heat to high and add the seasoned chicken to the pot. Stir well to coat in the curry base we created. Yes, it’s fine if the marinade goes into the pot as well. In the same bowl you marinated the chicken, swish around the cup of water to pick up any remaining marinade and set aside for use shortly.

Turn the heat down to medium, cover the pot and cook for about 5 minutes. At this point you may add the remaining Carolina peppers (if you so desire using) It will spring it’s own natural juices. Now remove the lid off the pot and take the heat up a bit to burn off any liquid in the pot. This step will intensify the curry flavor onto the chicken pieces. Be sure to have the fan above your stove on or at least open your kitchen window or risk being choked by the strong peppers.

When you can see the vegetable oil we started off with at the bottom of the pan, you may now add the water, along with he scallions and shado beni. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 10-12 minutes.

The gravy should be somewhat thick at the point (it will thicken with the residual heat of the pot as it cools) and the chicken fully cooked (depending on how large pieces you used). Taste for salt (adjust) and top with the chopped cilantro.

There’s no mistaking that this is a very SPICY curry chicken dish and to be honest, not for most people. However if heat is your thing, you’ll love this 5 Alarm Curry Chicken dish. You can certainly add more or remove some peppers or play with different varieties of peppers if you wish.

Do you own a copy of my cookbook ?- The Vibrant Caribbean Pot 100 Traditional And Fusion recipes Vol 2

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Simple Garlic Rosemary Roasted Chicken Recipe.

May 28, 2025April 10, 20192 Comments

There’s something so comforting when you enter a home/kitchen and there’s a chicken roasting in the oven. A scent that immediately captivates yours taste-buds and then the eager anticipation of dinner kicks in. This here Garlic Rosemary Roasted Chicken will truly impress your family and friends, but be warned as the neighbors may just show up at your door if there’s a widow open or you have the fan/vent on in the kitchen, as you prepare this one.

You’ll Need…

1 chicken (about 3-4 lbs)
1 tablespoon rosemary (plus more for stuffing)
4 cloves garlic (crushed)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 lemon (zest and juice)
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 pimento peppers

Important: If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Finely chop the rosemary (no stems) and one of the pimento peppers. then add it to a bowl with the olive oil, salt, black pepper, garlic, lemon zest and lemon juice. Mix well.

Now cover the entire (clean/trimmed) chicken, with this marinade. I dabbed it on with a small brush.

You may place one of the used lemon pieces in the bird’s cavity, along with any remaining marinade and rosemary you may have left back. Feel free to top the chicken with more salt and black pepper as well as in the cavity. I didn’t. However I did slice the remaining pimento pepper in half and stuffed it in the chicken.

Place the chicken (I used a cast iron pan) into a preheated 400 F oven on the middle rack. No I did not tent or cover the chicken with foil. But you may do so for the first 30 minutes if you so wish.

Using a spoon, I tipped the roasting pan to a side and basted the chicken with the oils on the bottom every 15 minutes or so. This will keep the chicken nice and moist and help with developing a lovely golden color. After about 1 hour, this chicken was fully cooked/roasted. Keep in mind that if you use a bigger chicken it will take longer. I forgot to mention (watch the video below) I did tie the legs of the chicken with kitchen string and I tucked the wings below the bird to help keep it stable and to assist in even browning.

Allow the chicken to rest for about 10 minutes before you slice.

Yes you may work the marinade below the chicken’s skin but to be quite honest, I’ve done so in the past and for the work, it’s not worth it… as I never really see (taste) a difference. Maybe tv shows got us believing it makes a huge difference?

Do you own a copy of my cookbook ?- The Vibrant Caribbean Pot 100 Traditional And Fusion recipes Vol 2

Recipe Card

Print Recipe

Simple Garlic Rosemary Roasted Chicken

Recipe Keys: Dairy Free Gluten Free Non Vegetarian

Difficulty: Beginner Prep Time 15 mins Cook Time 1 hr Total Time 1 hr 15 mins

Servings: 6

Diet:

C Chicken G Gluten-Free

Description

A tender, flavorful roast chicken infused with garlic, rosemary, lemon, and fragrant Caribbean-style pimento pepper; perfectly golden and delicious.

Ingredients

1 whole chicken (3–4 pounds)
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary (chopped, plus extra for cavity)
4 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 pimento pepper (chopped, or substitute celery pepper)
1 lemon (zestedd and juiced)
2 tablespoons olive oil
³⁄₄ teaspoon salt
¹⁄₄ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Video

Preheat oven to 400 °F (200 °C).
In a small bowl, mix rosemary, garlic, chopped pimento pepper, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Brush the marinade all over the chicken and inside the cavity; stuff with extra rosemary and lemon pieces. Tie legs and tuck wings.
Place chicken breast-side up on the middle rack; roast uncovered. Baste every 15 minutes with accumulated juices.
Roast for about 1 hour, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 °F (74 °C) in the thickest part.
Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving to retain juices.

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Gluten Free Meat & Poultry Rice & One-Pot Dishes

Ultimate SlowCooker (CrockPot) Curry Goat Recipe.

May 28, 2025April 7, 201910 Comments

With such a busy lifestyle we tend to live today, it’s always nice to have a comforting home-cooked meal waiting for us when we get home. With that in mind I decided to start exploring ways to tailor some of our classic Caribbean dishes for being prepared in a slow cooker (or crock pot). With this slow cooker Curry Goat, you’ll get that lovely Caribbean ‘curry’ with fall-of-the-bones tenderness mommy raised us on. I highly encourage you to give this method of cooking curry goat a try.

You’ll Need…

3 lbs goat
4 large potato (cut in 1/4s)
1 scotch bonnet pepper (cut or leave whole to control the heat)
2 tablespoons Caribbean Green Seasoning
2 tablespoon curry powder
1 large onion (diced)
5 sprigs thyme
4-6 cloves garlic (smashed)
3-5 thin slices ginger
8 pimento berries (aka allspice berries)
1 large tomato (diced)
3/4 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 scallions (chopped)
2 tablespoon water

Important! If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary requirements. Especially the Curry Powder you use, as some may contain flour as a filer.

I used goat meat with the bones as I find the flavor of the finished dish is much better when bones are used as compared to using boneless goat. This recipe will work great with lamb as well. Please get your butcher to cut the goat for you as the bones are VERY tough and will do damage to your kitchen knives. Wash and dry the goat and get ready to start. BTW, remove any big pieces of fat and discard.

Basically you’re adding all the ingredients to the goat (in the slow cooker) and give it all a good mix. I used potato in this curry goat as it’s a great way to stretch the dish for more people. Cut the potato into 1/4’s as they will want to fall apart during the lengthy cooking process.

The curry powder I used was my own blend, but I highly recommend Caribbean curry powders, especially the Madras-like blends. Or use your fav! I did slice the scotch bonnet pepper as I love my curry goat with a little ‘kick’. If you wanted you could add the scotch bonnet pepper whole, but try not to break it while cooking/stirring or you’ll release the beast (heat).

Remember to wash your hands with soap and water after handing such hot peppers like Scotch Bonnets. The tomato may seem out of place (for some people) but I assure you that it will add an acidic balance to the richness of the curry. There’s no need to allow this to marinate if you’re in a rush as it will cook slowly for 5 hrs and infuse the goat with that classic curry flavor.

With 20 minutes to go I opened the slow cooker and did a few things (cooked for 5 hrs as mentioned above). Tasted for salt and adjusted. But before that, you’ll notice a ton of fat at the surface (goat is very fatty), try your best to skim that off and discard (you can use a paper towel to skim that off easily). Do not pour this down your sink or it will clog your plumbing. Remove the scotch bonnet pepper if you had it in there whole. If the gravy is a bit runny you can cook uncovered for a further 30 minutes, but do bear in mind you can always crush a couple pieces of the potato to thicken things up.. also it will thicken naturally as the curry goat cools. Top with some finely chopped Cilantro (about 1 tablespoon – not mentioned in the ingredient list) and enjoy.

Do you own a copy of my cookbook ?- The Vibrant Caribbean Pot 100 Traditional And Fusion recipes Vol 2

Meat & Poultry

The Ultimate Slowcooker Oxtail Recipe.

Recipe Card

Slow Cooker Caribbean Oxtails

Description

Ingredients

Instructions

Delicious Chinese Influenced Green Beans With Chicken.

Fork Tender Herb and Wine Braised Oxtails.

The Ultimate 5 Alarm Curry Chicken Recipe.

Simple Garlic Rosemary Roasted Chicken Recipe.

Recipe Card

Simple Garlic Rosemary Roasted Chicken

Description

Ingredients

Instructions

Ultimate SlowCooker (CrockPot) Curry Goat Recipe.

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