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Jamaican-style braised oxtail pieces and large butter beans in a thick brown gravy on a white plate

Photo: Sumit Surai / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Instant Pot Family Dinners

Instant Pot Jamaican-Style Oxtail with Butter Beans

Meaty oxtail and creamy butter beans settle into a glossy thyme-and-allspice gravy, with a full natural release and a mild shared pot that leaves chile heat for the table.

Developed for DishGal · Updated 2026-10-05

Instant Pot Family DinnersEasy Beef Recipes
Prep25 min
Cook65 min
Total120 min
Cost$6.40

Directions

  1. Season and dry the oxtail

    Pat the oxtail very dry and season all over with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and the black pepper. Wash hands and sanitize the board, knife and sink area after handling the raw beef.

  2. Brown in small batches

    Select Sauté on High on a 6-quart electric pressure cooker. Add 1 tablespoon oil and brown half the oxtail for 6 to 8 minutes, turning to color several sides. Transfer to a clean plate and repeat with the remaining oil and oxtail.

  3. Build the aromatic base

    Reduce Sauté to Normal. Add onion and scallion whites and cook 4 minutes. Stir in garlic, ginger, allspice, thyme and tomato paste for 45 seconds. Pour in 1 cup broth and scrape the base until completely smooth, then add the remaining broth, Worcestershire, soy sauce and brown sugar.

  4. Layer for pressure

    Return the oxtail and its juices and stir once. Scatter carrots around the meat, then spoon the diced tomatoes over the top without stirring them against the heating plate. Confirm that the contents remain below the cooker's maximum-fill line.

  5. Pressure-cook and release

    Lock the lid and cook on High Pressure for 45 minutes; allow about 15 minutes to reach pressure. Let pressure release naturally for 20 minutes, then vent any remainder in short controlled pulses. Open only after the float valve drops, keeping hands and face clear of steam.

  6. Verify tenderness and defat

    Check several pieces: beef is safe at 145°F followed by a 3-minute rest, but oxtail should also pull readily from the bone and commonly reaches 195 to 205°F when tender. If firm, repressurize for 8 minutes with a 10-minute natural release. Spoon excess surface fat into a heatproof container; never pour it down the drain.

  7. Finish the beans and gravy

    Stir in butter beans and select Sauté Low for 6 to 8 minutes, until hot. Add lime juice, scallion greens and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt to taste. For a tighter gravy, stir in the cornstarch slurry and simmer 1 minute.

  8. Serve mild-first

    Rest the stew 5 minutes, then spoon it over rice. Keep Scotch bonnet sauce at the table so children and heat-sensitive diners receive the aromatic base without unwanted chile.

Why this works

Why it worksTwo full cups of thin broth sit against a completely deglazed base, while tomatoes remain on top to lower burn-warning risk.
Why it worksOxtail's collagen needs both a long pressure cycle and a patient natural release to become silky rather than merely safe.
Why it worksButter beans enter after pressure so they stay whole while absorbing the finished gravy.

Useful kitchen gear

Tools that make this easier.

Compare the function and specifications first; skip anything your kitchen already handles well.

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Compare on Amazon6-quart electric pressure cookerThe two-cup thin-broth base, 45-minute cycle and 20-minute natural release are written for this family capacity.See current options → Compare on AmazonInstant-read thermometerCheck oxtail for safe temperature, then use the 195–205°F tenderness range and fork texture to judge collagen breakdown.See current options → Compare on AmazonHeat-safe fat separatorSeparate the rendered oxtail fat from the cooking liquid before reducing the glossy butter-bean gravy.See current options →

Swaps & notes

Easy swaps

  • Use 3 pounds bone-in beef short ribs cut into 2-inch pieces and keep the same pressure and release timing.
  • Replace butter beans with rinsed canned cannellini beans; add them only after pressure as directed.
  • For a soy-free version, replace soy sauce with an additional teaspoon Worcestershire and season the finished gravy to taste.

Cook notes

  • Total time includes batch browning, about 15 minutes to pressurize, the 45-minute cycle, a 20-minute natural release, finishing and rest time.
  • Written for a 6-quart electric pressure cooker. Follow the exact model manual for minimum liquid, maximum fill, locking and venting, and never force the lid.
  • Do not double this recipe in a 6-quart cooker. Bone shape makes the fill level unpredictable even when the ingredient weights appear to fit.
  • The shared stew is intentionally chile-free. Scotch bonnet sauce belongs at the table, not in the family pot.

Storage

Cool the oxtail and gravy in shallow containers within 2 hours. Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. Chilling makes the fat easy to lift away. Reheat the stew to 165°F, adding broth if the gravy has tightened; store and reheat rice separately.

Questions

Why is my oxtail still tough after pressure cooking?

Safety temperature and tenderness are different. Thick or older pieces may need another 8-minute High Pressure cycle plus a 10-minute natural release to dissolve enough collagen.

Do I have to brown every side?

No. Browning two or three broad surfaces delivers flavor without making prep excessive. Crowding the pot steams the meat, so work in two batches.

Can I add the butter beans before pressure cooking?

Canned beans are already tender and can burst during the long cycle. Adding them afterward keeps distinct creamy beans in the final gravy.

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Instant Pot Jamaican-Style Oxtail with Butter Beans
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1. Season and dry the oxtailPat the oxtail very dry and season all over with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and the black pepper. Wash hands and sanitize the board, knife and sink area after handling the raw beef.
2. Brown in small batchesSelect Sauté on High on a 6-quart electric pressure cooker. Add 1 tablespoon oil and brown half the oxtail for 6 to 8 minutes, turning to color several sides. Transfer to a clean plate and repeat with the remaining oil and oxtail.
3. Build the aromatic baseReduce Sauté to Normal. Add onion and scallion whites and cook 4 minutes. Stir in garlic, ginger, allspice, thyme and tomato paste for 45 seconds. Pour in 1 cup broth and scrape the base until completely smooth, then add the remaining broth, Worcestershire, soy sauce and brown sugar.
4. Layer for pressureReturn the oxtail and its juices and stir once. Scatter carrots around the meat, then spoon the diced tomatoes over the top without stirring them against the heating plate. Confirm that the contents remain below the cooker's maximum-fill line.
5. Pressure-cook and releaseLock the lid and cook on High Pressure for 45 minutes; allow about 15 minutes to reach pressure. Let pressure release naturally for 20 minutes, then vent any remainder in short controlled pulses. Open only after the float valve drops, keeping hands and face clear of steam.
6. Verify tenderness and defatCheck several pieces: beef is safe at 145°F followed by a 3-minute rest, but oxtail should also pull readily from the bone and commonly reaches 195 to 205°F when tender. If firm, repressurize for 8 minutes with a 10-minute natural release. Spoon excess surface fat into a heatproof container; never pour it down the drain.
7. Finish the beans and gravyStir in butter beans and select Sauté Low for 6 to 8 minutes, until hot. Add lime juice, scallion greens and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt to taste. For a tighter gravy, stir in the cornstarch slurry and simmer 1 minute.
8. Serve mild-firstRest the stew 5 minutes, then spoon it over rice. Keep Scotch bonnet sauce at the table so children and heat-sensitive diners receive the aromatic base without unwanted chile.