Jamaican Oxtail Soup4 pounds of oxtails, well trimmed
1 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
2 medium red skinned potatoes, scrubbed, unpeeled, and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, cut into 1/2 inch thick rounds
2 medium celery ribs, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
4 scallions, chopped
1 fresh hot green chile pepper, such as jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon of ground allspice
5 cups of water
1 bay leaf
Position a broiler rack 4 inches from the source of heat and preheat the broiler. Broil the oxtails, turning once, until browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer the oxtails to a plate and season with the salt and pepper. In a 5 quart slow cooker, layer the potatoes, onion, carrots, celery, scallions, chile pepper, and garlic in that order. Sprinkle with the thyme and allspice. Arrange the oxtails on top of the vegetables. Pour in the water and add the bay leaf. Cover and slow cook until the oxtails are very tender, 9 - 11 hours on LOW or 4 - 5 hours on HIGH. Skim the fat from the surface of the soup before serving. If you have a bit of extra time, cool the soup and refrigerate overnight so the fat solidifies and can be easily scraped off and discarded. Makes 6 to 8 servings
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