Caribbean Oxtail Stew

2.5 to 3 lbs beef oxtail pieces • 2 tbsp brown sugar • 2 tbsp vegetable oil • 4 cloves garlic, minced • 1 large yellow onion, chopped • 3 green onions (scallions), chopped • 2 tbsp soy sauce • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce • 1 tbsp ground allspice • 1 tsp dried thyme • 3 cups beef broth • 1 Scotch bonnet pepper (whole, optional for heat) • 1 can (15 oz) butter beans, drained • Salt and pepper to taste

1. Pat the oxtail pieces dry with paper towels. Season all sides generously with salt, black pepper, and the ground allspice. Toss the meat in a bowl with the chopped yellow onion, green onions, garlic, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme. For the best flavor, cover and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
2. Scrape the onions and garlic off the oxtail pieces and save them for later. Heat the oil and brown sugar in a heavy Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat. Let the sugar melt and bubble until it turns a dark, amber-brown color.
3. Add the oxtails to the bubbling sugar oil. Sear for 3 to 4 minutes per side until they develop a deeply caramelized, dark brown crust. Remove the meat and set it aside.
4. Lower the heat to medium. Toss the reserved marinated onions and garlic into the same pot, cooking for 3 minutes until soft. Pour in the beef broth, using a wooden spoon to scrape up all the flavorful browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.
5. Return the oxtails to the pot. If using a Scotch bonnet pepper, drop it in whole (do not cut it open unless you want intense heat). Bring the liquid to a boil, then immediately turn the heat to low. Cover with a tight lid and simmer gently for 2.5 to 3 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender and falling off the bone.
6. Fish out and discard the whole Scotch bonnet pepper. Stir the drained butter beans into the pot during the last 15 minutes of cooking, allowing the sauce to thicken into a rich, glossy gravy. Serve hot over a bed of traditional rice and peas.

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