Frass Eats: Braised Oxtail Dumplings With Charred Scallion Sauce
Taking a rich and popular Caribbean dish, fusing it with a spicy and tangy dipping sauce.
Words & Styling Danique Lorian | 4 Minute Read
FRASSPOT
What is gyoza? A staple in Japanese and other Asian cuisines, this dumpling is said to have originated in mainland China and gained popularity in Japan after World War II. Jiaozi, as it is known in China, typically consists of ground meat and/or vegetables used as filling in a thin piece of dough and sealed by folding the edges tightly. These dumplings are often steamed but can also be pan fried, deep fried, or boiled.
For this recipe we took a common Caribbean dish, fusing it with a tangy and spicy dipping sauce for an appetizer that is as easy as it is impressive.
FRASSPOT
Oxtail Marinade
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup green seasoning
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon browning
1 cup beef broth
ADVERTISEMENT
Charred Scallion Dipping Sauce
4 tablespoon fish sauce
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper
1 bunch of scallion
2 1/2 tablespoon agave
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
juice of 1 lime
Directions:
Step 1
Start by cleaning the oxtail. In a medium sized bowl, rinse the meat with cold water and lime juice. Pat dry, trim excess fat and set aside while you prepare the marinade.
Step 2
In a medium sized bowl, add cleaned oxtail, green seasoning, salt, pepper, soy sauce, garlic and onion powder, ground nutmeg, brown sugar and browning. Add a drizzle of olive oil and mix well until everything is incorporated. Set aside in the fridge for at least an hour or longer.
Step 3
In the meantime, prepare scallions for dipping sauce by washing thoroughly and cutting off the ends, removing the roots. Cut the bunch into about 4 inch pieces. In a dry pan, on medium heat, add scallions and allow them to char, turning every couple of minutes to ensure that they don't burn. Remove them from the pan once they've browned and are slightly darker in color and set aside.
Step 4
Prepare the dipping sauce by adding fish sauce, 1/2 of a scotch bonnet pepper (or as much as your spice tolerance will allow), agave, sesame oil, and the juice of one lime to a small bowl and mixing well.
Step 5
Once scallions are cool to touch, mince and add to the dipping sauce, mixing to combine all ingredients. Set this aside at room temperature.
Step 6
In a large pot on medium heat, add a drizzle of olive oil and a teaspoon of browning. To this pot, add your oxtail and sear on all sides and set aside. This step may need to be done in batches, depending on the size of your pot.
Step 7
Once the meat is browned, add it back to the pot along with two cups of low sodium beef broth. Add about a 1/2 cup of water to your marinade bowl and add that to the pot with your oxtail as well. Give everything a good stir to ensure that the meat doesn't stick - adding more water if needed. Cover the pot and allow oxtail to braise on low/medium heat for about 45 minutes.
Step 8
After roughly 45 minutes, add about one tablespoon of ketchup and adjust seasonings if need be. You may also need to another cup of beef broth or water to ensure that there is enough liquid to allow the meat to fully braise. Fresh herbs like thyme or bay leaves can be added as well. Cover and let braise for another 45 minutes to an hour, checking for tenderness after every 30 minutes.
Step 9
Once the oxtail is tender enough to remove from the bone, remove from heat and set aside to cool enough to handle. Shred the meat with a fork or by hand if you prefer.
Step 10
Fill a small bowl with a bit of water - this will be used to seal the dumplings. For each dumpling, fill the center with about a teaspoon of shredded meat filling. Dampen your index finger and trace along the outer corner of the dumplings then fold in half, pinching gently to seal. Bring both outer corners together, dampening one corner and folding the other on top of it, pinching again to ensure that the dumplings stay closed. Note - keep the folded dumplings under a damp paper towel as you work so the dough doesn’t dry out.
Step 11
In a pan, on medium heat, add a drizzle of cooking oil. Pan fry your dumplings for about a minute or until the bottom is crispy and golden brown. Turn heat down to low and add about tablespoon or so of water and cover to allow dumplings to steam for another two minutes. Serve with charred scallion dipping sauce and enjoy.
What do you think of this recipe? Share your experience and tips to help others in the comments below.
Danique Lorian
Senior Editor, Frasspot
Danique Lorian is the senior editor for Frasspot. She oversees music curation, recipe development, and digital food content across Frasspot and has contributed as senior editor since December 2019.
Apr 18, 2025More in Journal
