In a bowl, combine the dark brown sugar, ginger, soy sauce, allspice, curry powder, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, green onions, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, browning sauce, and apple cider vinegar. Whisk until smooth. This marinade packs a punch.

Place the oxtail sections in a large bowl or a zip-top bag. Pour the marinade over the oxtail, ensuring each piece is coated. Let it marinate for at least 2 hours, or ideally overnight in the refrigerator. This step is essential for achieving tender and flavorful meat.

In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the marinated oxtail in batches, searing on all sides until browned, about 5 minutes per side. Browning adds depth to the final flavor.

Transfer the browned oxtail to your slow cooker. Add the diced onion, sliced carrots, butter beans, thyme, whole garlic cloves, and bay leaves. These vegetables will enhance the overall flavor and provide texture.

Pour the beef stock over the ingredients in the slow cooker, ensuring everything is well covered. Stir gently. The liquid will do the heavy lifting.

Add the Scotch bonnet pepper, tomato paste, and ground cumin to the mixture. This brings warmth and depth. You can adjust the pepper depending on how much heat you prefer.

Cover and set your slow cooker to low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. The long cooking time is what turns tough meat into something melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

Once the cooking time is up, remove the oxtail and vegetables from the slow cooker. Strain the remaining liquid into a saucepan. Bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Mix the cornstarch with some water to create a slurry and stir it into the liquid, cooking until thickened.

Return the oxtail and veggies to the thickened sauce. Serve it warm over rice, polenta, or with some crusty bread. And don’t forget to spoon an extra drizzle of that luscious sauce over everything.