I wanted to share a #Holiday I hadn’t heard of with you which falls on December 29th, and the holiday celebrates National Pepper Pot Day #NationalPepperPotDay the hearty, peppery stew with deep roots in Caribbean cuisine and a long history in early American cooking.
Did you know Pepperpot is often called “the soup that won the war.” Pepperpot is famously tied to the American Revolutionary War and the resourcefulness of cooks who made nourishing meals from whatever ingredients were available.
Here’s a delicious Pepper Pot Stew recipe to warm things up. This dish has deep Caribbean roots and is known for its rich, spicy, slow‑cooked flavor. If you decide to make Pepperpot for your family leave a comment and let me know what you thought of it and why.
Pepperpot Stew
Ingredients
- •4 pounds Meat
- •Salt Taste
- •1 teaspoon Garlic
- •1 teaspoon Thyme
- •1 teaspoon White Pepper
- •0.5 Medium Onion
- •1 teaspoon Bouillon Powder
- •Brown Sugar
- •Garlic
- •1 Medium Onion
- •2 Green Onions
- •2 teaspoons Fresh Thyme
- •1 Scotch Bonnet Pepper
- •Cassareep
- •3 cups Water
- •1 stick Cinnamon
- •Salt And Pepper Taste
Instructions
- Place oxtail and pork in a large bowl or ziplock bag, then add salt, garlic, thyme, white pepper, onion, and bouillon powder (if using).
- Mix the meat and the marinade with a large spoon or your hands until well coated and every inch of the meat is covered. Set aside in the fridge to marinate for a couple of hours or overnight if you have time.
- When ready to cook, shake off excess spices from the meat. Heat a large Dutch Oven or heavy-bottomed pan on medium heat, then add sugar and keep stirring until it caramelizes and begins turning a deep brown. Be careful not to burn it.
- Add the pork to the Dutch pan and sear to seal in flavors (it usually takes about 3 minutes). Remove meat from the pan and set aside on a plate.
- Add oxtail and brown, stirring to prevent burning, until browned. If the pot isn’t large enough, sear the meat in batches.
- Toss in the garlic, onions, thyme, and scotch bonnet pepper. Continue cooking for 3-5 minutes, then add the 1⁄2 of the cassareep and the cinnamon stick. Thoroughly mix and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes.
- Next, add water to cover the meat, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for about 40 minutes.
- Return the pork to the pot, add the other half of the cassareep, and add more water if needed. The water should not come above the meat.
- Continue cooking for 11⁄2-2 hours or until the beef is tender. The sauce should be thick and the beef fork tender.
- Adjust with seasonings to taste. Garnish with parsley and serve with bread
If you want to explore variations—Guyanese holiday pepperpot, Jamaican pepperpot with coconut milk, or even the Philadelphia-style version—I can walk you through those too. Just leave me a comment with what your looking for and I will get to work on it.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
