Beef and Okra 
(Jamaican beef and okra stew)

Basket of fresh pods of okra
Image by Jérôme Decq

This recipe makes a simple meat and vegetable stew with tons of flavor. It’s a typically Caribbean concoction using that favorite vegetable import from Africa — okra. Try using goat instead of beef if you can find it.

Beef and Okra

Beef and Okra

Course: Meats, Soups and StewsCuisine: Jamaica
Makes 4 to 6 servings

This recipe makes a simple meat and vegetable stew with tons of flavor. It’s a typically Caribbean concoction using that favorite vegetable import from Africa — okra.

Ingredients

  • Oil — 1/4 cup

  • Beef shoulder or sirloin, sliced thinly across the grain — 2 pounds

  • Salt and pepper — to season

  • Onion, thinly sliced — 1

  • Garlic, minced — 3 or 4 cloves

  • Chopped tomatoes — 1 cup

  • Water or stock — 1 cup

  • Thyme — 2 teaspoons

  • Salt and pepper — to taste

  • Okra, stems removed and cut into rounds — 1 pound

Directions

  • Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high flame. Add the beef and saute until browned and cooked through. Season with salt and pepper and remove to a plate.
  • Add more oil to the skillet if needed and then add the onions and sauté until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for another 1 or 2 minutes.
  • Stir in the tomatoes and simmer 2 or 3 minutes to cook them down a little. Then return the beef to the skillet and add the water or stock, thyme, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer another 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Stir in the okra and simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until the beef is tender. Adjust seasoning and serve over rice.

Beef and Okra Notes and Variations

  • Add a minced jalapeño or Scotch bonnet pepper with the garlic for some fiery heat.
  • Half-frozen beef will be easier to slice thinly. Slicing the beef across the grain makes it much more tender.

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