"Brown stew" is a Jamaican cooking method where meat is seared dark — often helped along with a little browning or caramelized sugar — then simmered into a thick, savory gravy. It's milder than jerk or curry, which makes it a family favorite. Serve it over rice and peas with the gravy spooned on top.
Ingredients
- 8 chicken pieces (thighs & legs)
- 1 onion, sliced + 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tomato, chopped
- ½ sweet pepper, sliced
- 2 scallions + 1 tbsp fresh thyme
- 1 tsp ground pimento
- 1 whole scotch bonnet
- 1 tbsp browning (or 1 tbsp brown sugar, caramelized)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce + 3 tbsp oil
- 1 cup water or stock; salt & black pepper
Method
- Season the chicken with the garlic, scallion, thyme, pimento, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Marinate at least 30 minutes (longer is better).
- Heat the oil in a heavy pot. For deep color, stir in the browning, or caramelize the brown sugar in the oil until dark before adding the chicken.
- Sear the chicken in batches until well browned all over, then remove and set aside.
- In the same pot, sauté the onion, sweet pepper and tomato until soft.
- Return the chicken, add the whole scotch bonnet and the water/stock. Cover and simmer 30–40 minutes until tender and the gravy has thickened. Remove the scotch bonnet, season, and serve.
🍯 Color & gravy
The dark color comes from a good sear plus browning. For a thicker gravy, uncover for the last 10 minutes, or mash a little of the onion into the sauce.