Trim the oxtail of any large pieces of hard exterior fat. Leave the fat caps and connective tissue alone — that's where the gravy comes from. Pat the pieces dry with paper towels.

Build the green seasoning paste: combine garlic, yellow onion, scallions, thyme, ginger, scotch bonnet, soy sauce, browning sauce, granulated garlic, granulated onion, and ground allspice in a food processor. Pulse to a coarse paste — not a smooth purée.

Place the oxtail in a glass or food-safe plastic container (never cast iron — the acids in the marinade will react with the metal). Season the meat directly with the kosher salt and black pepper, then coat every piece with the green seasoning paste, working it into the creases and around the bones.

Cover and refrigerate overnight, 12 to 24 hours.

Pull the oxtail from the fridge 30 minutes before searing to take the chill off. Scrape most of the marinade paste off each piece back into the container (you'll add it to the braise later). Pat the meat surface relatively dry — wet meat won't brown.

Heat the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the lard and let it shimmer.

Sear hard, in batches. Place oxtail pieces in a single layer with space between them — do not crowd the pot. Sear undisturbed for 3–4 minutes per side until each face has a deep mahogany crust. Transfer to a sheet pan and repeat with the remaining oxtail, adding the last tablespoon of lard between batches as needed. This step takes 20–25 minutes total and is the flavor foundation. Do not rush it.

Once all oxtail is seared and resting on the sheet pan, reduce heat to medium. The pot bottom should be covered in dark fond — that's flavor, not burn. If anything looks black or smells acrid, scrape it out before continuing.

Add the diced yellow onion to the pot and sauté in the rendered fat for 5–6 minutes until softened and picking up color from the fond.

Add the sliced green onion, minced garlic, fresh thyme leaves, and pimento berries. Sauté 2 minutes until fragrant.

Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1–2 minutes, allowing it to caramelize against the bottom of the pot.

Add the reserved green seasoning paste from the marinade container and the additional 1 tablespoon browning sauce. Stir to combine.

Pour in the beef stock and use a wooden spoon to scrape every piece of fond off the bottom of the pot. Add the bay leaves and the whole pierced scotch bonnet.

Return all seared oxtail to the pot, along with any juices collected on the sheet pan. The liquid should come about ¾ of the way up the meat — add a splash more stock or water if needed. Bring to a bare simmer.

Stovetop method: Cover with the lid slightly cracked. Maintain the lowest possible simmer — bubbles breaking the surface every few seconds, not a rolling boil. Cook 3.5 to 4 hours, stirring gently every 45 minutes and checking liquid level.

Oven method: Cover with the lid fully on. Transfer to a 300°F oven and braise 3.5 to 4 hours. Check at the 2-hour mark and stir gently.

The oxtail is done when the meat pulls cleanly from the bone with light pressure from a fork but still holds its shape on the bone. Internal temperature will read 200–205°F at the thickest meat point. If it's still tight, give it another 30 minutes.

Remove and discard the bay leaves and the whole scotch bonnet (unless you want the heat carried through — taste the gravy first). Fish out the pimento berries if you can find them; they're edible but not pleasant to bite into.

Taste the gravy. Adjust salt now — the gravy will concentrate slightly on reheat, so season for present-day balance, not future strength.

Let the pot rest off-heat for 20 minutes. The fat will rise to the surface — skim about half of it off (leave some for flavor; remove the excess so portions don't freeze with a thick fat cap).

Divide into 6 portions: aim for roughly 10–12 oz of meat-and-bone per portion plus 1 cup of gravy. Use a slotted spoon to distribute the meat evenly across bags, then ladle the gravy over each portion.

Cool the portions in the refrigerator until cold to the touch (about 2 hours) before vacuum sealing — sealing hot food creates steam pockets that ruin the seal and shorten freezer life.

Vacuum seal, label with name and date, and freeze flat. Use within 3 months for peak quality.