← All recipes · Species guide: Wahoo
Jamaica · Wahoo

Jamaican Brown Stew Wahoo

Brown Stew Fish

Brown stew is Jamaican Sunday comfort: fish fried first, then simmered in a rich brown gravy of onion, tomato, thyme, pimento and Scotch bonnet. Firm wahoo steaks hold up beautifully.

  • Prep 20 min + 30 min marinate
  • Cook 35 min
  • Serves 4
  • Level Medium
Photo: Nadin Sh · Pexels
Served with: Jamaican Bammy ↓En Español

Ingredients

Tap each item as you gather it.

For the fish

For the brown stew

Method

Step by step, the way it is done on the island.

  1. Season the fish. Rub the steaks with the lime juice, salt, black pepper and all-purpose seasoning. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
  2. Fry. Pat dry and dust with flour. Fry in ½ inch (1 cm) of oil at 350 °F (175 °C) for 3–4 minutes per side until golden. Lift out onto a plate.
  3. Start the gravy. Pour off all but 2 tbsp of oil. Cook the onion, garlic, scallions, bell pepper and tomato over medium heat 5 minutes until soft.
  4. Build the brown stew. Add the thyme, pimento, whole Scotch bonnet, ketchup, browning, sugar and water. Simmer 5 minutes and taste for salt.
  5. Simmer the fish. Return the fish to the pan, spoon the gravy over, cover and simmer 8–10 minutes until the gravy thickens and coats the fish.
  6. Serve. Remove the Scotch bonnet before serving (unless you like it hot) and serve with bammy, hard food or white rice.

On the side

The side dish that belongs with it, full recipe included.

Jamaica

Jamaican Bammy

Bammy

Round cassava flatbreads, soaked in coconut milk and fried golden. Down in Old Harbour Bay, bammy and fried fish go together like rod and reel.

  • Prep 20 min
  • Cook 30 min
  • Serves 4 (4 bammies)
  • Level Medium

You need

  • 2 lb (900 g) grated cassava (fresh or thawed frozen)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • Vegetable oil for frying

How to make it

  1. Squeeze dry. Put the grated cassava in a clean kitchen towel and wring out as much liquid as you can. It should feel dry and crumbly. Mix in the salt.
  2. Shape. Press about 1 cup into a 6-inch (15 cm) ring or a small dry skillet to make a flat round about ½ inch (1 cm) thick.
  3. Dry-cook. Cook on a dry nonstick or cast-iron pan over medium-low heat for 6–8 minutes a side, until firm and set but not browned. Repeat with the rest.
  4. Soak. Cut each bammy in halves or quarters and soak in the coconut milk for 5–10 minutes.
  5. Fry. Fry in ¼ inch of oil over medium heat for 3–4 minutes a side until golden. Drain and serve hot.

Photo: Jongleur100 · Public domain

More ways to cook Wahoo

Same fish, a different corner of the sea.

Luquillo, Puerto RicoPuerto Rican Wahoo Pinchos with Guava Glaze
Câmara de Lobos, Madeira, PortugalMadeira Wine-and-Garlic Marinated Wahoo
Messina, Sicily, ItalyWahoo Messina-Style with Tomato, Olives and Capers