Brown Stew Fish

Name: Brown Stew Fish
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Jamaica
Ingredients: 4 whole snapper or fish steaks; 1 tbsp all-purpose seasoning; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 onion, sliced; 1 red bell pepper, sliced; 1 tomato, chopped; 2 scallions, chopped; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 scotch bonnet pepper, whole; 1 tbsp browning sauce; 1 cup fish stock or water; 1 tsp fresh thyme

4 servings15 min prep30 min cookMedium Jamaica

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The Story Behind It

The Tale of Brown Stew Fish

Story updated September 17, 2026

Brown stew fish reflects the "browning" technique common across Jamaican cooking, where sugar is caramelized dark to build a deep, savory-sweet base for the stew. Fried fish is then simmered with tomatoes, peppers, and herbs in the sauce, a method applied similarly to chicken and other proteins across the island.

Ingredients

Scale:· 4 servings

4 whole snapper or fish steaks
1 tbsp all-purpose seasoning
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 tomato, chopped
2 scallions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 scotch bonnet pepper, whole
1 tbsp browning sauce
1 cup fish stock or water
1 tsp fresh thyme

Instructions

1Season the fish with all-purpose seasoning and let sit 15 minutes.
2Heat oil in a skillet and fry the fish until golden on both sides; remove and set aside.
3In the same skillet, saute onion, bell pepper, garlic, and scallions until softened.
4Stir in tomato, thyme, browning sauce, and fish stock, and bring to a simmer.
5Return the fish to the skillet along with the whole scotch bonnet pepper.
6Cover and simmer 10-12 minutes, spooning sauce over the fish, until cooked through.
7Serve hot with the sauce spooned over rice or ground provisions.

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