Smoked Oxtails
These smoked oxtails get two cooks. First on the smoker until the bark sets and they’re the color I want them, then they go into a Dutch oven with brown sugar bourbon braise before returning to the fire until they fall apart. Eat them over mashed potatoes or mac and cheese. Whatever you don’t eat, put on a taco the next day.
What Goes Into Smoked Oxtails
| Ingredient | Notes |
|---|---|
| Oxtails | Six pounds of them. Which is way more than it sounds like until you realize how much of an oxtail is bone. |
| BBQ seasoning | Whichever kind you like best. Salt, pepper and garlic powder will work too. |
| Bourbon | Don’t skip it. |
| Brown sugar | For sweet that cuts the smoke. |
| BBQ sauce | Body and tang for the braising liquid. |
| Beef broth | 2 cups to start. Add more as needed to keep them covered. |
| Worcestershire and soy sauce | Salt and depth. |
| Dijon mustard | To cut the sweet. |
| Apple cider vinegar | For acid or else the whole thing goes flat. |
| Yellow onion | Sliced thin. |
| Garlic | Minced. |
| Tomato paste | Body and depth. |
| Bay leaves | In during the braise, out before serving. |
Find the exact measurements in the recipe card below.
How I Smoked the Oxtails
Seasoned them generously after drying them off.
Put them straight on the smoker grate.
Cooked them until they hit temp and the bark and color looked right to me.
Find the temps on the card.
Why the Smoke Comes First
Oxtail is one tough mother. It needs a low and slow, super wet cook to break down all that collagen. That part isn’t optional.
But if you simmer them for hours on end you’ll end up with pot roast. And pot roast doesn’t have bark.
So smoke first. You can build up a crusty exterior full of smoke flavor while the surface is dry. Once you dunk something in liquid it can’t brown and it can’t absorb smoke. You have until that lid goes on to build flavor.
Then let the braise do the thing it does best, which is dissolve all that glorious connective tissue into delicious gelatin. The bark you built won’t disappear. It’ll soften as it braises and leech into that cooking liquid. That’s a huge reason why the sauce tastes so good.
Smoke first, then braise. That order is the only one that gets you both.
Author’s Notes
They’re Very Rewarding
These do take some time but they’re very rewarding. Takes probably about 5 to 6 hours to cook them all the way.
You can serve them with mac and cheese, mashed potatoes. These are really enjoyable.
They even make an excellent taco as well, or a burrito.
Miguel
How I Braised Them
I tossed them in a Dutch oven.
Added bourbon, brown sugar, BBQ sauce, beef broth, Worcestershire, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, yellow onion, garlic, tomato paste and bay leaves.
Topped it all off with beef broth, put the lid on, and back on the smoker it went.
Cooked them until they were fork tender and falling off the bone.
Times and temperatures are all below in the recipe card.
Why Fork Tender is The Only Doneness You Need To Care About
You can look at a thermometer to know when to take the oxtails off the smoker. There is no thermometer for when they are finished braising.
Oxtail just needs to be done. Tender enough to pull apart. That won’t happen until the collagen breaks down into gelatin. Only time and heat can do that.
How long that takes depends on how big the pieces are and how your smoker runs that day. The thermometer told you when to pull them off the smoke. The fork tells you when the braise is finished.
Stick it in there. If they’re done the fork should meet absolutely no resistance. The meat should pull right off the bone. If it’s not ready then stick them back in and braise some more.
Five hours to six hours, both cooks combined. Don’t worry about making up time on the braise.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make these a day ahead if you can. They taste just as great as leftovers.
Store them in an airtight container with all the braising liquid. That liquid is what keeps them moist. If you pull the meat off the bone you’ve got taco and burrito filling that requires nothing else.
The fat will solidify on top of the liquid when it’s cold. Scrape it off before reheating if you want. I usually leave it on.
Tips From Miguel
- Keep those oxtails covered! Add more beef broth if the level gets low.
- Don’t pull them based on a number. Use a fork. They’re done when they’re fork tender.
- Save the liquid the oxtails cook in. It’s the best part.
- Make these the day before serving if you can. They get even better once they’ve had a chance to sit in that braise all night long.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to smoke them first?
You sure don’t. They’ll still come out tender, they just won’t have the bark or the smoke, and that’s most of what makes these different.
Can I do this in the oven instead of the smoker?
Sure, as long as you have a lid. The braise would happen in the oven at the same temp with the lid on. The smoking you’ll have to do outside.
What do I do with leftovers?
Tacos. Just toss the meat (which pulls right off the bone) onto tortillas and you’ve got one killer taco.
Related Recipes
- Smoked Braised Lamb Birria
- Grilled Bone In Ribeyes and Smashed Parmesan Potatoes
- Mexican Style Smoked Burgers
- Carne Asada Steak Fries
My Gear
Everything I cook with lives here: linktr.ee/cooking_with_fire___
Explore More Recipes
Chicken | Beef | Pork | Seafood
Smoked Oxtails with Brown Sugar Bourbon Braise
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Pat the oxtails dry and season them generously on all sides with your favorite BBQ seasoning. Salt, pepper and garlic works too.
- Get your smoker running at 250°F and place the seasoned oxtails directly on the grate.
- Smoke until they reach about 175°F internal and have developed the color and bark you are looking for. Roughly 2.5 to 3 hours depending on the size of the oxtails and how your smoker runs.
- Move the oxtails into a Dutch oven. Add the bourbon, brown sugar, BBQ sauce, beef broth, Worcestershire, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, onion, garlic, tomato paste and bay leaves.
- Top off with additional beef broth as needed to keep the oxtails covered, then put the lid on the Dutch oven.
- Place it back on the smoker and continue cooking until the oxtails are fork tender and falling off the bone. Usually another 2 to 3 hours. Go by the fork here, not by a temperature. A fork should slide in with no resistance and the meat should pull off the bone.
- Pull them off the smoker and remove the bay leaves. Serve with mashed potatoes or mac and cheese, and save the braising liquid.
