At a glance
Season oxtail with salt, pepper and allspice and smoke it at 275°F for about 3 hours. Then braise it covered with stock, thyme, ginger and a whole scotch bonnet for another 2 to 2 1/2 hours until it falls off the bone. Finish with butter beans and serve with rice and peas.
Oxtail is a classic braising cut, rich with collagen and marrow, and a favorite across the Caribbean, the American South and beyond. Starting it on the smoker gives it a dark bark and a smoky depth before it finishes in a deeply savory braise.
Buying oxtail
Oxtail is sold cut into rounds of different sizes, from wide pieces near the base of the tail to small ones at the tip. Try to buy pieces of a similar size so they cook evenly, or add the small pieces to the braise a little later. Allow about 1 lb per person, because much of the weight is bone.
Smoke, then braise
Oxtail needs time above 195°F for its connective tissue to break down. Smoking it for flavor and then braising it covered keeps the meat moist while that happens, and gives you a glossy sauce. It is the same principle behind our smoked lamb shanks.
Flavors
This version takes its lead from Jamaican brown stew oxtail, with allspice, thyme, ginger and a whole scotch bonnet. Pimento wood, which comes from the allspice tree, is the traditional smoking wood, but hickory or oak work well too.
Recipe
Smoked Oxtail
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 5 hr 30 min
- Rest
- 10 min
- Total
- 6 hr
- Makes
- 4 servings
- Smoker 275°F (135°C)
- Braise covered once the bark sets
- Tender at about 200°F to 205°F (93°C to 96°C)
Ingredients
Oxtail and rub
- 3 to 4 lb (1.4 to 1.8 kg) oxtail, cut into pieces
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
Braise
- 1 onion, sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 tbsp grated ginger
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper, whole (optional)
- 2 cups (480 ml) beef stock
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 can (15 oz / 425 g) butter beans, drained (optional)
Equipment
- Smoker
- Deep foil pan or Dutch oven
- Foil
Method
- Trim the thick outer fat from the oxtail pieces, leaving the fat between the bones.
- Mix the rub ingredients and season the oxtail all over.
- Heat the smoker to 275°F (135°C) with hickory, oak or pimento wood if you can get it.
- Smoke the oxtail for about 3 hours, until it has a dark bark.
- Put the braise ingredients, except the butter beans, in a pan. Add the oxtail and cover tightly with foil.
- Return the pan to the smoker, or an oven at 300°F (150°C), for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until the meat is about 200°F to 205°F (93°C to 96°C) and pulls easily from the bone.
- Remove the scotch bonnet and thyme stems, add the butter beans, and simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes to warm through and thicken the sauce.
- Skim off the excess fat and serve with rice and peas.
Notes
- Oxtail is fatty. Chilling the cooked dish overnight makes the fat easy to lift off.
- Leave the scotch bonnet whole for gentle heat. Split it for a much hotter sauce.
Serving and storing
Serve with rice and peas, mashed potatoes or crusty bread to soak up the sauce. Oxtail tastes even better the next day. Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days and reheat gently in the sauce.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to smoke oxtail?
About 5 to 6 hours at 275°F: around 3 hours of smoking, then 2 to 2 1/2 hours braising.
Can I smoke oxtail without braising it?
You can wrap it in foil with a little stock once the bark sets, but you lose the sauce. Braising suits this cut best.
Why is my oxtail still tough?
It needs more time. Keep it covered and cooking until the meat pulls away from the bone with no effort.