This smoked oxtail recipe brings together the best of Southern barbecue and soul food, delivering tender, smoky, and flavorful meat. After smoking, the oxtails are simmered in beef broth until they’re fall-off-the-bone tender, making each bite melt in your mouth. If you love this, be sure to check out our classic Southern oxtail recipe, featuring oxtails smothered in gravy!
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If you’ve tried our Southern oxtail recipe before, you know it’s a favorite.
Making smoked oxtails is super easy. Just season the oxtails with soul food seasoning, then smoke them with hickory, pecan, or oak wood. Once they’re smoked, transfer the oxtails to a pot with beef broth and let them simmer until they’re fall-off-the-bone tender.
This is the kind of dish that’s perfect any time of year, bringing that Southern barbecue and soul food vibe to your table. So, fire up that smoker and let’s get cooking!
What you'll love about this recipe
- Tender: Smoking and simmering makes these oxtails super tender, with meat that melts in your mouth.
- Flavor: The smoking gives the oxtails a rich, smoky taste that adds extra depth and flavor to every bite.
Ingredients
- Oxtails – Look for oxtails with a good amount of meat on the bone. They should be bright red with some marbling but not overly fatty. If you can, ask the butcher for larger, meatier cuts to get the best balance of meat and connective tissue.
- Soul Food Seasoning (or your favorite BBQ spice rub) – We used our homemade soul food seasoning. If you’re using a store-bought rub, check the ingredients—something with a mix of paprika, garlic, onion, black pepper, and a little heat (like cayenne or chili powder) works well.
- Beef Broth – A rich, high-quality beef broth enhances the flavor and keeps the oxtails moist as they cook.
How to Smoke Oxtails
- Fire Up the Smoker or Grill: Preheat your smoker to 275°F. If using a grill, set it up for indirect cooking (heat on one side, oxtails on the other).
- Add Some Wood: Once the smoker is hot, toss in your favorite smoking wood for extra flavor.
- Season: Coat the oxtails generously with soul food seasoning, making sure every piece is well-covered.
- Smoke: Place the oxtails on the smoker and let them smoke for 1 hour. Flip them over and smoke for another hour, or until they develop a deep reddish brown color.
- Simmer: While the oxtails finish smoking, bring beef broth to a boil in a large pot. Once bubbling, gently add the smoked oxtails. Lower the heat and simmer until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender.
What to Serve with Smoked Oxtail
Smoked oxtails pair perfectly with Southern side dishes.
- Try serving them with collard greens or Southern cabbage.
- Mac and cheese and black-eyed peas also go great with smoked oxtails.
- For barbecue sides, pair it with baked beans and BBQ coleslaw.
Commonly Asked Questions
How long to smoke oxtails?
These oxtails are smoked at 275°F for about 2 hours. If smoking at 250°F, cook for about 2.5 hours. Cooking time may vary depending on the size of the oxtails and your smoker.
After smoking, we chose to simmer the oxtails in beef broth for additional flavor and maximum tenderness. This step allows the meat to absorb the savory goodness of the broth, making it fall-off-the-bone tender and even more flavorful.
Be sure to let them simmer until the meat is fully tender—usually around 1-2 hours, depending on the size of the oxtails.
How long should I simmer the oxtails in beef broth?
Simmer until the oxtails are tender, usually around 1-2 hours. The low and slow simmering process allows the collagen in the oxtails to break down, resulting in a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Where can I find oxtails?
Oxtails can be found at your local grocery store, a local butcher, or a specialty meat market.
How do I know when the oxtails are done smoking?
Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature (aim for around 200°F). It takes about 2 hours, or when your desired level of bark is achieved.
📖 Recipe
Smoked Oxtail Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 pounds oxtails
- 2 tablespoons Soul Food Seasoning or your favorite BBQ rub
- 4 cups beef broth
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker to 275°F or set up your grill for indirect cooking.
- Once the smoker is ready, add your preferred smoking wood for flavor.
- Generously sprinkle soul food seasoning over the oxtails, ensuring an even coating.
- Place the seasoned oxtails on the smoker for 1 hour. Flip them and continue smoking for an additional hour or until the desired bark is achieved.
- While the oxtails are smoking, bring the beef broth to a boil in a pot.
- Once the broth is boiling, gently transfer the smoked oxtails into the pot. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook until the oxtails are tender enough to fall off the bone.
- Plate the oxtails and, if desired, ladle some of the flavorful broth over them.
Santos Mays says
My family are big oxtail eaters, but have never ate them smoked. I just fixed them for Mothers Day and they were a big success, so much the we're fighting over the bones. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Krysten Wilkes & Marrekus Wilkes says
That’s amazing to hear! Smoked oxtails really take the flavor to the next level. Happy Mother’s Day, and thank you for trying the recipe!
Jazz says
I made you smoked oxtail recipe using cajun seasoning instead and it came out perfect. Everybody loved the smoky flavor and the meat got super tender! I'm going to try the recipe again with your Soul Food seasoning, too!
Marsha says
I love slow cooked meat, and wow...these smoked oxtails were super flavorful and so tender! I served mine with a side of collard greens and they were perfect for Sunday dinner.
Marta says
I love oxtail in all forms, but this smoked version was out of this world. The cooking method was perfect for an expensive cut as I like to get the most flavor out of it.