Our Southern oxtail recipe features oxtails smothered in gravy with green bell pepper, onion, and soul food seasonings. They're cooked in the oven low and slow so they come out fall-off-the-bone tender!
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This oxtail recipe is perfect for Sunday soul food dinner and goes good with other side dishes like collard greens and ham hocks, Southern pinto beans, and Southern baked mac and cheese.
Marrekus grew up in Memphis, Tennessee, where his grandma made oxtails all the time, so this recipe brings back those memories and captures the same down-home taste he grew up on.
If you enjoy this recipe, be sure to try our smothered chicken and rice and smothered pork chops recipes next. And for more dinner ideas, check out these Soul Food Sunday dinner ideas!
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Oxtail Recipe
- Reader Reviews
- Ingredients
- How to Make This Southern Oxtail Recipe (Step-by-Step)
- Optional: Slow Cooker Oxtail Recipe
- What to Serve with Oxtails
- Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Expert Cooking Tips
- Common Oxtail Recipe Mistakes (and Fixes)
- Southern Oxtail Recipe FAQs
- More Southern Dinner Recipes
- 📖 Recipe
Why You'll Love This Oxtail Recipe
- It’s Southern comfort food: This oxtail recipe is cooked low and slow in the oven until tender, then smothered in rich, savory gravy for that true down-home flavor.
- It’s fall-off-the-bone tender: The meat is so succulent, with a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- The flavor is rich and soulful: These oxtails have delicious beefy flavor that soak up all the seasoning from the peppers, onions, and soul food spices.
Reader Reviews
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "Made these for Juneteenth and they are delicious. This is the real deal oxtails . Everyone loved them. Thank you for sharing." (Monique P.)
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "Followed step by step. Best oxtails I’ve ever made!!!" (Ms. Moye)
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "Outstanding and tender. Right amount of gravy; and oh so good! Thank you." (Juanita)
Ingredients
- Oxtails: Look for well-trimmed oxtails with more meat and less fat. They braise down beautifully and create a rich, flavorful dish without being overly greasy.
- Beef broth: We’ve tested a few, and our favorite is Bonafide Provisions organic beef bone broth (found in the freezer section). You can also use regular beef broth or stock.
- Bell pepper and onion: These are must-haves in our kitchen. They add savory flavor and a hint of sweetness that complements the oxtails without overpowering them.
See the recipe card below for full information on the ingredients and quantities.
How to Make This Southern Oxtail Recipe (Step-by-Step)
- Season with oxtail seasoning. Sprinkle flour over oxtails, making sure the pieces of oxtail get a good coating. Shake off any excess flour.
- Sear oxtail pieces in hot oil (vegetable oil or olive oil) over medium-high heat until they're browned on all sides. Then remove from pot and set aside.
- Reduce to medium heat, then whisk in flour
- Then add beef stock or beef both. Stir in more seasonings, and whisk until a smooth rich gravy develops that is a caramel brown color.
- Add sliced onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Then, place seared oxtails back in the pot stir
- Slow cook oxtails in the oven for several hours, until they're fork tender. The cooking time may vary, but takes about hours.
Hint: When oxtails are done cooking, the meat will be tender and pull away easily from the bone. To check, poke the meat with a fork or knife. If it goes in and out easily, then you've got tender meat and oxtails are ready! You can also check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer to make sure they are at least 190°F to 200°F.
Optional: Slow Cooker Oxtail Recipe
You can also make this oxtail recipe in a crockpot! After searing the oxtails (see Step 5 in the recipe card), transfer them to your slow cooker. Add the beef stock and oxtail seasoning, then stir to combine. Mix in the onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cover and cook on low for 6–8 hours, or until the oxtails are fork-tender. To thicken the gravy, turn the heat to high, then mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water to make a slurry. Slowly stir in a little of the slurry at a time, letting it cook for a few minutes in between, until the gravy reaches your desired thickness.
What to Serve with Oxtails
This oxtail recipe pairs perfectly with classic soul food sides. Serve them with collard greens cooked with ham hocks, our Southern pinto beans, and this Southern cabbage, recipe. Instead of serving oxtails rice, you can also swap it for these creamy mashed potatoes with gravy.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Let your cooked oxtails cool to room temperature before storing. Transfer them and the gravy to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3–4 days.
For longer storage, freeze the oxtails in a freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag for up to 3 months. When reheating, thaw overnight in the fridge, then wrap in foil and warm in the oven until heated through.
Expert Cooking Tips
- Use quality ingredients: You want your oxtails to have a nice size (think larger pieces) and a good amount of meat on them.
- Sear thoroughly: Make sure to get a good sear on all sides of the oxtails. This browning develops rich flavor through the Maillard reaction and helps lock in juices, making your dish more delicious.
- Stir the gravy: When adding the flour to make the gravy, do it gradually to prevent lumps. Continue whisking until the consistency is smooth and it has a nice golden brown color.
- Low and slow cooking: Cook oxtails in the oven at 325°F to help tenderize the oxtail meat. This allows the collagen in the oxtails to break down and makes it more flavorful.
Common Oxtail Recipe Mistakes (and Fixes)
Here are a couple problems you might encounter when making Southern oxtails:
- Gravy is too thick: Gradually add more beef stock to the gravy, stirring constantly until you reach your desired consistency.
- Oxtails are too salty: Taste and adjust before adding more seasoning or salt during cooking, and taste the gravy and adjust as needed. You can always add more salt later if needed, but it’s really hard to fix a salty dish.
Southern Oxtail Recipe FAQs
Oxtails come from the tail of a cow. They have a rich, beefy flavor and a tender texture when cooked for a long time, very slowly. It's often is used in recipes like oxtail stew, oxtail soup, and oxtail chili, basically dishes that have to cook for hours. Oxtails have been a staple in soul food cooking for generations because it was really cheap back in the day, and considered a "throw away" cut of meat.
Southern oxtails are smothered in gravy with bell peppers and onions, and seasoned with seasoned salt, black pepper, etc. They're usually served with rice, mashed potatoes, or cornbread.Jamaican oxtails are cooked with Caribbean flavors like allspice and scotch bonnet peppers, which make them a bit spicier. They're served gravy, carrots, rice, and peas or butter beans (lima beans).
Oxtails take several hours to get tender. This Southern oxtail recipe takes about 3 hours in the oven to get fall-off-the-bone tender, which is how we like it.
Oxtail has a rich and beefy taste. When you cook it low and slow, oxtail the meat gets incredibly tender.
More Southern Dinner Recipes
Looking for more Southern dinner ideas? Try these:
If you tried this Southern Oxtail Recipe or any other recipe on our blog, consider leaving us a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it went in the 📝 comments!
📖 Recipe
Southern Oxtail Recipe
Equipment
- Large heavy duty roaster or dutch oven
- Balloon whisk or sauce whisk for mixing the gravy.
- Chef's knife for chopping vegetables and trimming the oxtails if needed.
Ingredients
- 4 pounds beef oxtails
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour divided
- 4 tablespoons neutral oil e.g. vegetable oil, olive oil
- 3 cups beef stock or beef broth
- ½ sweet onion sliced (or 1 small yellow onion)
- 1 green bell pepper sliced
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- Cooked rice for serving
Oxtail Seasoning
- 2 tablespoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt start with less and adjust to taste if using any other type of salt
- 1 ½ tablespoons ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon seasoned salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons granulated garlic
- 1 ½ teaspoons granulated onion
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon of Sazón
Instructions
Make Oxtail Seasoning
- In a small bowl, combine kosher salt, pepper, seasoned salt, granulated garlic, granulated onion, lemon pepper, ground white pepper, Italian seasoning, and Sazón. Stir all the ingredients together until well combined.
Prepare Oxtails
- Season oxtails with 2 tablespoons seasoning mixture.
- Sprinkle ¼ cup flour over oxtails; shake off any excess flour.
- Heat 4 tablespoons oil in a large heavy-duty roaster or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once oil is hot and shimmering, add seasoned oxtails.
- Sear and turn oxtails until they are browned on all sides. Then remove them from pan and set aside.
- Leave oil in the pan and whisk in ½ cup flour.
- Pour in beef stock and add 1 tablespoon of oxtail seasoning. Keep whisking until gravy is smooth and takes on golden brown color.
- Lower heat to medium and add onion, bell pepper, and garlic.
- Return seared oxtails back to pot and give them a gentle stir.
- Cover pot and place in preheated oven set at 325°F.
- Cook oxtail, letting them simmer and stew in oven for 2 hours and 45 minutes up to 3 hours. Oxtails are typically done when they reach an internal temperature of 180-200°F (82-93°C).
- Remove oxtails from oven and spoon gravy generously all over.
- Allow them to cool for 10 minutes then serve over white rice.
Video
Notes
- Substitutions/Variations: If you don’t have beef broth, use Better Than Bouillon beef base or any quality stock; any bell pepper color works, and yellow onions can be swapped with white or Spanish onions.
- Equipment: If you don’t have a large, heavy duty roaster or dutch oven, sear the oxtails and make the gravy in a large skillet, then transfer everything to a baking dish, cover tightly with foil, and finish in the oven.
- Use quality ingredients: You want your oxtails to have a nice size (think larger pieces) and a good amount of meat on them.
- Sear thoroughly: Make sure to get a good sear on all sides of the oxtails. This browning develops rich flavor through the Maillard reaction and helps lock in juices, making your dish more delicious.
- Stir the gravy: When adding the flour to make the gravy, do it gradually to prevent lumps. Continue whisking until the consistency is smooth and it has a nice golden brown color.
- Low and slow cooking: Cook oxtails in the oven at 325°F to help tenderize the oxtail meat. This allows the collagen in the oxtails to break down and makes it more flavorful.
Heather says
Can this be done on the stove top? Just curious.
aBent says
My boyfriend asked for oxtails for his birthday. I didn’t even know what they were 😂. So began the hunt for a good recipe. I looked at so many recipes and read so many comments. I settled on this one. They turned out great! He loved them. I did have to substitute on some seasoning but not much. Thank you for sharing
Krysten & Marrekus Wilkes says
That’s awesome! I’m so glad the oxtails turned out great and that your boyfriend loved them. It’s always fun trying a new recipe, especially when it’s for a special occasion. Thanks for sharing your experience—hope you both get to enjoy them again soon! 😊
Monique Perry says
Made these for Juneteenth and they are delicious. This is the real deal oxtails . Everyone loved them. Thank you for sharing
Krysten Wilkes & Marrekus Wilkes says
Hey Monique! That means so much, thank you! So glad everyone loved the oxtails! 💛 Real deal, all the way!
Mrs. Moye says
Followed step by step. Best oxtails I’ve ever made!!!
Juanita Dembo says
Tried this recipe 3 times over 2 months. It is off the chain. Even the fat tastes good. I cannot get enough of it. Oxtails are expensive, but so worth it! Thank you both for sharing.
Krysten Wilkes & Marrekus Wilkes says
I totally agree, oxtails can be pricey, but they’re totally worth it! We appreciate you giving it a go and coming back to share your thoughts. Happy cooking! 😄
Juanita says
Outstanding and tender. Right amount of gravy; and oh so good! Thank you
Krysten & Marrekus Wilkes says
Thank you so much for the kind words! I’m so glad you enjoyed it—tender and just the right amount of gravy sounds like a win to me! 😊 It means a lot that you took the time to share your feedback. Hope you’ll try more recipes soon—happy cooking! 🥰🍴
Judy says
My husband is from Tennessee. He enjoyed it!
Krysten & Marrekus Wilkes says
That's wonderful to hear! 🥰 Oxtails are such a comforting dish, and it's great to know they got your husband's Tennessee seal of approval! Thanks for sharing—this made our day! 🍽️💕
Melanie says
I followed your recipe exactly as written. The oxtails came out very tender and had lots of good flavor. I will definitely keep this recipe. My family and I enjoyed!!!
Krysten & Marrekus Wilkes says
Hi Melanie, we are so happy that you love our oxtail recipe! This is definitely one of our favorites <3
Eileen says
This was the best oxtail recipe I've come across. Very tender meat and the recipe was so easy to follow. I will be making this again.
Krysten and Marrekus Wilkes says
Thank you, Eileen! That means so much. We love this oxtail recipe too 😉
JostLori says
Wow - this is one of the best oxtail recipes I've ever made! The seasoning, though salty, is very, very good! Next time, I'll cut the salt in half or even leave it out - adjusting seasoning at the very end. The oxtails come out of the oven perfectly cooked and falling off the bone tender.
Krysten and Marrekus Wilkes says
Thank you, Lori! We've updated the recipe to include notes for making this recipe less salty. Glad you enjoyed it!
Caria says
Absolute best oxtails I've EVER had OR made!!!
Krysten and Marrekus Wilkes says
THANK YOU!!!
Pam Montoya says
What is sazón
cooks with soul says
Hi Pam! Great question. "Sazón" is a seasoning blend commonly used in Caribbean and Latin American cuisine. A typical sazón blend includes a mix of spices such as garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, coriander, annatto (achiote) powder for color, and sometimes other ingredients like oregano and salt or MSG.
It's used in this recipe as an all-purpose seasoning to enhance the overall taste of the dish.
Store-bought brands that make sazón seasoning include Knorr, Goya, and Badia.
Marti says
I love this recipe! I recommend reducing the kosher salt amount in half. The gravy was too salty for my taste, but otherwise, a delicious flavor!
Krysten and Marrekus Wilkes says
Thanks, Marti!
Jessica says
I LOVE oxtails but I've never made them at home before. This recipe was absolutely delicious and perfect for a homemade cozy meal while we were snowed in over the weekend.
Jazz says
I served oxtail with fluffy white rice and broccoli and there were no leftovers! Will definitely be making your recipe for my family again. Thank you!
Laura says
This was our second time cooking oxtail and following this recipe step by step just made it so easy to cook it to perfection. The gravy is absolutely delicious too!
Veronika says
I've only ever made a few recipes with oxtail so I was excited to try this. It was so good. The ultimate comfort food and perfect for the cold weather we had this week here in Toronto!