Oxtails

Smoked and Braised

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Oxtails, once a very popular cut of beef due to their low cost and bold, beefy flavor, have lost some popularity over the years, but these succulent morsels of meat are still readily available, affordable and delicious. Oxtails are not actually from an ox, but from any type of cattle used for butchering. Most often this a steer.
If you've ever observed cows in a pasture, you have probably noticed that their tail almost never stops moving. This means the muscle of the tail is a hard working muscle and like brisket, ribs or cheek, it is a tough piece of meat to work with and must be cooked long and slow to render the collagen into a tender cut of beef. The best method for tenderizing oxtail is braising. This recipe combines two methods. A low and slow smoke to add flavor and color, and braising to finishing the tenderizing process. 

This recipe will take about 5-6 hours to complete so allow yourself plenty of time.

 

Ingredients:
5 lbs. Oxtails (You can use any amount you like)
3 TBS Black Pepper
2 TBS Kosher Salt 
1 TBS Minced Garlic
1 large onion coarsely chopped
4 Carrots sliced ½” thick
5 Cans of Beef broth (You may need more depending on how many oxtails you use) 

Preparation:
Rinse the oxtails and trim off any excess or thick areas of fat. You don’t need to remove all the fat. Combine the Salt, Black Pepper and Garlic to create a rub. Sprinkle the rub generously over all sides of the meat. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least an hour to overnight.

Smoking:
Preheat your smoker to 275°. Place the oxtails directly on the smoker rack or for easier cleanup, place them on a rack inside a deep pan. Smoke the oxtails for two hours at 275° uncovered. I use pecan wood for these but you can use any kind of wood you prefer for beef. Check every hour or so to make sure the oxtails are not getting dry on the outside. If needed you can spritz them with a little water or beef broth. We are not trying to thoroughly cook the oxtails during the smoking process, only adding color and flavor. While the oxtails are in the smoker, you can prepare your braising liquid.

Braising Liquid:
In a large pot, combine the beef broth, onion and carrots. Bring the liquid to a boil and immediately remove it from the heat. Cover and let sit until ready to use. You don’t want to overcook the vegetables. They will be cooking in the oven for long time. You just want the flavors to mix.

Braising:
Preheat the oven to 350°. (You can do the braising in the smoker, but it may take longer.)
Get a deep baking pan or roasting pan. You will need to cover this with a lid or foil.
Place the smoked oxtails in a single layer in the bottom of the roasting pan.
Spoon the onion and carrots from the liquid evenly over all the oxtails.
Pour the braising liquid in with the oxtails so they are covered ¾ of the way up. Don’t completely cover them with the liquid. We’re braising not boiling.
Save any left over liquid for later if needed.
Cover the pan with a lid or foil and place in the preheated oven.
Let the oxtails cook at 350° for about 30 minutes, just to get them heated up quickly.
Reduce the oven temperature to 250° and continue to cook covered.
Check every hour to see if you need to add more liquid. If needed you can add more beef broth or water.
At this point it is really about getting the oxtails to the fall apart tender stage. They will need to braise for about 3 to 4 hours.
After the 3 hour mark you can check them with a fork. The meat should "very easily" tear apart with the fork.
Once tender, remove the oxtails from the liquid and place in a large serving dish.
Pour the liquid from the pan and any saved liquid, into a grease separator or a large bowl and skim the grease from the top.
Pour the cleaned liquid into the serving dish with the oxtails.
You can serve immediately or leave covered and reheat later.
Best served with Polenta, White or Yellow Rice or Mashed Potatoes.       

Note:
Once the grease has been removed from the liquid it can be used in many different ways. You can simply use it as is like a thin gravy or you can heat it in a pan and reduce it for a thicker gravy. Often other ingredients are added to the liquid for flavor such as red wine, apple cider or spices.