Saucy Rossy BBQ
Beef

Smoked Oxtail

Fall-off-the-bone smoked oxtail over sugar maple, finished with PEI candied habanero hot sauce and served with maple beans.

Time~6 hrs CategoryBeef Watch3:59
Smoked Oxtail — watch on YouTube

Watch the full cook on YouTube

Method

  1. 1Season the oxtails with Mighty Mesquite BBQ Rub.
  2. 2Smoke on an offset at 250°F over sugar maple for about 6 hours.
  3. 3Wrap in foil with beef tallow and cook until 203°F internal for melt-in-your-mouth texture.
  4. 4Finish with a drizzle of Candied Habanero Hot Sauce and serve with maple beans and jalapeño.

Watch it on YouTube

Pitmaster tips

  • Choose meatier centre-cut oxtail pieces over the tiny tip ends — more meat per bone means a better return on a long cook.
  • Season the day before if you can; oxtail has a lot of surface area and benefits from time for the rub to sink in.
  • The tallow in the wrap matters — oxtail can dry at the edges, and wrapping with fat keeps it basting itself as it finishes to 203°F.
  • Cook to feel: the meat should pull back from the bone and a probe should slide in with no resistance. Time is a guide; render is the goal.
  • Sugar maple gives a mild, sweet smoke that plays to the candied-habanero finish; hickory works too if you want it bolder.
  • Serve it saucy and with something to soak up the richness — maple beans, mashed potato or rice all catch the gelatinous juices.

Storage & reheating

Oxtail actually improves overnight as the flavours meld. Refrigerate up to 4 days; the juices will set into a rich jelly that melts back when reheated.

Reheat gently, covered, with a splash of stock or water. Leftover oxtail meat, pulled from the bone, is incredible in tacos, over rice, or stirred into a stew or soup.

FAQ

Why is oxtail so tough if you cook it quickly?

Oxtail is loaded with connective tissue and collagen that only break down with long, low heat. Cooked fast it's chewy and rubbery; taken slowly to around 203°F it turns tender and gelatinous.

Do I have to wrap it?

Wrapping with tallow near the end keeps oxtail moist and speeds it through the stall to 203°F. You can cook it unwrapped for more bark, but watch that the small pieces don't dry out.

What does oxtail taste like?

Deeply beefy and rich — more intense than most cuts thanks to all the marrow and connective tissue. Smoked and sauced like this, it's sweet, spicy and unctuous.

What can I serve with smoked oxtail?

Something to catch the rich juices: maple beans (as here), rice, mashed potatoes, or crusty bread. A little acid or heat — like the candied habanero — cuts the richness nicely.

Know your cook

More information, cause recipe back stories are stupid

No 500-word life story — just the good-to-know stuff on what’s actually in this cook. Here’s the rundown on every real ingredient, health and nutrition wise.

Beef
Beef is a complete protein and one of the best food sources of highly absorbable heme iron, zinc, and vitamin B12 — key for energy, immunity, and healthy blood. Fattier BBQ cuts are calorie-dense, so lean trimming and sensible portions keep it balanced.
Chili peppers
Chili peppers are low in calories and high in vitamin C and antioxidants, and their heat comes from capsaicin, which may give metabolism a small nudge. Dial the amount to your spice tolerance.
Beans
Beans bring plant protein, fibre, and slow-burning carbohydrates to a plate of BBQ, making a rich meal more filling and balanced. They're naturally low in fat.
Beef tallow
Beef tallow is rendered beef fat used to wrap and baste — it keeps big cuts moist and adds beefy richness. It's pure fat and calorie-dense, so a light coat does the job.

General nutrition info only, not medical or dietary advice — portions, brands and add-ons change the numbers.

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