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platter of barbecued oxtail.
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4.66 from 50 votes

Barbecued Oxtails

Oxtails aren’t from some crazy animal. They’re actually just beef. And barbecued oxtails are a great juicy, beefy dinner alternative.
Cook Time5 hours
Marinating Time8 hours
Total Time13 hours
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 4 lbs oxtails
  • 1/4 cup beer and brat mustard
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp rosemary
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 cup apple juice
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Instructions

  • Season: Place the oxtails in a large bowl. Rub with mustard. Combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl. Then, rub all over the meat. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
  • Heat Grill: Heat your smoker to 250F degrees with apple, cherry and/or hickory chips with an indirect heat zone.
  • Make Spritz: Combine the apple juice and vinegar in a spray bottle.
  • Smoke: Smoke the oxtails for about 5 hours, spritzing every 30-45 minutes with the apple juice and vinegar. Cook until they are fork tender.
  • Rest: Remove from the smoker and let rest 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

If you can't find the beer and brat mustard, you can use yellow or Dijon mustard.
I recommend marinating these overnight, but if you don't have time, you can let them brine in the fridge for 1-2 hours, and they'll still taste great. 

Nutrition

Calories: 777kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 93g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 332mg | Sodium: 1094mg | Potassium: 24mg | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 115IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 12.2mg