Oxtail might not be the first cut that comes to mind when you think of pulled beef, but once you’ve tried it, it’s hard to go back. This cut is made for low-and-slow cooking. Packed with connective tissue, it slowly transforms during a long cook into rich, gelatinous, deeply flavourful meat.
The result is incredibly tender beef that works perfectly in warm tortillas, finished with sweet-and-sour pickled red onion, jalapeños, feta cheese, and a fresh green salsa. Bold, comforting barbecue food with layers of flavour.
Oxtail is one of those cuts that doesn’t need much help. Salt and pepper are all it takes. Its natural richness comes from the high amount of connective tissue and collagen, which break down during a low-and-slow cook and turn into gelatin. Because oxtail comes from a well-used muscle, it has a deep, concentrated beef flavour. Thanks to the fat content, the meat stays juicy even after hours of cooking.
We prepare our grill for indirect cooking at around 150°C (300°F). A cast-iron pan is placed in the barbecue to act as a heat deflector. In this pan, onion and garlic are gently sautéed, then beef stock and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are added. These peppers are widely available in small cans and bring heat, smoke, and depth to the dish.
The oxtail is placed on a cooling rack set above the pan. This allows the meat to absorb smoke while the rendered fat slowly drips into the sauce below, capturing every bit of flavour instead of losing it to the fire. A few chunks of cherry wood are added to the charcoal to give the meat a beautiful colour and a subtle, sweet smoke aroma.
After about two hours of smoking, the oxtail develops a rich, deep colour from the cherry wood. At this point, continue cooking the meat in the pan to further soften it. Depending on how your butcher cut the oxtail, it may take a little adjusting to fit everything into the pan. By now, the meat is flexible enough to be gently shaped to fit.
After roughly two hours of braising, you can start checking the meat. What you’re looking for is exposed bone. When the bone becomes clearly visible, the connective tissue has fully broken down, and the meat begins to separate from the bone. From here, it’s up to you how far you take it. The longer it cooks, the softer it becomes.
Something special happens during this stage. The marrow inside the bones softens and melts into the sauce. Bone marrow has an intensely rich beef flavour, often described as umami, and it adds incredible depth to the final dish.
We like to keep the meat tender but still structured, so it pulls apart into strands rather than turning into a paste. You’ll notice glossy, soft, dark yellow sections throughout the meat. That’s the gelatin, and it’s exactly what makes this dish so satisfying.
We serve these oxtail tortillas with pickled red onion, sliced jalapeños, lime wedges, and crumbled feta cheese. The feta adds freshness and saltiness, balancing the beef’s richness. It also comes closest to the type of cheese often used in Mexican dishes, which can be harder to find in some places.
If you make these smoked oxtail tortillas on your barbecue, let us know in the comments. Or better yet, take a photo and share it on Instagram. Tag @bbqhelden so we can see what you’ve made.
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) oxtail
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
For the braise
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 500 ml (2 cups) beef stock
- 100 g (3.5 oz) chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- Water (enough to fill the pan halfway)
For the tacos
- Small tortillas
- Pickled red onion
- Jalapeños, thinly sliced
- 100 g (3.5 oz) feta cheese, crumbled
- Fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- Green salsa
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Season the oxtail all over with salt and pepper. Let it rest for 45 minutes to 1 hour while you prepare the grill.
- Set up the grill for indirect cooking with a kettle temperature of about 150°C (300°F). Place a cast-iron pan in the barbecue to act as a heat deflector.
- Once the pan is hot, add the olive oil and sauté the onion and garlic until soft. Add the beef stock and the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
- Place the oxtail on a cooling rack and set it above the pan. Close the lid of your grill and let the meat smoke.
- After 2 hours of smoking, place the oxtail into the pan. Add water until the meat is halfway submerged.
- Cover the pan with a lid and let the oxtail braise for 2 to 3 hours, until the meat almost falls off the bone.
- Pull the meat from the bones with two forks, then let the sauce reduce slightly in the pan.
- Warm the tortillas, then fill them with the smoked oxtail, pickled red onion, jalapeños, feta cheese, fresh cilantro, and a generous spoonful of green salsa.
