How to Cook Beef Oxtails in Crock Pot

This rich and flavorful dish of slow cooker oxtail is wonderful on a bed of mashed cauliflower for the perfect comfort food meal!

Leftovers keep well for several days and actually taste better the next day, after the flavors have had a chance to meld together.

Slow cooker oxtail in a white serving dish.

If you like rich and aromatic beef dishes, you will love this recipe. And the fact that you can make it right in your slow cooker - pretty much "set it and forget it" - is a huge bonus.

I love most slow-cooked meats, such as this pot roast. But there's something unique about these slow cooker oxtails. They are so incredibly flavorful! Wonderfully fatty, tender meat, that literally falls off the bone. It's one of my favorite winter dishes. Comfort food at its best!

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Ingredients
Instructions
Expert tip
Frequently asked questions
Recommended side dishes
Storing leftovers
Related recipes
Recipe card

Ingredients

Here's a list of the ingredients you'll need to make this hearty stew. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:

Bone-in oxtails: I get them at Whole Foods. Sometimes I need to special order them.

Soy sauce: Or you can use a gluten-free alternative.

Sesame oi: I like to use toasted sesame oil in this recipe. It's so flavorful!

Rice vinegar: If you don't have any, white wine vinegar should work too. I would steer clear of distilled white vinegar, though, which is quite acidic.

Honey: Just one tablespoon. It doesn't make the dish sweet - it just balances out the other favors. You can use a sugar-free alternative if you wish.

Hot sauce: Much like the honey, this is not about making the dish spicy. It's more about adding a layer of flavor. I like to use sriracha when I have it.

Kosher salt and black pepper: If using fine salt, you might want to reduce the amount you use. And if you use real soy sauce, you can skip the salt entirely.

Garlic powder: You can also use fresh minced garlic.

Cornstarch: A small amount to help thicken the stew. This is optional.

Instructions

This slow cooker oxtail recipe is SO EASY! The detailed instructions are listed in the recipe card below. Here are the basic steps:

You start by placing the meat in your slow cooker.

Next, you whisk together the remaining ingredients except for the cornstarch. Pour them over the meat. Cook on low for 8 hours.

Your next step is to reduce the cooking liquids over medium heat, adding a slurry of cornstarch and water to help them thicken. Serve the meat with the rich sauce.

A photo collage showing the steps for cooking oxtails in the slow cooker.

Expert tip

Like many slow-cooked dishes, this dish actually improves after an overnight stay in the fridge. I still like to serve it freshly cooked, but it's good to know that the leftovers will be just as good, and even better, than the freshly cooked dish.

Frequently asked questions

Are oxtails really the tail of an ox?

They used to literally come from the tails of oxen, but these days they generally refer to the tails of cattle of both genders.

Much like internal organs (such as cow tongue), eating them is a wonderful way of utilizing the entire animal, which to me is the most ethical choice for meat-eaters.

Do you have to brown oxtails before cooking?

No, you don't. I simply place them in the slow cooker pan without browning them first. They come out perfectly cooked and wonderfully tender and flavorful.

How long does it take for oxtails to get tender?

This meat is tough, but slow cooking allows it to become very tender and the fat to soften and melt. I cook this stew in the slow cooker on the low setting for 8 hours to get the best results.

Where do you find them?

I get them at my local Whole Foods. It's usually available in the meat department, although sometimes I do need to order it. It's also available online at grasslandbeef.com.

Recommended side dishes

Since it's a wonderfully saucy dish, I like to serve it on top of something that would absorb those juices. So I almost always serve it on top of mashed cauliflower. And then I like to add something green, such as roasted asparagus.

Storing leftovers

Leftovers keep very well in the fridge, in a sealed container, for 3-4 days. In fact, like many slow-cooked stews, they taste even better the next day, since storing allows the flavors to meld. I reheat them gently, in the microwave, covered, on 50% power.

Slow cooker oxtail served in a white oval dish.

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Recipe card

Slow Cooker Oxtail Recipe

Rich and flavorful slow cooker oxtails are wonderful on a bed of mashed cauliflower for the perfect comfort food meal!

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 8 hrs 15 mins

Total Time 8 hrs 30 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 317 kcal

▢ 3 lb. raw bone-in oxtails
▢ ¼ cup reduced sodium soy sauce (or use a gluten-free alternative and add salt)
▢ 1 tablespoon sesame oil
▢ 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
▢ 1 tablespoon honey
▢ 1 teaspoon hot sauce such as sriracha
▢ 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (can omit if using soy sauce)
▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper
▢ 1 tablespoon cornstarch (or ½ teaspoon konjac flour)

Place the oxtails in your slow cooker.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients except for the cornstarch. Pour over the oxtails, and stir to coat.
Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours, until the meat is very tender.
Temporarily transfer the cooked oxtails to a platter. Strain the liquids from the slow cooker into a saucepan. Return the oxtails to the slow cooker, cover with the lid, and set to WARM.
Heat the cooking liquids over medium heat. Whisk the cornstarch with a tablespoon of cold water and stir it into the saucepan. Keep cooking the sauce, whisking often, until it has thickened into a rich glaze, 3-5 minutes.
Remove the oxtails from the slow cooker. Pour the sauce over the oxtails and serve.

This recipe yields about 20 oz of cooked meat without bones.

Leftovers keep very well in the fridge, in a sealed container, for 3-4 days. In fact, like many slow-cooked stews, they taste even better the next day

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