Delicious Homemade Oxtail Pizza Recipe

When my nine-year-old daughter asks for something different to eat, I thought of making pizza. I had some leftover oxtail from making oxtail soup, and I knew I had to eat it before it was gone. My husband can eat oxtail straight out of the fridge, cold, and he does not care.

I have eaten every type of pizza you can think of, but oxtail pizza would be the first. Let me just say, it was an absolute hit in my house. So if you love pizza and oxtail, then you need to try this recipe.

Oxtail has a deep flavor, and when paired with my homemade crust, roasted garlic, and fresh tomato sauce, it is the ultimate comfort food.

I have done many recipes, and this has been by far my favorite of them all.

What Is Oxtail

Oxtail is the tail of a cow, cut into small, round pieces that are full of meat and rich marrow. When cooked slowly, the meat becomes soft and flavorful, and the broth turns thick and silky.

It’s used in many Caribbean and Southern dishes like stews and soups.

For this recipe, I used leftover oxtail from my soup, pulled the meat off the bones, and used it as a pizza topping. It gives the pizza a deep, slow-cooked flavor you can’t get from regular beef.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

These oxtail pizzas are easy to make once your oxtail is already cooked, and the flavors are perfectly balanced. I love the way the roasted garlic blends into the tomato sauce, giving it that sweet, buttery taste. The crust bakes up soft but still crisp on the edges, and the melted cheese holds everything together.

I always keep flour and mozzarella cheese on hand for recipes like this. And like me, once you make it once, you’ll never get enough.

Ingredients

Oxtail

• 2 lbs oxtail, trimmed and cleaned
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 3 cups beef broth (enough to nearly cover the meat)
• 3–4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 tbsp oil for searing

Dough

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup very warm water
• 2¼ tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast
• 2 tbsp sugar (divided)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp seasoning blend or Italian herbs
• 2 tbsp oil

Roasted Garlic

• 2 bulbs of garlic
• 1 tsp oil

Tomato Sauce

• 4 medium heirloom tomatoes, chopped
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 small carrot, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp seasoning blend or Italian herbs

For the Toppings

• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, torn or cubed
• ½ cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
• ½ cup bell peppers, sliced
• Roasted garlic cloves
• Fresh basil leaves
• Parmesan cheese, for finishing

Instructions

1. Sear and Cook the Oxtail

Season the oxtails with salt and pepper. In a large pan, heat the oil and sear the meat until brown on all sides. Once the color is deep and caramelized, pour in beef broth until it almost covers the oxtail. Add thyme, cover, and cook on low heat until tender, about 2 to 2½ hours.

When the meat is soft and easy to pull apart, remove it from the bones and set aside.

2. Make the Dough

In a bowl, stir together the sugar and warm water until dissolved, then add the yeast. Let it sit for 10 minutes until foamy.

In another bowl, mix the flour, salt, remaining sugar, Parmesan, and herbs. Pour in the oil and yeast mixture, then knead the dough for about 10 minutes until smooth.

Lightly oil the dough, cover it, and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled in size.

3. Roast the Garlic

Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Slice the tops off the garlic bulbs, drizzle with oil, and wrap them in foil. Roast for 40–45 minutes until soft and golden. Once cool, squeeze the cloves out.

4. Make the Tomato Sauce

In a saucepan, cook the onion, carrot, and garlic until soft. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until they break down. Blend the mixture until smooth, then return it to the pan. Stir in Parmesan, salt, and herbs. Let it simmer until slightly thickened.

5. Prepare the Toppings

Tear or cube the mozzarella, shred the Monterey Jack, and slice the bell peppers. Re-season your oxtail meat lightly with salt or spice if needed.

6. Shape the Dough

Once risen, press the dough out by hand on a lightly floured surface. Transfer it to a perforated pizza pan (or a regular pan if that’s what you have). Pre-bake it at 400°F (200°C) for about 10 minutes.

7. Assemble the Pizza

Spread a layer of tomato sauce over the pre-baked crust, leaving a small border around the edges. Add the cheeses, then top with pieces of oxtail, roasted garlic cloves, and sliced peppers. Tear the basil leaves and scatter them on top. Sprinkle a little Parmesan before baking.

8. Bake

Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 15–18 minutes or until the cheese bubbles and the edges turn golden brown. The oxtail will crisp slightly at the edges.

Let it cool for about 5 minutes before cutting into slices.

Storage and Reheating

Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) until warmed through and the crust is crisp again. Avoid the microwave because it softens the crust.

You can also make the oxtail and tomato sauce the day before, then assemble the pizza when ready to bake.

Recipe Notes

Canned tomatoes: If fresh tomatoes aren’t available, canned crushed tomatoes work just fine.

Cheese options: Swap Monterey Jack for cheddar, pepper jack, or mozzarella; just make sure it melts well.

Short on time: Use store-bought pizza dough, but brush it with oil before baking for a homemade touch.

Leftover idea: Extra oxtail meat can be used in tacos, pasta, or sandwiches.

This oxtail pizza is the perfect mix of comfort and creativity. The slow-cooked oxtail, homemade crust, and roasted garlic sauce make every bite worth it. It’s a meal that has my family asking me to make it every weekend.

More Oxtail Recipes

• Caribbean Slow Cooked Oxtail Soup
• Delicious Jamaican Curry Oxtail Recipe
• Oxtail Loaded Bake Potatoes Recipe
• The Best Cheesy Oxtail Lasagna Recipe
• The Most Delicious Oxtail Loaded Fries
• Yummy Oxtail Jamaican Patties

Delicious Homemade Oxtail Pizza Recipe

Recipe by Ren PetersCourse: MainCuisine: Jamaican, ItalianDifficulty: Medium

Servings

3-4

servings

Prep time

1

hour 

30

minutes

Cooking time

2

hours 

30

minutes

Calories

520

kcal

This homemade oxtail pizza brings together tender, slow-cooked oxtail, roasted garlic, and a simple tomato sauce on a soft, golden crust.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs oxtail, trimmed and cleaned

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp black pepper

• 3 cups beef broth (enough to nearly cover the meat)

• 3–4 sprigs fresh thyme

• 1 tbsp oil for searing

• Dough

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 cup very warm water

• 2¼ tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast

• 2 tbsp sugar (divided)

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

• 1 tsp seasoning blend or Italian herbs

• 2 tbsp oil

• Roasted Garlic

• 2 bulbs of garlic

• 1 tsp oil

• Tomato Sauce

• 4 medium heirloom tomatoes, chopped

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 1 small carrot, chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

• ½ tsp salt

• 1 tsp seasoning blend or Italian herbs

• For the Toppings

• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, torn or cubed

• ½ cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

• ½ cup bell peppers, sliced

• Roasted garlic cloves

• Fresh basil leaves

• Parmesan cheese, for finishing

Directions

• Season the oxtails with salt and pepper. In a large pan, heat the oil and sear the meat until brown on all sides. Once the color is deep and caramelized, pour in beef broth until it almost covers the oxtail. Add thyme, cover, and cook on low heat until tender, about 2 to 2½ hours.
• When the meat is soft and easy to pull apart, remove it from the bones and set aside.
• In a bowl, stir together the sugar and warm water until dissolved, then add the yeast. Let it sit for 10 minutes until foamy.
• In another bowl, mix the flour, salt, remaining sugar, Parmesan, and herbs. Pour in the oil and yeast mixture, then knead the dough for about 10 minutes until smooth.
• Lightly oil the dough, cover it, and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled in size.
• Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Slice the tops off the garlic bulbs, drizzle with oil, and wrap them in foil. Roast for 40–45 minutes until soft and golden. Once cool, squeeze the cloves out.
• In a saucepan, cook the onion, carrot, and garlic until soft. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until they break down. Blend the mixture until smooth, then return it to the pan. Stir in Parmesan, salt, and herbs. Let it simmer until slightly thickened.
• Tear or cube the mozzarella, shred the Monterey Jack, and slice the bell peppers. Re-season your oxtail meat lightly with salt or spice if needed.
• Once risen, press the dough out by hand on a lightly floured surface. Transfer it to a perforated pizza pan (or a regular pan if that’s what you have). Pre-bake it at 400°F (200°C) for about 10 minutes.
• Spread a layer of tomato sauce over the pre-baked crust, leaving a small border around the edges. Add the cheeses, then top with pieces of oxtail, roasted garlic cloves, and sliced peppers. Tear the basil leaves and scatter them on top. Sprinkle a little Parmesan before baking.
• Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 15–18 minutes or until the cheese bubbles and the edges turn golden brown. The oxtail will crisp slightly at the edges.
• Let it cool for about 5 minutes before cutting into slices.
• Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) until warmed through and the crust is crisp again. Avoid the microwave because it softens the crust.
• You can also make the oxtail and tomato sauce the day before, then assemble the pizza when ready to bake.