Les Rhodes Jr. never imagined that his claim to fame would be barbecue, let alone a Southern delicacy that many people have never even tasted — oxtails.In 2017, Rhodes moved to Tooele with his wife and three boys, just before Hurricane Harvey ravaged their home state of Texas. “We watched the destruction go on and all we could do was say, ‘Damn glad we’re not there,’” he recalls, adding that they didn’t want to go back after experiencing Utah’s fresh start.
His signature smoked oxtails, which he lovingly refers to as “candy red” due to their deep, rich color, quickly became a viral sensation on TikTok. Orders began pouring in from all over the country. “It was like hitting the lottery,” says Rhodes.