Cut · Tail, rich in collagen
Oxtail
Oxtail is the tail of beef cattle, cut through the joints into round sections of bone surrounded by muscle, fat and tendon. The tail moves constantly to keep insects away, so it is dense with collagen: braised for three to four hours, the meat falls from the bone and the liquid sets to a jelly when cold.
At a glance
- Part
- The tail: caudal vertebrae with muscle, fat and tendon
- Weight
- Whole tail about 1–2 kg / 2–4.5 lb
- Sold as
- Sections cut through the joints, 2–8 cm across
- Best cooked
- Braised or simmered 3–4 hours
A tail that never stops moving
Despite the name, oxtail today comes from any beef animal, not only from oxen. The tail is a column of caudal vertebrae wrapped in small muscles, tendons and a layer of fat, all held together by tough connective tissue. A whole tail usually weighs about 1–2 kg (2–4.5 lb) and tapers from a thick base, where a section can be 7–8 cm across, to a thin tip only a couple of centimetres wide.
What makes oxtail distinctive is the proportion of collagen. The tail moves constantly to keep insects away, and the tendons and sheaths that control it are dense with connective tissue. When it is cooked slowly in liquid, that collagen dissolves into gelatin. The meat becomes soft and sticky, and the cooking liquid turns glossy, thickens on reduction and sets firmly when refrigerated. The marrow in the centre of the larger vertebrae adds further richness.
One tail, cut joint by joint
The tail is removed from the carcass at slaughter, along with the head, feet and organs, and is classed in most trade systems as a variety meat or offal rather than as part of the dressed carcass. It is skinned and usually sold either whole or already cut into sections with a saw or cleaver at each joint, so that every piece is a single vertebra with its surrounding meat.
Because each animal gives only one tail, oxtail is a small part of the yield, and in many markets its price has risen as dishes made with it have become fashionable. Butchers often sell it in mixed packs, with large pieces from the base, which carry most of the meat, and small pieces from the tip, which are mostly bone and are better suited to stock.
Cooking it: three to four hours, a day ahead
Oxtail is almost always cooked slowly in liquid. A typical braise browns the sections well, softens aromatics in the same pot, adds wine, stock or water, and cooks the meat covered at about 150–160 °C / 300–320 °F in the oven, or at a bare simmer on the stove, for three to four hours. A pressure cooker reduces the time to about 45–60 minutes. Oxtail releases a lot of fat, so cooks often make it a day ahead, chill it and lift off the solid fat before reheating.
In Spain, rabo de toro is the best-known version, strongly associated with Córdoba. It was traditionally made with the tails of bulls killed in the bullring and is now usually made with ordinary beef: the tail is stewed with red wine, onion, carrot and pepper until the sauce is thick and dark. In Rome the comparable dish is coda alla vaccinara, braised with tomato and celery.
British oxtail soup comes in clear and thick forms, the second thickened and often finished with sherry. Jamaican oxtail is browned with a sugar-and-oil base, stewed with allspice, thyme, scallion and Scotch bonnet pepper, and finished with butter beans; it is served with rice and peas. In Korea, kkori gomtang (꼬리곰탕) is a milky-clear soup made by simmering oxtail for many hours, seasoned at the table with salt and scallion. In the Philippines, kare-kare stews oxtail, often with tripe, in a sauce of ground peanuts and toasted rice coloured with annatto, served with fermented shrimp paste (bagoong). In Vietnam oxtail (đuôi bò) is a favourite base for hot pot, and in Brazil rabada is stewed and served with polenta and watercress.
The same properties make oxtail useful in other dishes: a few pieces added to a stock or a beef stew give body that lean meat alone cannot.
Meat from the base, not the tip
Good oxtail has a high proportion of deep-red meat to bone, a moderate layer of white or cream-coloured fat, and clean cuts through the joints with no bone splinters. Pieces from the base give the most meat; a pack made largely of narrow tip sections will yield little and is best used for broth. As a rough guide, about 400–500 g (14–18 oz) of raw oxtail on the bone makes one main-course portion.
Fresh oxtail keeps for one to two days in the refrigerator and freezes well. Because the dish is better when the fat is removed after chilling, buying ahead and cooking the day before serving suits it.
Names around the world
16
The same muscle, named by language and by trade system.
| English | Oxtail |
| Español | Rabo · cola de res |
| Tiếng Việt | Đuôi bò |
| Português | Rabada |
| Français | Queue de bœuf |
| Italiano | Coda di bue |
| 日本語 | テール |
| 한국어 | 소꼬리 |
All the cuts' names, country by country →
Trade and national systems
| System | Name | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Oxtail (variety meat) | IMPS |
| United Kingdom | Oxtail | AHDB |
| Australia / NZ | Tail · oxtail | HAM |
| Argentina | Rabo · cola | IPCVA |
| Spain | Rabo de toro · rabo de vaca | — |
| France | Queue de bœuf | Larousse |
| Korea | 꼬리 (kkori) | KAPE |
| Japan | テール (tēru) | JMGA |
Frequently asked questions
Does oxtail come from an ox?
Not necessarily. The name is historical; oxtail is now the tail of any beef animal, steer, heifer or cow.
How long does oxtail take to cook?
About three to four hours of braising or simmering, until the meat comes away from the bone, or about 45–60 minutes in a pressure cooker.
Why is oxtail so gelatinous?
The tail is rich in tendons and connective tissue. During long, moist cooking the collagen turns into gelatin, which thickens the sauce and makes it set when cold.
Why is oxtail expensive?
Each animal has only one tail, giving about 1–2 kg, and demand for dishes such as Jamaican oxtail and rabo de toro has grown.
Sources
4
- McGee, Harold. On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen, rev. ed. New York: Scribner, 2004.
- Larousse Gastronomique, rev. ed. London: Hamlyn, 2009.
- Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (UK). Beef Meat Purchasing Guide. Kenilworth, 2016. ahdb.org.uk
- Korea Institute for Animal Products Quality Evaluation (KAPE). Beef cuts and grading. www.ekape.or.kr
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