ButcherExpert

Oxtail

Oxtail is the tail of beef cattle, skinned and cut into thick rounds between the bones. Each piece has a little meat around a bone with lots of collagen, which turns into a rich, silky sauce with long, slow cooking.

Cut names:

US: Oxtail · UK: Oxtail · EU (NL): Ossenstaart · TR: Kuyruk

Beef cuts chart with the oxtail highlighted at the rear of the cow.
Oxtail (highlighted) is the tail. See the full beef chart.

Quick facts

Primal: Tail
Tenderness: Tough until braised
Fat: High
Price: Mid (bone-heavy)
Best: Braise, stew, soup

What is oxtail called in other countries?

United StatesOxtail
United KingdomOxtail
FranceQueue de bœuf
GermanyOchsenschwanz
NetherlandsOssenstaart
SpainRabo de toro or rabo de vaca
TurkeyKuyruk; öküz kuyruğu

Names and cut lines vary by country and by butcher, so ask for the cut by description if the name doesn't match. Dutch and Turkish names are common butcher usage; there is no official Turkish retail cut standard. How we name cuts

Texture, fat and price

Pieces from the thick end have the most meat; the thin end is mostly bone and best for stock. Oxtail is fatty, so braise it a day ahead, chill it and lift off the fat before reheating. Allow 400–500 g raw per person.

How to cook oxtail

  • Braise
  • Stew
  • Soup
  • Pressure cooker
  1. Season the pieces and brown them well in batches.
  2. Soften onions, carrots and garlic, add tomato paste, wine and stock to just cover.
  3. Cover and cook at 150 °C (or simmer very gently) for 3–4 hours, until the meat falls from the bone.
  4. Skim off the fat (easiest after chilling overnight) and reduce the sauce.

Oxtail cooking temperatures

StageCentre temperature
Braising liquida gentle simmer, about 90–95 °C
Donemeat falls off the bone, usually after 3–4 hours

Braised oxtail is cooked far above the USDA safe minimum of 63 °C (145 °F). Judge it by texture, not by temperature.

Oxtail nutrition facts

We could not find a USDA FoodData Central entry for raw oxtail, so we don’t show figures. We don’t estimate nutrition values.

Recipes

Braised Oxtail

Slow-braised oxtail in red wine and stock until the meat falls off the bone, with a rich, glossy sauce. Best…

Related cuts

Shank (another gelatin-rich braising cut) · Short Ribs (rich and bony, for braising or smoking) · Chuck (for stews with more meat)

Sources