Meat · Beef

Oxtail

Bony, gelatin-rich segments of beef tail that make deeply flavoured stews and soups after long cooking.

Also called: ox tail, beef tail, buntut, rabo de toro

Around the world: buntut sapi (id) · rabo de res, rabo de toro (es)

A kind of beef

1 recipe with it

Photo: FotoosVanRobin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-2.0)

What it is

Oxtail is the tail of cattle (no longer only oxen), cut into thick round segments with a central bone surrounded by meat and fat. It is rich in collagen, so long braising gives silky, sticky sauces. It has less meat for its weight than most cuts.

How it’s used

Jamaican oxtail stew with butter beans
Rabo de toro (Spanish braised oxtail)
Oxtail soup (British, Indonesian sop buntut, Korean kkori-gomtang)
Kare-kare (Filipino peanut stew)

Characteristics

Taste: Very rich and beefy.
Texture: Falls off the bone, gelatinous.
When cooked: Brown well, then braise or pressure-cook for several hours. Chill and remove surface fat before serving.
Sold as: fresh, frozen
Cooking uses: Commonly cooked, Suitable for boiling
Common in: Jamaican, Caribbean, Spanish, Indonesian, Korean, Filipino, British, South African

Storage

Refrigerated. Keep sealed on the bottom shelf of the fridge or freeze.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

Vegetarian
Vegan
Dairy-free
Egg-free
Gluten-free
Nut-free
Soy-free
Caffeine-free

Food-safety guidance for whole cuts of beef, lamb, veal and pork is 63 °C (145 °F) in the centre followed by a 3-minute rest; slow-cooked cuts are taken far higher for tenderness.
Store raw meat sealed on the bottom shelf of the fridge and keep separate boards for raw meat and ready-to-eat food.