What Cut of Meat Is This? Identifying Oxtail and How to Cook It

If you’ve ever seen oxtail at a butcher shop, you might wonder why this unusual-looking cut has become such a prized ingredient. Oxtail consists of sections of the tail vertebrae surrounded by meat, connective tissue, and fat. Despite its humble appearance, it can produce incredibly rich, flavorful dishes when cooked slowly.

Today, oxtail is usually taken from cattle of either sex, despite the name. The pieces are typically cut into thick cross-sections, with a round bone in the center surrounded by meat.

What Is Oxtail?

Oxtail is the culinary name for the tail of cattle. A whole tail is divided into several sections, producing pieces of different sizes.

Each piece contains:

• A central bone
• Meat surrounding the bone
• Connective tissue
• Marbling and fat

The large amount of connective tissue is one of the reasons oxtail benefits from long, slow cooking.

As it cooks, collagen gradually breaks down and contributes body and richness to the cooking liquid.

What Does Oxtail Taste Like?

Oxtail has a rich, beefy flavor and becomes particularly tender when braised.

It is often described as:

• Deeply savory
• Beefy
• Rich
• Gelatinous
• Tender after slow cooking

The bone and connective tissue also help create a naturally rich broth or sauce.