Oxtail

Name: Oxtail — the tail of cattle, cut into rounds with a central bone, rich in gelatin, fat and flavour. It is a slow-cooked delicacy, and the basis of oxtail soup and stew, Jamaican oxtail with butter beans, and Korean kkori gomtang.

Description

Oxtail was once cheap, as the tail of an ox, but today it is from beef cattle, and costs more because of its popularity. It is mostly bone, fat and connective tissue, with a small amount of meat, but when braised for hours it makes a very rich, sticky, gelatinous dish with deep flavour.

Oxtail is used around the world: English oxtail soup, Italian coda alla vaccinara (Roman stew with tomatoes and celery), Spanish rabo de toro (bull's tail stew), Jamaican stewed oxtail, Korean oxtail soup and Chinese braises.

Main nutrition value

Oxtail is rich in collagen and gelatin, with protein, iron, zinc and B12, but it is also high in fat, particularly saturated fat, and the sauce can be very rich.

How best to be consumed

Oxtail is braised slowly for several hours, until the meat falls off the bone.

1. Brown the pieces, then braise in stock, wine or tomatoes with vegetables for 3 to 4 hours, or pressure cook for about 1 hour.
2. Chill the cooked dish, and lift off the layer of fat, before reheating.
3. Serve with rice, mashed potato, butter beans or bread.
4. Use the cooking liquid for soups and sauces.
5. Take care over small bones when eating.

Overconsumption could cause…

Oxtail is a rich dish, best in moderation.

1. Raised LDL cholesterol and heart disease risk from the saturated fat in fattier cuts, skin and processed products, so choose lean cuts and trim visible fat.
2. Higher risk of bowel (colorectal) cancer with regular high intake of red meat, which the World Health Organization's cancer agency classifies as probably carcinogenic, so many health bodies advise keeping red meat to about 350 to 500 g (cooked weight) a week.
3. Gout flare-ups in people with gout, since meat and especially organ meats are high in purines.
4. High salt (sodium), which can raise blood pressure over time, particularly in cured, canned and processed products. This applies to stock and seasoning.
5. Small bone fragments, which can be a choking hazard, particularly for children.

GroupsOrgan MeatsMammals (red meat)Fresh

Related foodsBeef HeartBeef KidneyBeef LiverBone MarrowLamb KidneyLamb Liver

Wikipedia — Oxtail, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxtail