Oxtail

Last updated
Raw oxtail Raw oxtail-01.jpg
Raw oxtail
Southern oxtail soup Oxtailsoup.JPG
Southern oxtail soup

Oxtail (occasionally spelled ox tail or ox-tail) is the culinary name for the tail of cattle. While the word once meant only the tail of an ox, today it can also refer to the tails of other cattle. [1] An oxtail typically weighs around 3.5 kilograms (8 pounds) and is skinned and cut into shorter lengths for sale.

Contents

Oxtail is a gelatin-rich meat, which is usually slow-cooked as a stew [2] or braised. It is a traditional stock base for oxtail soup. Traditional preparations involve slow cooking, so some modern recipes take a shortcut using a pressure cooker.

Versions

Oxtail is the main ingredient of the Italian dish coda alla vaccinara (a classic of Roman cuisine). [3] It is a popular flavour for powdered, instant and premade canned soups in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Oxtails are also one of the popular bases for terrine-like kholodets , the Eastern European aspic dish, also prepared from cows' knees, pig trotters or ears.

Stewed oxtail cooked with lima beans or lablab —both known as butter beans— or broad beans and served with rice and peas is commonly eaten as a main dish in Jamaica as well as throughout the Caribbean. Oxtail is also very popular in South Africa, where it is often cooked in a traditional skillet called a potjie, which is a three-legged cast iron pot placed over an open fire. Oxtail is also eaten in other southern parts of Africa like Zimbabwe and served with sadza and greens. In Cuban cuisine, a stew can be made from oxtail called rabo encendido. In the Philippines, it is prepared in a peanut-based stew called kare-kare. In Iran, oxtail is slow-cooked and served as a substitute for shank in a main dish called baghla-poli-mahicheh, which is prepared with rice, shank (or oxtail) and a mixture of herbs including dill, coriander, parsley and garlic. In India, it is known as dumghazah in the parts in and around Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh and is considered a delicacy.

Versions of oxtail soup are popular traditional dishes in South America, West Africa, China, Spain, [4] Korea and Indonesia. In Chinese cuisine, it is usually made into a soup called in Chinese :牛尾汤; pinyin :niúwěi tāng; lit.'oxtail soup'. In Korean cuisine, a type of gomguk (beef bone soup) made with oxtail is called kkori-gomtang (꼬리곰탕). It is a thick soup seasoned with salt and eaten with a bowl of rice. It can be used as a stock for making tteokguk (rice cake soup).

In the United States, oxtail has the meat-cutting classification NAMP 1791.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turkish cuisine</span> Culinary traditions of Turkey

Turkish cuisine is the cuisine of Turkey and the Turkish diaspora. Although the cuisine took its current rich form after numerous cultural interactions throughout centuries, it should not be confused with other cuisines such as Ottoman cuisine or Seljuk cuisine. Turkish cuisine with traditional Turkic elements such as yogurt, ayran, kaymak, exerts and gains influences to and from Mediterranean, Balkan, Middle Eastern, Central Asian and Eastern European cuisines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tripe</span> Edible offal from the stomachs of various farm animals

Tripe is a type of edible lining from the stomachs of various farm animals. Most tripe is from cattle, pigs and sheep.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goulash</span> Hungarian meat and vegetable stew

Goulash is a soup or stew of meat and vegetables seasoned with paprika and other spices. Originating in Hungary, goulash is a common meal predominantly eaten in Central Europe but also in other parts of Europe. It is one of the national dishes of Hungary and a symbol of the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Offal</span> Internal organs and entrails of a butchered animal

Offal, also called variety meats, pluck or organ meats, is the internal organs of a butchered animal. The word does not refer to a particular list of edible organs, and these lists of organs vary with culture and region, but usually exclude skeletal muscle. Offal may also refer to the by-products of milled grains, such as corn or wheat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pakistani cuisine</span> Culinary traditions of Pakistan

Pakistani cuisine can be characterized as a blend of regional cooking styles and flavours from across South, Central and Western Asia. Pakistani cuisine is influenced by Persian, Indian, and Arab cuisine. The cuisine of Pakistan also maintains certain Mughal influences within its recipes and cooking techniques. Pakistan's ethnic and cultural diversity, diverse climates, geographical environments, and availability of different produce lead to diverse regional cuisines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malay cuisine</span> Cuisine of Malay people

Malay cuisine is the traditional food of the ethnic Malays of Southeast Asia, residing in modern-day Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, Southern Thailand and the Philippines as well as Cocos Islands, Christmas Island, Sri Lanka and South Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peasant foods</span> Dishes eaten by peasants

Peasant foods are dishes eaten by peasants, made from accessible and inexpensive ingredients.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sancocho</span> Traditional soup in several Latin American cuisines

Sancocho is a traditional stew in Canarian cuisine and several Latin American cuisines. Latin variations represent popular national dishes in Dominican Republic, Colombia, Cuba, Honduras, Mexico, Ecuador, Panama, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela. It usually consists of large pieces of meat, tubers and vegetables served in a broth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kare-kare</span> Filipino stew dish

Kare-kare is a Philippine stew that features a thick savory peanut sauce. It is generally made from a base of stewed oxtail, beef tripe, pork hocks, calves' feet, pig's feet or trotters, various cuts of pork, beef stew meat, and occasionally offal. Vegetables, such as eggplant, Chinese cabbage, or other greens, daikon, green beans, okra, and asparagus beans, are added. The stew is flavored with ground roasted peanuts or peanut butter, onions, and garlic. It is colored with annatto and can be thickened with toasted or plain ground rice. Variations of kare-kare can be made with seafood, such as prawns, squid, and mussels, or exclusively from vegetables.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Congolese cuisine</span> Food and drink of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The cuisine of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo varies widely, representing the food of indigenous people. Cassava, fufu, rice, plantain and potatoes are generally the staple foods eaten with other side dishes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ghanaian cuisine</span> Overview of culinary traditions of Ghana

Ghanaian cuisine refers to the meals of the Ghanaian people. The main dishes of Ghana are centered around starchy staple foods, accompanied by either sauce or soup as well as a source of protein. The primary ingredients for the vast majority of soups and stews are tomatoes, hot peppers, and onions. As a result of these main ingredients, most Ghanaian soups and stews appear red or orange.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Somali cuisine</span> Culinary traditions of Somalia

Somali cuisine was influenced by many different countries mainly due to trade, but traditionally also varies from region to region due to the expansive landmass Somalis inhabit. It is the product of Somalia's tradition of trade and commerce. Some notable Somali specialties include kimis / sabaayad, canjeero / laxoox, xalwo (halwa), sambuusa (samosa), bariis iskukaris, and muqmad / oodkac.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oxtail soup</span> Soup made with beef tails

Oxtail soup is a soup made with beef tails. The use of the word "ox" in this context is a legacy of nomenclature; no specialized stock of beef animals are used and tails may come from bovines other than oxen. Different versions of oxtail soup exist: an ethnic dish of the American South which traces its lineage back to the pre-revolutionary war era; Korean; Chinese; a fried/barbecued oxtail combined with soup variation which is a popular dish in Indonesia where it is called as sop buntut; and a thick, rich, gravy-like soup popular in the United Kingdom since the 18th century. Creole oxtail soup is made from a tomato base with oxtails, potatoes, green beans, corn, mirepoix, garlic, and herbs and spices.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nigerian cuisine</span> Culinary traditions of Nigeria

Nigerian cuisine consists of dishes or food items from the hundreds of Native African ethnic groups that comprises Nigeria. Like other West African cuisines, it uses spices and herbs with palm oil or groundnut oil to create deeply flavored sauces and soups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Javanese cuisine</span> Cuisine of the Javanese people, Indonesia

Javanese cuisine is the cuisine of Javanese people, a major ethnic group in Indonesia, more precisely the province of Central Java, Yogyakarta and East Java.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stew</span> Combination of solid food ingredients

A stew is a combination of solid food ingredients that have been cooked in liquid and served in the resultant gravy. Ingredients can include any combination of vegetables and may include meat, especially tougher meats suitable for slow-cooking, such as beef, pork, venison, rabbit, lamb, poultry, sausages, and seafood. While water can be used as the stew-cooking liquid, stock is also common. A small amount of red wine or other alcohol is sometimes added for flavour. Seasonings and flavourings may also be added. Stews are typically cooked at a relatively low temperature, allowing flavours to mingle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cow's trotters</span> Culinary term for cows feet

Cow's trotters are the feet of cattle. The cuts are used in various dishes around the world, especially in Asian, African, French, and the Caribbean cuisine. Latin American cuisine also uses cow's trotters for several traditional dishes.

References

  1. oxtail | Origin and meaning of oxtail by Online Etymology Dictionary
  2. Blumenthal, Heston (14 November 2003). "The twist in the tail". The Guardian . London. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
  3. Dickie, John (8 January 2008). Delizia!: The Epic History of the Italians and Their Food. Simon and Schuster. ISBN   978-1-4165-5400-4.
  4. Barrenechea, Teresa (2009). The Cuisines of Spain: Exploring Regional Home Cooking. Random House Digital, Inc.

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Oxtail at Wikimedia Commons