Oxtail facts for kids
Oxtail is the name for the tail of a cow, used as food. It used to mean only the tail of an ox. An oxtail usually weighs around 3 to 3.5 kilograms (7-8 pounds). It is sold without skin and cut into short pieces.
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What is Oxtail?
Oxtail is a meat rich in gelatin. This makes it very tender when cooked slowly. People usually cook it as a stew or by braising it. Braising means cooking it slowly in a little liquid. Oxtail is also a traditional base for oxtail soup.
Cooking oxtail often takes a long time. This is why some modern recipes use a pressure cooker. A pressure cooker helps cook food much faster. In Italy, a famous dish called coda alla vaccinara uses oxtail. This dish is a classic from Rome.
Oxtail is also popular in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is often used in instant or canned soups there. In Russia, oxtails are a popular ingredient for aspic dishes. Aspic is a savory jelly. Some Russian Jews prefer oxtail for these dishes because it can be kosher.
Oxtail Dishes Around the World
Oxtail soup is a popular dish in many places. You can find different versions in South America, West Africa, China, Spain, Korea, and Indonesia.
Oxtail in Asian Cuisine
- In Chinese cuisine, oxtail is often made into a soup. It is called 牛尾汤 (niúwěi tāng), which means "oxtail soup."
- In Korean cuisine, a soup made with oxtail is called kkori gomtang. This is a thick soup. People season it with salt and eat it with a bowl of rice. It can also be used to make tteokguk, which is a rice cake soup.
- In the Philippines, oxtail is used in a peanut-based stew. This dish is called kare-kare.
- In Iran, oxtail is slow-cooked. It can be served in a main dish called baghla-poli-mahicheh. This dish has rice, meat (like oxtail), and herbs.
- In India, especially around Lucknow, oxtail is known as dumghazah. It is considered a special food.
Oxtail in Other Regions
- Stewed oxtail is very popular in Jamaica. It is often cooked with butter beans. It can also be a main dish served with rice. This is common in other West Indian cultures too.
- In South Africa, oxtail is often cooked in a traditional pot. This pot is called a potjie. It is a three-legged cast iron pot used over an open fire.
- Oxtail is also eaten in other southern parts of Africa, like Zimbabwe. There, it is served with sadza and greens.
- In the United States, oxtail is a common food in African-American homes.
- In Cuban cuisine, a stew called rabo encendido is made from oxtail.
