Oxtail is the tail of a cow. A long time ago, it came from the tail of an ox, but now it comes from the tail of a cow of either sex. The tail is skinned and cut into sections.
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The majority of times I have enjoyed oxtails has been in the classic Cuban dish named, “Rabo Encendido.” The translation is literally “Lit Tail.”
And from what I could witness around me, many of the Chinese tourists who have found Key West a traveler’s treasure were also have begun congregating there. Hmmm… I wonder what the translation of ‘Rabo’ would be in Chinese? Maybe they make a dish with oxtails like the one we were collectively demolishing at the neighborhood restaurant on Catherine Street. Certainly oxtails are cooked in various forms all over the world!
I asked my daughter-in-law Lourdes’ parents about how they dealt with the bony cut. Naturally, I got the story of Rabo. But soon we were rattling off not only the dishes, BUT also the animals that make up what is generally referred to as Oxtails. Soon a variety of cookbooks were on the dining room table representing countries from all around the globe.
Stewed oxtail with butter beans are popular in Jamaica, Trinidad and other West Indian cultures. Sancocho is a revered soup that often features oxtails in Colombia and elsewhere in South America. In Mexico there is a dish featuring both oxtails and beans from Sonora called, inexplicably, “Gallina Pinta.” South Africans cook oxtails in traditional three-legged cast iron skillets. I have to wonder about three legs and a tail. But let’s move on.
In Spain, the late cookbook author Penelope Casas, a writer that taught me so much, wrote of an oxtail stew named “Rabo de Toro a la Andaluza.” Andaluza is a land of bulls and bullfighters. There in Córdoba, the former capital city of the Moors, this dish flourished. And it was made with the tail of the bull. We ate bull meat in Barcelona. It was the tenderloin. I bet the tail would have been even better.
Traditionaly speaking an ox is a bovine animal (cow) that has been trained as a draft animal. Draft animals are large, strong, and hardy beasts that were used to pull heavily loaded carts great distances and massive plows through dense earth. Like for example down the Oregon trail. So logically one would think that an oxtail would be from one of these massive creatures. And I guess that in some places they probably still are. But these days when the majority of you buy oxtails they’re just butchered cow tails, probably from a steer or other beef cow. But all of this naming nonsense aside, oxtails or beef tails if you prefer are a vastly under-appreciated meat. The meat is dense and flavorful, and if treated properly you will have some of the richest most flavorful sauce you’ve ever tasted. It takes a little work to coax the awesomeness from them, but I assure you it’s worth it.
What animal do oxtails come from?
FAQ
Is oxtail Jamaican or African?
Is oxtail beef or pork?
Is oxtail always from an ox?
Do oxtails come from kangaroo?
Where does oxtail come from?
Back in the day, Oxtail came from the tail of an “Ox” i.e., a male, steer, trained to work on the farm hence the name Oxtail but it’s now sourced from cattle of any sex. A typical Oxtail will weigh around 7 to 8 pounds and is a combination of the tail bone, surrounding meat, and a nice fat layer.It’s meat is luscious and rich.
What does oxtail mean?
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. An oxtail typically weighs around 3.5 kilograms (8 pounds) and is skinned and cut into shorter lengths for sale.
Is oxtail beef?
Oxtail is most definitely beef. It is simply the tail from Beef Cattle. Back in the day, Oxtail came from the tail of an “Ox” i.e., a male, steer, trained to work on the farm hence the name Oxtail but it’s now sourced from cattle of any sex.
Are oxtails from a cow?
Oxtails are not from an ox, but rather from a cow. The tail of a cow is a gelatin-rich meat that is known for its flavorful taste and tender texture when cooked properly. The name “oxtail” is simply a nod to the historical use of oxen for plowing and carting, as cow tails were often included in these chores.