What part of the animal does oxtail come from?

Oxtail is the tail of an ox or of a steer and can be used when making stews or soups. The tail is skinned before it is able to be used as an ingredient and is generally considered a tough meat.

Oxtail is also one of the cheapest kinds of meat to buy. It is recommended that buyers look for bigger pieces in order to get enough meat as well as smaller pieces. Oxtail is sold in small vertebra pieces and in large vertebra pieces. Either way, there is a lot of cartilage present. Most oxtail dishes require approximately 3 hours of slow cooking in order to be tender enough for a delicious meal.