CUT OF THE MONTH

OXTAIL

A.K.A. Oxtail

This is the tail, people. No need to give it a fancy name. Even the French call it beef soup.

This was a “give-away” cut for the longest time but is making its rounds back in popularity as chefs are finding unique flavors to bring it to the masses and are encouraging nose-to-tail cooking.

Your butcher will skin it and cut it ~2” thick into cross-cut chunks. The chunks will vary in size as you go down the tail. Because of the extra fat and gelatin (mmmm....bone marrow, 😋) it yields a very rich stock to use for other recipes or it will make your stew the beefyist (is that a word) stew you’ve ever put in your mouth. Suck it, Dinty Moore. It’s similar to short ribs but better, the meat is almost silkier.

To cook: Braise for 2-3 hours (depending on how big your chunks are) and any connective tissue or cartilage melts into the meat and makes the richest broth and most succulent meat (although not much of it) you’ve ever had.

Oxtail stew is a love language in every country. Depending where your from you either serve with spicy white rice and kidney beans, or over pasta or with creamy garlic mashed potatoes or just slop it up with a heavy biscuit, you Southerner. You can’t go wrong.

And keep a bottle of red wine close. It can be an ingredient in your stew. Or you can drink it. The whole bottle. By yourself. We won’t judge.

It’s hard to find this cut. After all, there’s only one on a cow. But we have it in stock. Reserve yours today.