Oxtail Is The Latest Meat Superstar With Humble Roots

If you ever told someone that lobster was "prison food," they would probably look at you funny. But it's true — the delicious crustacean that is viewed as a delicacy and is often the most expensive item on a restaurant menu was once so readily available that it was considered a poor man's meal and was frequently fed to prisoners. Experiencing a similar rise to stardom is oxtail, which is the aptly named meat that comes from the tail of a cow.

Oxtail's humble beginnings can be attributed to centuries of necessity, when wasting any food was simply not an option for most people. Across Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean, this often discarded cut of meat was incorporated into stews, soups, and curries. These meals were filling, nutrient-dense, delicious, and cheap. Its affordability made it widely accessible, and its rich flavor made it a versatile ingredient across cultures. In the United States, oxtail is most often associated with African American and Caribbean cuisines, as it was given to enslaved people to cook and eat. Now, dishes like oxtail roti, Jamaican-style oxtail meat patties, and classic oxtail stews with rice, greens, and root vegetables are becoming more mainstream.

According to James Beard Award-winning chef Kwame Onwuachi, the secret tip to making the perfect oxtail is to cook it low and slow. Oxtail is packed with collagen and connective tissue, so braising it at a lower temperature for several hours is the best way to break the collagen down into gelatin. At this point, the meat will be perfectly fall-off-the-bone tender. Braising the oxtail also helps the broth become infused with the rich flavor of the meat, which results in a delicious, comforting dish, especially when spices and other bold flavors are added.

Oxtail flew under the radar until relatively recently, but is now experiencing a surge in popularity. While it's exciting to see different cuisines entering the spotlight, this new widespread interest in oxtail has driven its prices up, making it more difficult for home cooks or small restaurant owners to continue purchasing it at the same volume. When the average wholesale price of oxtail was first reported by the USDA in 2015, it was about $5.99 per pound. As of November 2024, the average price of oxtail has increased to $15.00 per pound, according to the USDA. So how did a piece of offal — or edible parts of an animal that are not muscle meat — become such a trendy ingredient?

There's not one definitive answer, but food influencers on social media as well as exposure on popular foodie television shows have introduced oxtail dishes to the masses. Sustainable food trends such as nose-to-tail eating, where you utilize every edible part of the animal, have also helped get more eyes on oxtail (a bit of an ironic full circle moment for the once necessity-driven ingredient). It's not yet clear if oxtail will be the next lobster in terms of being considered a delicacy, or if it is simply enjoying a moment in the spotlight as various cuisines become more popular. While creations like oxtail ragu are popping up on fine-dining menus, authentic oxtail dishes, from Vietnamese pho to American soul food, remain staples in communities worldwide, showing that even simple, staple dishes can become culinary standouts.