Oxtail is cut from the cow’s tail and has the tail bone attached to the meat. The tail is cut into smaller pieces for cooking and is skinned as well.
Since it has both meat and bone, there is a high gelatin content, which adds flavor to whichever dish they are added to, but they need longer cooking time. However, if you cannot find oxtail, there are other cuts that you can use!
Oxtail Substitutes
- Beef Shank
Beef shanks are cut from the cow’s legs, and since this muscle is essential for the animal’s movement, it has a tough texture. For this reason, beef shanks need a longer cooking time. Furthermore, it’s readily available at local butcher shops and supermarkets.
There is no fat around the meaty part, which is why it can be used to make ground beef. Moreover, beef shank and oxtail have a similar flavor, so your recipe won’t taste too different. This is a primal cut, and the correct cooking method softens and tenderizes the meat.
It is cut from the leg, above the knee, and is processed into thin slices. These thin slices look like steak as there is a leg bone circle in the center. The meat is lean, which is why it can be used for preparing soups and stews. It tastes well with onions, wine, celery, tomatoes, and onions.
Many people recommend stewing or braising the beef shank like oxtail as cooking makes the meat juicy and tender. Moreover, braised beef has a rich flavor, which is suitable for preparing a crock pot. The bone has marrow, which can be used as a spread with toast.
Short ribs are cut from the animal’s chuck portion and are used in Chinese, Korean, and Jewish cuisines. When the beef short ribs are prepared, it achieves a succulent and tender texture, which is similar to oxtail.
The ribs are too small to be used for steaks, but the meat between these bones is used. The beef short ribs are cut in two different ways, including English-style and BBQ-style.
The English-style ribs have one bone with chunks of chuck meat attached to the bone – it’s a reliable choice for braising. On the other hand, the BBQ-style short ribs have three bones and meat – this cut is great for presentation and is suitable for slow cooking and braising.
The beef short ribs have a beefy flavor, and slow cooking is recommended to make sure fat is released, and the meat becomes tender.
- Lamb Neck Bone
The lamb neck bone has a rich flavor, and simmering it releases the beefy flavor. The cut is tough and requires a slow cooking process to make the meat tender. The broth can be used to prepare sauces, stews, and soups.
The lamb neck bone is a gelatin-rich cut with a reasonable amount of fatty content. It has connective tissue and spinal bone, but you can get the bone removed if you want. It has a strong flavor, and with four to five hours of cooking, the meat becomes tender as well.
It can be served with great mash as well. However, many people treat this cut as a steak cut and cook it at a high temperature until it becomes pink. It has a higher gelatin level like oxtail, which is why it tastes the same when cooked properly.
This is one of the most affordable substitutes and is easily available at meat shops. The veins on this cut are similar to oxtail, but the bones are tougher as compared to the oxtail’s joints.
The beef neck bone needs a longer simmering time and has enough fat to add richness to the food. Moreover, the meat is softer – there are tendons in this cut and collages, just like oxtail.
It adds a juicy and beefy flavor to vegetarian recipes and can be used with tacos and tortillas as well. In addition, it’s perfect for making beef broth.
This is a tough cut, which is why it’s stewed slow and low or braised to make sure the meat comes out tender (many people cook it in a slow cooker). So, if you don’t mind long cooking hours, it can be prepared just like oxtail.
- Beef Cheeks
The beef cheeks are cut from the animal’s face, and since this muscle is frequently used, it has a lot of fat or gelatin. In most cases, the butchers trim it off to make a clean muscle. However, it’s recommended that you cook it with a bit of fat to release the beefy flavor.
They are usually prepared with micro-herbs and red wine but take eight to twelve hours to soften. Beef cheek is a tough and muscled cut, which is why slow cooking is the only method – the meat has to be softened.
Last but not least, it costs around $15 per kilogram, making it a budget-friendly choice. If you wanted to use oxtail for preparing casseroles or stews, you can use beef cheeks as well because it adds a richer flavor to the food.
The meat is taken from the exterior portion above the animal’s leg and has a silvery appearance, which is why it’s also known as silverside. It has sturdy meat with little to no fat.
For this reason, corned beef is slow-cooked and can be braised with wine or stocks just like oxtail, making it a reliable alternative.
The lamb shank cut is taken from the lower part of the lamb’s leg and has a membrane, which has to be skinned. It has a thin, fat layer, which melts during cooking and adds a rich flavor to the food.
The meat is softer and leaner as compared to other cuts, which is why it needs lesser cooking time. It is one of the most flavorful cuts, but since it has connective tissue like oxtail, you have to be careful while cooking because the incorrect preparation can leave the meat tough.
The lamb shank is cooked at low heat for a long time to make sure the meat falls off the bone – it needs more cooking time like oxtail. It’s usually used in Moroccan, French, Greek, and Italian cuisines.
It has a gamey and bold flavor, which is why it tastes better with warm spices like cloves and cinnamon. It pairs well with herbs, such as mint and rosemary.
Lamb shank is available in the cut form, and the center bone is left intact – the meat is cooked with the bone. It can be pressure-cooked but avoid sautéing or pan-frying as it can make the meat tough and chewy.
- Beef Chuck
This is a large primal cut that’s a combination of meat, tough connective tissue, and bones. It can be used to prepare roasts but can be grounded as well. It is cut from the upper part of the neck, shoulder, and ribs. Since it’s a large cut, it can be cut into stir-fry slices, chops, steaks, and roasts.
It can be used in oxtail recipes because beef chuck releases a similar flavor when cooked for a longer period. In addition, the cut needs a long and slow cooking method to soften the meat and release the flavor – it has a deep beefy flavor.
- Beef Tendon
Beef tendons are a part of an animal’s connective tissue that’s located between the muscles and bones of the animals. The tendons are usually used in Vietnamese, Taiwanese, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Filipino, and Thai cuisines.
The beef tendons are widely used to make stews and sauces but can be used on their own as well. It’s an ideal cut for a longer cooking time and is sold in cut form. It’s an affordable cut and has a mild beefy flavor with a fatty or gelatinous texture like oxtail.
However, to get this flavor, you have to cook it for a long time and use the right seasonings, which is fine as oxtail needs a similar preparation method.
Filet mignon is a good choice for people who need a buttery and soft cut because it has a minimal amount of fat. However, it cannot be cooked beyond medium-rare because it can lead to a loss of flavor and a chewy texture.
When cooked properly, the meat comes out tender, but the flavor is mild, and you’ve to add spices and herbs to build flavor.
- Chuck Arm Steak
It is cut from the bottom half of beef chuck steak and is smaller in size. The meat is lean and has a rich flavor like oxtail. It is suitable for slow cooking, but many people grill them as well. And yes, it can be braised and broiled as well.
The Bottom Line
Oxtail is loved for its excellent taste and texture. However, you may want to opt for a substitute if it is not available. For this reason, we have listed several suitable substitutes that you can try.