OXTAIL

DON’T SHY FROM THE DISTINCT APPEARANCE OF THE OXTAIL. WHEN COOKED SLOWLY, THE OXTAIL CAN PRODUCE A TASTY MEAT WITH A ROBUST BEEF FLAVOUR.

THE CUT

Fairly obvious, the oxtail comes from the tail part of the anatomy with a large bone to muscle ratio. When cooked, the collagen melts down rendering a tender, rich flavour ideal in stews, while long, slow braising in a liquid will achieve the most tender result with maximum flavour.
 

HOW TO COOK

Sprinkle the oxtails with a little salt and coat the sides with flour. Add them to a hot skillet on medium-high heat for 5-10 minutes until evenly browned on all sides. Transfer oxtails to a slow cooker. Depending on your chosen recipe, this is when you add herbs, vegetables and flavours. Cover the oxtails with liquid by about 1 inch. Cover with a tight lid and cook on low for 8 hours or 3 to 4 hours on high heat. Be careful not to remove the lid and stir as this will allow the heat to escape. Transfer to a serving platter and let the oxtail rest for 3-5 minutes before eating.

NUTRIENT COMPOSITION

OXTAIL, RAW, LEAN (per 100g)

Energy (kJ)	715
Energy (kcal)	171
Protein (g)	20.0
Total Fat (g)	10.1
Saturated Fat (g)	4.2
Polyunsaturated Fat (g)	0.41
Omega 3 (g)	0.12
Monounsaturated Fat (g)	4.8
Cholesterol (mg)	75
Sodium (mg)	110
Iron (mg)	2.7
Zinc (mg)	5.6
Vitamin B12 (ug)	3.0
Vitamin D3 (ug)	T
25-OH Vitamin D3 (ug)	NT
Selenium (ug)	4.4

_{Consider nutrition information of other ingredients added while cooking.
Source: NZ Food Composition Tables.  Beef and Lamb Cuts Additional Data. NZ Institute for Crop & Food Research, August 2002.}

• EXCELLENT SOURCE OF PROTEIN
• EXCELLENT SOURCE OF VITAMIN B12 (contains at least 25% of the recommended daily intake for adults) 
• EXCELLENT SOURCE OF ZINC (contains at least 25% of the recommended daily intake for adults)  
• SOURCE OF IRON (contains at least 10% of the recommended daily intake for adults)
• LOW SODIUM (contains less than 120mg/100g)