Calories and Nutritions in Oxtail

One hundred grams (3.5 oz) of raw oxtail contains 354 calories. One hundred grams of cooked, braised oxtail (edible portion) contains 330 calories; the calorie reduction is due to a significant amount of fat rendering out during the slow cooking process.

One kilogram (2.2 lbs) of raw oxtail contains 3540 calories. One kilogram of cooked, braised oxtail (edible portion) contains 3300 calories.

A single medium-sized piece of raw oxtail cut weighing 85 g (3 oz), contains 301 calories. The entire tail from one animal contains several thousand calories.

Oxtail provides some health benefits like supporting muscle maintenance and providing essential minerals due to its high content of protein, collagen, and nutrients like iron and zinc. Oxtail, the culinary name for the tail of cattle, is a gelatin-rich meat. A list of the health benefits of oxtail are shown below.

• Excellent Source of Protein: Oxtail is rich in high-quality protein, which is essential for building and repairing body tissues, supporting muscle mass, and creating enzymes and hormones.
• Rich in Collagen: Slow-cooking oxtail breaks down its abundant connective tissue into gelatin, a cooked form of collagen. Dietary collagen and its amino acids (glycine, proline) are important for skin, hair, nail, and joint health. A review by Choi FD, et al. (2019), "Oral Collagen Supplementation: A Systematic Review of Dermatological Applications," discusses the potential benefits of collagen for skin.
• Good Source of Iron: Oxtail provides a significant amount of heme iron, the most easily absorbed form of iron. Adequate iron is crucial for forming hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in the blood, and for preventing iron-deficiency anemia.
• Provides B Vitamins: It is a good source of B vitamins, especially Vitamin B12, which is vital for neurological function and the formation of red blood cells. It also contains niacin (B3) and vitamin B6.
• Rich in Zinc: Oxtail is an excellent source of zinc, a mineral that plays a key role in immune function, wound healing, protein synthesis, and DNA synthesis.
• Contains Selenium: It provides selenium, a trace mineral that acts as a powerful antioxidant, supports thyroid function, and is important for immune health.
• Supports Bone Health: Oxtail contains phosphorus and calcium, which are essential minerals for building and maintaining strong bones and teeth. The gelatin from the connective tissue also provides building blocks for healthy joints.
• Provides Healthy Fats: While oxtail is a fatty cut, a portion of its fat is monounsaturated fat. Additionally, it contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a fatty acid found in meat and dairy from ruminants that has been researched for various health benefits.

Oxtail has been known to cause some unwanted effects like contributing to high cholesterol and calorie intake due to its high content of saturated fat. A list of the downsides of oxtail are shown below.

• High in Saturated Fat: Oxtail is a fatty cut of meat with a significant amount of saturated fat. Diets high in saturated fat can raise LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels, which is a risk factor for heart disease (Siri-Tarino PW, et al., 2010, "Meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies evaluating the association of saturated fat with cardiovascular disease"). Skimming the excess fat after braising can mitigate this.
• High in Calories: Due to its high fat content, oxtail is very calorie-dense. Large portions can contribute a significant number of calories, which can lead to weight gain if not balanced with overall energy expenditure.
• High in Purines: As a red meat, oxtail is high in purines. In susceptible individuals, purines break down into uric acid, and high levels can lead to gout, a painful inflammatory condition affecting the joints.
• Long Cooking Time: Oxtail requires a long, slow cooking process (braising, stewing) for several hours to become tender, which can be a practical downside for meal preparation.

Yes, oxtail can be good for you when consumed in moderation as part of a balanced diet. It is a highly nutritious cut of meat, offering an excellent source of protein, collagen, and essential minerals like iron and zinc, which are crucial for blood health, immune function, and tissue repair. The slow-cooking process required for oxtail breaks down the tough connective tissue into rich, flavorful gelatin. While oxtail is high in saturated fat and calories, a significant portion of the fat can be rendered out and skimmed off during cooking. A review by Bilsborough S and Mann N (2006), "A review of issues of dietary protein intake in humans," underscores the importance of high-quality protein from sources like red meat for health. A preferred consumption rate would be a moderate portion (e.g., 113-170 g or 4-6 oz cooked) on occasion, rather than as a daily staple, to benefit from its nutrients without excessive saturated fat intake.

The calorie content of oxtail changes primarily based on its preparation, specifically the cooking method and whether the rendered fat is consumed. Raw oxtail is the highest in calories, at around 354 calories per 100g, due to its high fat content. When oxtail is slow-cooked, as in braising or stewing, a significant amount of this fat melts and renders into the cooking liquid. If this excess fat is skimmed from the top of the stew or broth, the resulting edible meat portion becomes less calorie-dense, with around 330 calories per 100g. The broth from oxtail soup can have a calorie count ranging from 50 to 100 calories per 100g, with the lower end representing a well-skimmed broth and the higher end representing a broth with more of the rendered fat retained. Commercially prepared canned oxtail soups are generally the lowest in calories per 100g (60-90 calories) as they are heavily diluted with water and other vegetables, containing only a small proportion of oxtail meat.

Yes, oxtail is considered red meat. Oxtail is the culinary term for the tail of cattle (beef). Because it comes from beef, it falls under the classification of red meat, which includes meat from mammals such as cattle, veal, lamb, and pork. Its nutritional profile, particularly its high content of myoglobin (the protein that gives red meat its color) and its iron and Vitamin B12 levels, are characteristic of red meat.

Yes, oxtail has a very high amount of collagen. The oxtail is composed of tailbones surrounded by small pockets of meat and a large amount of cartilage and connective tissue, which are rich in collagen. When oxtail is slow-cooked for a long time in liquid (braised or stewed), this collagen breaks down and dissolves into the liquid, forming gelatin. This process is what gives oxtail stews and soups their rich, full-bodied, and unctuous mouthfeel.

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body, providing structure to skin, bones, tendons, and ligaments. Consuming collagen-rich foods like oxtail provides the body with amino acids like glycine and proline, which are essential building blocks for the body to produce its own collagen. The benefits of dietary collagen and its amino acids include supporting skin elasticity and hydration, promoting joint health, and contributing to a healthy gut lining. A review by León-López A, et al. (2019), "Hydrolyzed Collagen—Sources and Applications," discusses the various sources and benefits of collagen.

Desserts featuring oxtail are non-existent in any traditional or mainstream culinary practice. The intensely savory, beefy, and rich flavor of oxtail is fundamentally incompatible with the sweet profiles required for desserts. Its use is exclusively confined to savory soups, stews, and braises.

Yes, cooking oxtail removes or alters some nutrients, but it also makes others more beneficial. The long, slow, wet-heat cooking methods required for oxtail, like braising or stewing, have several effects. Water-soluble vitamins, particularly some B vitamins, can leach out of the meat and into the surrounding cooking liquid or broth. While this means the meat itself may contain fewer of these vitamins, they are retained in the dish if the broth is consumed, so the overall nutritional loss to the meal is minimal.

Conversely, the cooking process is essential for breaking down the tough connective tissue in oxtail into gelatin. This process makes the abundant collagen nutritionally available to the body in a more easily digestible form. Furthermore, a significant amount of fat, including saturated fat, renders out of the oxtail during slow cooking. This rendered fat can be skimmed from the surface of the stew or broth, effectively reducing the total fat and calorie content of the final dish compared to consuming the raw cut with all its fat. Minerals like iron and zinc are heat-stable and remain largely intact within the meat and broth.

The origin of cooking oxtail is rooted in the "nose-to-tail" eating philosophies of ancient and rustic cultures, where every part of a slaughtered animal was utilized out of necessity and respect. The tail, being a tough and bony cut, was often considered a less desirable part and was therefore an inexpensive food for working-class populations. Various cuisines around the world developed long, slow-cooking methods (braising, stewing, simmering) to break down the abundant connective tissue and cartilage, transforming this tough cut into a tender, flavorful, and gelatin-rich meal. The practice is ancient and can be found in cultures across Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas wherever cattle were raised.

A classic dish that highlights oxtail's journey from a humble cut to a celebrated delicacy is Jamaican Oxtail Stew. This dish has its roots in the African diaspora and the culinary traditions brought to the Caribbean. It involves braising oxtail for several hours with a rich assortment of ingredients, including broad beans (or butter beans), onions, garlic, scallions, thyme, and fiery Scotch bonnet peppers. Spices like allspice and browning sauce give the stew its characteristic deep color and complex flavor. The long cooking time not only makes the meat incredibly tender but also creates a thick, unctuous, and deeply savory gravy from the breakdown of collagen in the oxtail. This hearty, flavorful stew, often served with rice and peas, is a cornerstone of Jamaican comfort food and is now featured in Caribbean restaurants worldwide, showcasing how a once-overlooked cut can become a beloved culinary icon.

Oxtail is the culinary name for the tail of cattle. Originally, it came from the tail of an ox, but today it comes from the tail of either gender of beef cattle. The tail is cut into short, disc-like sections, which reveals the tailbone in the center surrounded by meat, fat, and a large amount of connective tissue. A 100 g (3.5 oz) serving of raw oxtail contains 354 calories. The oxtail macros for this portion include 29.9 g of fat and 20.0 g of protein, with 0 g of carbohydrates.