BEEF · Cut · Compare

Round vs Oxtail

Two cuts people weigh against each other at the counter — here is what actually separates them.

Side by side

RoundOxtail
Tenderness 36 28
Marbling 22 40
Umami 62 90
Price 34 46

Round

Topside & silverside · tende de tranche · tapa

The hind leg. It works hard for a living, so it carries almost no fat and the highest protein density on the carcass. That is exactly why raw beef dishes are cut from here.

60°CSous vide preferred

For anything served raw, buy from a counter that can tell you the slaughter date and choose the clearest, brightest colour.

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Oxtail

Tail · queue de bœuf · rabo

Every joint of the tail concentrates gelatin and marrow. That is why a long-simmered oxtail broth turns milky white rather than staying clear — it is emulsified collagen, not fat.

3h+Simmer it out

Choose thick joints with a cross-section where the marrow fills the bone completely.

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Which one to buy

  • Better forRound : Oxtail
  • Raw beef dishesRound90 : —
  • Braised in soyRound85 : —
  • JerkyRound70 : —
  • Long-simmered brothOxtail— : 95
  • BraisingOxtail— : 80

Other comparisons

All cuts

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Temperatures are guidance for whole-muscle cuts. Ground meat and poultry need 71°C / 160°F throughout.