Is it normal for oxtail to have a smell

Oxtail is a very nutritious ingredient, but many people find it has a strange smell when cooking it. So, is it normal for oxtail to have a flavor in the end? Next, let's find out.

Why does cow's tail have a smell

First of all, let's analyze why cow's tail has a smell. Cow's tail is the hind limb of the cow, so its muscles are often used and there is a lot of fascia and fat. These parts can be difficult to cook, as well as bring out some specific flavors.

Also, the tail is one of the most active parts of the cow's body, so there are a lot of blood vessels and circulation inside. When a cow is slaughtered, the blood will accumulate in the tail for some time, thus creating some fishy odor.

How to Reduce the Taste of Cow's Tail

Now that we know why cow's tail has a smell, we can take some measures to reduce its smell.

First, you can blanch the oxtail in boiling water before cooking it. This will remove some of the dirt and also blanch some of the blood out of the meat.

Secondly, you can add some seasonings when cooking, such as peppercorns, ginger, star anise and so on. These seasonings can play a certain role in removing fishy, but also can make the oxtail more flavorful.

One more thing is that the stewing time must be long enough, preferably about 3 to 4 hours. This will allow the fascia and fat to slowly soften and make the oxtail more tender.

How to choose fresh oxtails

If you want to cook delicious oxtails, then you need to choose fresh oxtails first.

When shopping for oxtails, pick ones that are bright red in color and don't have too much fat on the surface. Try to choose one with moderate bone hardness so that you can remove the bone more easily.

Also, when picking an oxtail, make sure to take a look at how long it has been kept. If it has been kept for too long, then its taste and flavor will be affected.

Conclusion

In summary, it is normal for oxtails to have some flavor. But by adopting proper cooking methods and selecting fresh oxtails, we can reduce the flavor of oxtails and cook delicious dishes such as oxtail soup, stewed oxtails, and roasted oxtails with garlic.

So, with a little skill, everyone can enjoy delicious oxtail. Give it a try and I'm sure you'll be pleasantly surprised to find out that oxtail can be so delicious!