Side by side
ShankOxtail
Tenderness
26
28
Marbling
30
40
Umami
80
90
Price
30
46
Shank
Shin · jarret · osso buco
Leg muscle, and essentially a block of collagen. Under pressure or in a sous vide bath it converts completely into gelatin, at which point a spoon will cut it.
Pressure 40 minCook it right through
Look for tendon that is translucent rather than chalky, and meat that springs back when pressed.
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.
Which one to buy
- Better forShank : Oxtail
- Braised in soyShank90 : —
- StewsShank85 : —
- Bone brothShank75 : —
- Long-simmered brothOxtail— : 95
- BraisingOxtail— : 80
Other comparisons
All cuts
Beef Primals
Chicken Portions
Bluefin Tuna Cuts
Temperatures are guidance for whole-muscle cuts. Ground meat and poultry need 71°C / 160°F throughout.