CarneAtlas

Beef cheekvsOxtail

beef · Approximate equivalent

Beef cheek is the standard swap in an oxtail braise — pure connective tissue that breaks down to the same silky texture, with far less bone.

Translation takeaway

These are related cuts, but not perfect swaps. Use the table below to judge how close your local option is before buying.

Open Beef cheekOpen OxtailSee substitutes
Raw Beef cheek — Beef Chuck cut
Beef cheek
Beef · Chuck

The beef cheek is the masseter muscle of the cow's jaw, an intensely worked muscle with abundant collagen. It is very tough raw but transforms after several hours of braising into …

TenderloinRoundBottom SirloinRibPlateChuckShort LoinBrisketFlankSirloinShankShank
Raw Oxtail — Beef Various cut
Oxtail
Beef · Various

Oxtail consists of the tail of the animal, cross-cut into segments. It is rich in collagen, bone marrow, and gelatin, which dissolve during long cooking to create intensely…

TenderloinRoundBottom SirloinRibPlateChuckShort LoinBrisketFlankSirloinShankShank
Keep Beef cheek and Oxtail together in your notebook.

Names by country

CountryBeef cheekOxtail
🇺🇸United StatesBeef cheekOxtail
🇬🇧United KingdomBeef cheekOxtail
🇫🇷FranceJoue de bœufQueue de bœuf
🇪🇸SpainCarrillada de terneraRabo de toro
🇦🇷ArgentinaCarrilleraRabo
🇲🇽MexicoCarrillada de resRabo de res
🇵🇹PortugalBochecha de vacaRabo
🇧🇷BrazilBochecha de boiRabo de boi
🇮🇹ItalyGuancia di manzoCoda di bue
🇩🇪GermanyRinderbäckchenOchsenschwanz

Cook either one well

Beef braise in an unbranded Dutch oven

$$ · braised beef, lamb neck, pot roasts, and stews

Turn a tough cut tender in one pot

Browning meat on the stovetop, then braising it slowly in the oven.

Lodge 6-Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven

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