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Chef Marcus Samuelsson recommends oxtail or beef neck as alternatives to chuck roast for beef stew, saying both cuts benefit from low, slow cooking. He favors berbere for seasoning, while noting that oxtail can be costly. These are his cooking recommendations, not a reported test comparing cuts.
Chef Marcus Samuelsson says home cooks can make beef stew with oxtail or beef neck rather than defaulting to chuck roast, recommending both cuts be cooked low and slow until tender. He shared the advice in an interview with The Kitchn at Autentico, a food festival in Aruba; the guidance is a chef’s recommendation, not a published comparison of cooking results.
Samuelsson described oxtail as a cut that becomes tender and flavorful with extended cooking. Its fat and gelatinous texture contribute to the rich, soft result he favors. He said he enjoys using it in different dishes and noted that it was part of the menu he prepared for the Aruba festival.
For cooks looking for another option, Samuelsson also recommended beef neck. The article listed oxtail at about $8 to $18 per pound, a range that can make it an expensive choice. It did not give a price for beef neck or compare its cost with chuck roast, so shoppers would need to check local availability and prices.
Samuelsson said he generally keeps seasoning simple, with berbere as a go-to spice blend. He described its flavor as similar to smoked paprika and said it can add depth to slow-cooked meat. He also encouraged cooks to adapt a stew to their ingredients and tastes instead of treating one recipe as the only way to make it.
Cuts Beyond Chuck Roast
The advice gives cooks two alternatives for a familiar comfort dish, including beef neck for those who may find oxtail too costly. It also underscores that the cut of meat and the cooking method work together: Samuelsson’s recommendation depends on giving these cuts time over low heat, rather than treating them as quick-cooking substitutes.
For readers planning a meal, the practical point is to weigh price, availability and cooking time. Oxtail may suit a stew when its cost is manageable, while beef neck offers another option to ask a butcher about. The source does not establish that either cut is cheaper or better than chuck in every recipe.
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The Kitchn’s Alexandra Foster interviewed Samuelsson while visiting Autentico in Aruba, a festival celebrating the island’s culinary culture. Samuelsson appeared as a guest chef and prepared dishes including smoked oxtail with fries and jerk goat with plantain puree. He said he worked with local chefs and drew inspiration from the island’s ingredients and traditions.
Samuelsson has Ethiopian and Swedish roots and described his approach as blending influences from different places. In the same interview, he mentioned berbere, teff flour and fermented Ethiopian honey as ingredients he keeps in his pantry. The Kitchn also connected his comments to his cookbook Back to Green: Rediscovering a World of Delicious, Healthy Eating; that broader cookbook discussion is separate from the specific stew advice.
“Oxtail is amazing to make beef stew because it gets really tender.”
— Marcus Samuelsson, speaking to The Kitchn
What the Interview Does Not Compare
The interview does not provide tested cooking times, temperatures or a recipe for either cut, nor does it compare their tenderness with chuck roast under the same conditions. It also does not specify whether Samuelsson recommends trimming or preparing the cuts in a particular way.
The stated oxtail price range is not tied to a particular shop, location or date, and the article gives no price for beef neck. Availability and cost can vary. The recommendation should be understood as Samuelsson’s personal cooking advice, not a guarantee that every cut or stew method will produce the same result.
How Cooks Can Apply the Tip
The report does not announce a follow-up event or new development. For a meal, readers can ask a butcher whether oxtail or beef neck is available, compare the price with chuck, and plan a long, low-heat cook based on a reliable recipe. Samuelsson’s interview suggests berbere as one seasoning option, while leaving room for other ingredients.
Any further practical details—such as an exact recipe, cooking duration or a direct cut-by-cut comparison—would need to come from a separate tested recipe or additional guidance. The Kitchn report itself presents the interview as culinary advice rather than a formal cooking trial.
Key Questions
Which cuts does Marcus Samuelsson recommend for beef stew?
He recommends oxtail and beef neck as alternatives to chuck roast. The suggestions come from his interview with The Kitchn.
How does Samuelsson say these cuts should be cooked?
He recommends cooking them low and slow so they become tender. The interview does not give a specific temperature or cooking time.
Why does he like oxtail for stew?
Samuelsson says oxtail gets tender and flavorful with extended cooking. He also describes its texture as rich and soft.
What seasoning does Samuelsson favor?
He names berbere, an Ethiopian spice blend, as a go-to. He says it can add depth to slow-cooked meats and compares its flavor profile to smoked paprika.
Is oxtail less expensive than chuck roast?
The report does not compare oxtail and chuck prices. It lists oxtail at about $8 to $18 per pound and notes that it can be costly; local prices and beef-neck costs are not provided.
Source: thekitchn.com
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