Beef Tongue

Wonderfully tender with a mild flavor and incredibly easy to prepare. 

Very popular in Central and South American cultures.  Simmer until fork tender then either slice or shred.  Tongue has an incredibly mild flavor, similar to roast beef.  The most traditional recipe is Tacos De Lengua.

Try this link for Smoked Beef Tongue , or use the recipes below for Slow Cooked Beef Tongue Tacos.

Crispy Beef Tongue

Ingredients

1 Beef Tongue

8 garlic cloves

1/2 onion

1 orange

2 tablespoons kosher salt

3 tablespoons Magic Dust BBQ Dry Rub seasoning

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil on the stove.
2. Smash the garlic cloves with the side of a knife to release the flavor and aroma. Add smashed cloves, salt and the whole half of an onion to the water. Peel the orange and add the peel to the water, then squeeze in the juice.
3. Slowly add the beef tongue to the boiling water. Cover the pot and simmer for 4-5 hours. The beef tongue is ready when a knife is easily inserted into the middle of the flesh with little resistance.  (For a faster option, cook on high pressure in an instant-pot for 75 minutes with a 20 minutes cool down)
4. Remove the tongue from the pot and discard the water. Allow the tongue to cool 10-15 minutes before handling.
5. Peel the skin away, if necessary using a small knife to remove any stubborn bits. Discard the tongue skin.
6. Slice the tongue into 1/4″ slices, and cut away a wedge of the darker “under tongue” section. Season the slices well on both sides with dry rub seasoning.
7. Heat a grill for high heat grilling, about 500f. Alternatively, you can also do this sear step in a skillet on the stove.
8. Grill the tongue pieces, flipping frequently. The tongue is already cooked at this stage, you are just looking to develop a seared crust on the outside. As the fat begins to render the caramelization will speed up, so be careful of flare ups.
9. Once the desired color is achieved, removed from the grill and serve immediately.

Slow-Cooked Beef Tongue Tacos

Ingredients

1 Beef Tongue
1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
2 large carrots, roughly chopped
2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 jalapeño or other chili, chopped
1 lemon (peeled, use only the peel)
2 bay leaves
1 Tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp pepper
6 cups water

Instructions

1. Combine all the ingredients in a slow cooker.
2. Cook for 10-12 hours. The tongue should be easily pierced with a pairing knife when it’s done.
3. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
4. When the tongue is cool enough to handle peel off the rough outer tongue skin. Get it started using a knife, and from there, it should come away from the meat easily. Trim some of the fat from the underside of the tongue as well.
5. Finally, I slice or cube the meat and sear it in a smoking hot cast iron pan. As long as you don’t over crowd the pan, you’ll end up with crispy tender juicy nuggets.

Serve meat in tacos–add avocado, red cabbage, pickled onions, or anything else that speaks to you.