Beef Tongue

[Teenytoona]

hit me with your favorite beef tongue recipes please!!

DH used to get Torta Lingua all the time when we lived in Vegas, and I'm thinking there's got to be a way to make it so it's shreddable and perhaps tortilla fillable. Crockpot maybe? Something with lots of flavor so the kids won't pay attention to anything wierd about it.

I've got about 1.5 tongues, and I really ought to use it all.

[cristeen]

Here's the thing about tongue... in order for it to be "shreddable", the texture turns to mush. That's the way I grew up with it (in the crockpot) and I hate it. But, I love it if it's cooked below the "mush point".

So this is how I cook tongue: Drop it in a pot of water to cover with a handful of peppercorns and a couple bay leaves. Cover, bring to a boil. Turn heat down to a simmer and cook 2 hours. If you want it to be mush, cook it 3-4 hours. Then I pull it out of the water, dump it in a bowl and pop it in the fridge to chill. Once it's cold, peel it and cube it. Boil some potatoes to done but not mushy, chill them also, then cube them (same size). Toss roughly equal amounts of potatoes and meat into a hot cast iron pan with plenty of fat, add plenty of salt and pepper. Get a nice crust on before turning (with a spatula - don't use a spoon), get some more crust on.

I'll eat this out of a bowl with some cilantro mayo as a sauce. Or I'll stuff it in tortillas to make tacos with some salsa. This is how my fave taco truck makes the tongue for their tacos lengua (he taught me how). You can also slice instead of cube and put a hard sear on the slices - not good for tacos, but good for a dinner plate.

And really, there's nothing weird about it cooked this way. It tastes like meat, and it doesn't have an odd texture because the crust you put on it changes the texture. Just don't let them see it before it's chopped up or you'll gross them out.

[Teenytoona]

Awesome! I was hoping to get a good tried and true recipe. I"ve seen alot online, but who knows how good they are.

Thank you!

[Teenytoona]

They. Loved. It. I was told to definitely make it again. Even DSD, my pickiest eater, loved it. Didn't even flinch when we told them afterward it was tongue! Woohoo!

[cristeen]

Excellent! I'm so glad to hear it! It really is an excellent piece of meat - when it's cooked right. I'm so glad I asked the taco truck guy how to cook it - we've been eating it at least once a month ever since (my butcher has trouble selling them other than to me).

[Koalamom]

I have been freaking out thinking about using tongue but I can get local grass fed tongue. Is it any extra healthy for you like liver?

[debmom]

We make taco meat with tongue.The main thing is to cook it initially,dump the water,and get that skin off.(I think it takes 2-3 hr.s for that step)Then you shred the tongue in a seperate pan.Use shilling's taco seasoning with it,adding a 1/2 c. water while cooking.When the water is boiled away,it's ready to put on your tacos.If you want it without the seasoning mix,do this:Saute 1/2 onion,2-3 cloves garlic,1/2 teaspoon cumin in a pan with 1" of butter or margarine.When clear,add shredded meat.Add 3-4 tomatillos or tomatoes and cook for about 10 min.s,till the water is absorbed.You won't remember it's humble beginnings at all once you get this mixture on your tacos!It seems gross at first,but try it!It really has a fine flavor!