Beef Tongue
This is probably the one post in this series I have been dreading the most. Beef tongue… I was dreading it because I knew once I started researching I would probably be convinced to actually buy one and cook it up. I’m not sure why I have resisted for so long but after reading and seeing how easy it is to cook a beef tongue I make this promise to you: By the end of 2016 I will buy and cook a beef tongue.
Where does the beef tongue come from
No clever naming, no beating around the bush. The beef tongue is just what it says. It is the tongue of the steer. Knowing that and actually seeing a raw beef tongue is what will turn most people off to this cut of beef.
The beef tongue will generally be about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds or so. If you try to just grab it and take a bite you will regret it. Don’t ask me how I know that. Since it pretty much is always working it is probably the toughest cut of beef you will find. Once cooked properly though the result can be as good as any other cut on the steer.
Beef tongue while being very tough without proper cooking is also one of the fattiest cuts of beef. About 70-75% of beef tongue’s calories come from fat. Like most other organ meats it is more nutrient dense than regular cuts of beef. Beef tongue has high levels of B12, B2, B3, zinc, iron, phosphorous, and selenium.
How to cook a beef tongue
When I started researching beef tongue I was expecting to find some fairly complicated and complex recipes. But what I found was pretty much the opposite. In a nutshell all you need to do is simmer the tongue for about 2-6 hours until tender. It is usually simmered in some sort of broth but you can use water as well. Toss in an onion, some peppercorns, and maybe a bay leaf or two. After it has simmered you need to peel the skin off. Don’t let the tongue cool too much before you try to take off the skin or it will be tough to get it off. Once it is peeled slice it thin, season with salt and pepper and season it or cut it into 1/2 inch cubes and fry it in a couple tablespoons of oil, lard, or beef tallow.
One of the more common dishes using beef tongue will be lengua tacos. Take the cubed cooked meat, throw it on a tortilla with your favorite taco toppings and you have a very authentic Mexican dish. Fresh salsa, cilantro, onions, and queso fresco are traditional but since I hate onions and cilantro I would probably go with a tomatillo salsa or some simple tomatoes and cheese.
Here are a couple quick recipes to get you started:
http://thecuriouscoconut.com/blog/how-to-cook-beef-tongue
http://omnivorescookbook.com/beef-tongue-recipes
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/04/tacos-de-lengua-recipe.html
Tongue sandwiches are also a popular use for beef tongue. The process is somewhat similar. Simmer the tongue with some aromatics and then peel off the skin. Some recipes just slice thin and serve like a cold cut and others fry the slices first. Here are a couple ideas:
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/08/tongue-sandwich-with-tarragon-sauce-recipe.html
http://www.foodrepublic.com/recipes/butcher-recipe-how-to-make-beef-tongue-for-sandwiches/
Many noted steak experts have said beef tongue is among their favorite cuts of beef. In his book Steak: One Man’s Search for the World’s Tastiest Piece of Beef author Mark Schatzker says some Japanese beef tongue one of his favorite pieces of meat he had.
Where to buy beef tongue
Nearly every grocery store I have seen has carried beef tongue at one time or another. I don’t always look for it but most of the time I do look for it I see it in the meat case. It is usually hidden on the top shelf somewhere a bit out of the line of sight so you might have to search a bit for it.
Since there is only one tongue per steer they are not quite as inexpensive as you might think. Beef tongue has a wide price range but $6-8 per pound seems pretty normal.
Have you ever eaten tongue? What did you think about it? Like what you read? Be sure to share it with your friends and come back tomorrow to learn about another cut of beef.
