Beef Tongue Tacos (Beef Tacos de Lengua)
Ingredients
- 1 Beef Tongue
- 1 Onion, roughly chopped
- 5 cloves Garlic, peeled and crushed
- 3 Tbsp Salt
- 1 Tbsp Black Peppercorn
- 1 Jalapeno Pepper, stemmed (optional)
- 2-3 Bay Leaves
Tacos
- Corn Tortillas
- Onion, chopped
- Avocado
- Cilantro
Instructions
- Place the whole tongue in a stock pot (or you may use a slow cooker and adjust your cooking time as needed). Fill the pot approximately two-thirds full of cold water so that there is enough water to cover the tongue. Add the onions, garlic, salt, peppercorn, bay leaves and jalapeno pepper to the large pot. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then reduce to medium heat and a gentle simmer. Cover with a tight fitting lid and simmer for about 4 hours until the tongue is completely tender and soft. Check the water about halfway through and add more hot water if needed to keep the tongue mostly covered.
- Remove the tongue from the broth, place on a cutting board, and allow it to cool. Peel off the tough outer membrane skin by using your fingers or a small sharp knife. The tongue is easier to peel if it is still warm or hot, but use caution and be careful that you don’t burn yourself! Remove the rough patch of meat on the bottom part of the tongue where the tongue connects to the mouth.
- Slice the tongue in approximately 1/4 inch slices, and then dice into small pieces — about 1/4-inch dice.
- Heat vegetable oil in large skillet or cast iron skillet on medium-high hea until shimmering. Add the tongue pieces, and saute the tongue slices until they are lightly browned on all sides, approximately 5 minutes total. Season with salt and pepper as desired.
- Remove from skillet and assemble the lengua tacos. Place a large spoonful of tender meat in a warm tortilla (corn tortilla or flour tortillas). If using store-bought corn tortillas, we recommend wrapping in a double layer of corn tortilla. Add other desired toppings as desired like avocado, white onion, fresh cilantro, fresh pico, and fresh salsa verde. If desired, add a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
- Enjoy!