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cooked beef tongue served
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5 from 17 votes

Beef Tongue Recipe

Follow these simple steps on how to cook beef tongue, they will result in a leftover and juicy cut of meat. Try it out!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Resting Time10 minutes
Total Time1 hour 25 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Latin
Servings: 10 servings

Equipment

  • a chopping board
  • a knife
  • an instant pot or a dutch oven or a big pot or a slow cooker

Ingredients

  • 1 or 2 beef tongue (2-3 pounds each)
  • ½ yellow onion chopped in quarters
  • 1 carrot chopped in quarters
  • 3 culantro leaves
  • 2.5 teaspoons salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

Prep

  • Clean your beef tongue by running it under cold water until there is no slimy feeling to it, and there is no more blood until the water runs clear. You can also use a vegetable brush to scrub it clean.
  • Remove any visible excess fat you find on it, using a small knife.

Pressure Cooker Instructions

  • Add all your ingredients to your instant pot. Make sure to cover the tongue or tongues with liquid. To ensure even cooking. Cover and set to sealing.
  • Cook for 40 to 50 minutes. Depending on the tongue weight, you can use an estimate of 15 minutes per pound.
  • Once it’s done, let it rest for 10 minutes before releasing the remaining pressure. To verify that the tongue is cooked, insert a knife or a fork into it, and it should have little to no resistance. If it is still tough, you would need to cook it for a few minutes. Try 10 minutes increments.
  • Remove the beef tongue and set it aside to cool before you can peel it (approximately 10 mins). Once it is cool to the touch, you should remove the tough skin from it.
  • Now, you can cut it any way you want, lengthwise, or you can also cut it into cubes. And it is ready to be prepared as you like. The result would be a tender and tasty cut of meat. Perfect for any meal.

Stove Top Instructions

  • Add all your ingredients to your big pot or dutch oven. Make sure to cover the tongue or tongues with liquid to ensure even cooking. If not, the tough skin will not be loose enough once cooked.
  • Cook for 3 hours, monitoring that the liquid is always covering the tongue. To verify that the tongue is cooked, insert a knife or a fork into it, and it should have little to no resistance. If it is still tough, you would need to cook it for a few minutes. Try cooking for 15 minutes increments.
  • Remove the beef tongue and set it aside to cool before you can peel it (approximately 10 mins). Once it is cool to the touch, you should remove the tough skin from it.
  • Now, you can cut it any way you want, lengthwise, or you can also cut it into cubes. And it is ready to be prepared as you like. The result would be a tender and tasty cut of meat. Perfect for any meal.

Slow Cooker Instructions

  • Add all your ingredients to your slow cooker or crockpot. Make sure to cover the tongue or tongues with liquid to ensure even cooking. If not, the tough skin will not be loose enough once cooked.
  • Cook on LOW for 8-10 hours. You can always prepare it before you go to bed, and in the morning, it will be ready to peel and prepare as you prefer. To verify that the tongue is cooked, insert a knife or a fork into it, and it should have little to no resistance.
  • Remove the beef tongue and set it aside to cool before you can peel it (approximately 10 mins). Once it is cool to the touch, you should remove the tough skin from it.
  • Now, you can cut it any way you want, lengthwise, or you can also cut it into cubes. And it is ready to be prepared as you like. The result would be a tender and tasty cut of meat. Perfect for any meal.

Video

Notes

Tips on cooking the beef tongue

  • You could add any type of aromatic or herbs to the stock to cook it. If you have celery ribs, or bay leaves you can also add it.
  • You could also use the stock that remains from the cooking process to make soup or use it to make a sauce. You would need to remove or strain the liquid. Note: the broth will have a lot of fat since the tongue has a high-fat content. You can freeze it and remove the fat once it solidifies.
  • You can cook two at the same time. Just make sure the tongues are about the same weight to avoid one cooking faster than the other.
  • Storage: Once it´s cold, you can keep it in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
  • Freeze: Once it´s cool, add it to a freezer bag or an airtight container. Seal it to avoid freezer burn. You can keep it for up to 3 months. To enjoy, just thaw in the refrigerator the night before and follow the reheating instructions. 
  • Reheat: You can reheat them in a skillet, use the microwave, and even the air fryer. 
  • Suggested Servings: Depending on how you would like to prepare it, there are different ways to serve it.
    • If you are making tacos, use corn or flour tortillas, salsa verde, and onion.
    • If you are making a stew or with sauce, serve it with white rice, green salad, and fried plantains or caramelized plantains. You can also serve it with mashed potatoes, patacones, or even cauliflower rice if you are going for a low carb option. You could pair it the same way you pair any beef you make.
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