StovetopMexican
Lengua tacos
One tongue. Simmer until a probe slides, peel the skin, then a hard sear. This is the whole animal, not a novelty.
Made it?
4 hr · 30 min hands-on · pull 195°F · rest 15 min
Ingredients
2 lb on the fire · ~1.4 lb to the table · 3 plates at 8 oz
- beef tongue, 3–4 lb1 (2 lb)
- onion, halved1
- garlic cloves6
- bay leaves2
- kosher salt1 tbsp
- peppercorns1 tsp
- oil or tallow2 tbsp
- for servingcorn tortillas, onion, cilantro, salsa
Method
- 1
Cover the tongue with water. Onion, garlic, bay, salt, peppercorns. Simmer gently 3–3½ hours until a probe slides through the thick end.
- 2
Rest until you can handle it. Peel the skin while warm — it should pull. Trim the gristly base.
- 3
Slice ½-inch. Sear in a ripping pan with oil until browned on both sides.
- 4
Chop, salsa, onion, cilantro, warm tortillas. Salt at the table.
If you don’t have it
- Beef tongue → Veal tongue. Smaller, faster simmer. Same peel and sear.
- Corn tortillas → A crusty roll. Torta, not taco. Same meat.
Same cook, different day
Salsa verde
You want a wet taco. Simmer the chopped lengua in salsa for 5 minutes after the sear.
Chilled slices
A cold plate. Skip the sear. Slice thin, vinaigrette, onion.
On the plate
With this, try
- With this dish, try making quick pickled onions.
In the morning, or while the meat is on. Thin red onion, hot vinegar, a pinch of sugar and salt. They pink up as they sit.
15 min
- With this dish, try making black beans.
Every bowl, every taco night. Onion in oil, beans and some of their liquid, cumin, salt. 10 minutes.
20 min
- With this dish, try making pico de gallo.
While the meat rests. Only with a tomato that tastes like one. Dice small, salt, lime. 10 minutes so it weeps a dressing.
15 min