Recipes For Veal Tongue

Beef tongue is one of the BEST cuts you’ve probably never been game enough to try. Sometimes people are freaked out by the appearance, sometimes it’s because they just have no idea how to cook it. Problem solved, as I come at you with my ultimate beef tongue recipe. PLEASE, trust me on this one. I know some people are totally grossed out by offal or nasty bits of the animal. I myself am not a huge fan of brains, tripe, or anything with a weird texture or flavor. As long as you can get past the visual appearance of tongue, you’ll find it is one of the most sumptuous and rich cut on the steer. If there was ever a time I was going to practically

Tongue is commonly used to make Lengua tacos, where the meat is either cooked down into tender shreds or coarsely chopped before being thrown into a tortilla. And while lengua tacos are completely delicious, I don’t think they showcase the incredible texture the tongue meat has to offer. There’s a lot of fat inside the tongue itself, which bubbles and crisps up when seared. That’s why I employ a poach/sear method for this tongue recipe. I suppose its more accurately a boil than a poach, but the phrase “boiled tongue” does NOT do this justice. I am lucky enough to find whole beef tongue in my local grocery store, but it’s also commonly found at Mexican grocery stores, and there are places online who will ship it right to you.

Now, there is some pretty funky looking skin you will need to peel off the actual tongue meat, and it’s best to do this after it has been poached. It’s much easier to peel this way. You may need a paring knife to help you in spots. Also, there’s a funky bit at the base of the tongue that, while edible, is not the most appealing texture or flavor. It’s basically a huge chunk of what you will be purchasing, but I always trim it off and use it for dog food so it’s not just discarded as waste. It’s much easier to trim once cooked so when you slice the cooked tongue, you will see the portion that needs to be trimmed away. An inverted “V” shaped cut usually is all it takes to trim it away.

Veal Tongue Braised

The tongue meat really shines during the final heat application. The first cooking step is to tenderize the meat, but the second step brings the real magic. As the fat renders out of the tongue, an incredible golden crust forms. This can be done either on a grill or in a pan. The sear will start off slow, but as the fat starts to render the whole cooking process will speed up dramatically.  You’ll have to be quick about turning the pieces frequently so they can color without burning. As long as you know to expect it, you’ll be fine. And the results will absolutely be worth it.

I prefer to use Hardcore Carnivore Meatchelada seasoning for this recipe. It’s a bright but earthy chili lime rub (more flavor than heat) with a vivid all-natural red hue. The flavor profile fits this recipe really nicely, and the zing of lime works well with the richness of the meat. If you don’t want to use this seasoning (why tho?!) you can just season with salt.

Also for the record, if you wanted to put these slices in a tortilla and call it a taco, no one will be mad at you.Sous Vide Beef Tongue is melt-in-your-mouth tender! The sous vide water bath transforms this tough cut of beef into moist and juicy beef with a braised texture. Enjoy it with truffle mashed potatoes, serve it cold on a sandwich or shred it for tacos!

Ways To Cook Beef Tongue

If you haven’t tried cooking beef tongue yet, I highly recommend cooking it sous vide style! Slow cooking it in this way is hands off and ensures the meat is ultra tender.

Once cooked, it’s browned in a skillet and then sliced and served with a homemade gravy made from the juices the beef is cooked in.

If you love this cow tongue recipe, you’ll love using the sous vide to cook other traditionally tough cuts of beef, including these sous vide beef cheeks and sous vide oxtails!

Beef Tongue Recipe

Or make an in incredible sandwich with this sous vide roast beef or even try one of these sous vide french dips.

Sous vide is basically a method of cooking using what is called an immersion circulator. This immersion circulator circulates water in a temperature controlled water bath at a certain temperature to perfectly cook your food every time.

Because the temperature doesn't change, and it keeps your meat (or dessert, veggies, etc.) at the same temperature, your risk of overcooking becomes very minimal.

Very Crispy Tongue With Chili Bean Paste And Sichuan Peppercorns Recipe

The displacement method is where you slowly submerge a ziplock bag in water pushing the air out of the top of the bag (the bag should be slightly open at the top to allow air to escape).

Use a clip (I use binder clips) to clip the bag to the side to keep it from floating and getting air and/or water inside.

You will also want to check out these posts on the best sous vide containers and the best sous vide bags for more information!

Venison Tongue Chimichurri

Beef tongue is quite simply a cow’s tongue! Since it’s a well-worked muscle, it tends to be tough so it's best cooked low and slow. That’s why beef tongue recipes often involve boiling or braising.

If you have trouble finding beef tongue at your local grocery store, you can try to special order it or visit your local butcher shop.

You’ll need a 2-3 pound beef tongue for this recipe. If you can’t find one at your local grocery store, check your local butcher shop.

Gyutandon (beef Tongue Rice Bowl)

To season the beef tongue as it cooks, you’ll need butter, white wine, garlic, bay leaf, orange zest, champagne vinegar, brown sugar, mustard, salt and pepper.

I like to use unsalted butter so I can control how salty the beef tongue and gravy turn out. If you only have salted butter, you may wish to reduce the amount of added salt in the recipe.

The main ingredient in the cooking liquid is 1 cup of white wine. I like to use a dry white wine like sauvignon blanc. For the best flavor, I would avoid cooking wines. If you’d like to keep it alcohol free, you can use beef broth like this slow cooker beef bone broth. Just note that it will change the flavor slightly.

Pickled Beef Tongue

You’ll also need 1 tablespoon of champagne vinegar for a hint of tangy flavor. If you don’t have any, you can substitute white wine vinegar.

For a pop of citrusy flavor, the recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of orange zest. You can use a zester or the small holes on a box grater to zest an orange. Make sure you just use the orange zest part of the peel and not the white pith underneath.

A little sweetness is added by using 2 teaspoons of brown sugar. You can substitute with coconut sugar if you prefer, or even granulated sugar in a pinch.

How To Cook Cow Tongue

Heat a skillet over medium high heat and add the oil (I prefer avocado oil). Sear the tongue for 30 seconds per side and remove from heat.

*To make the gravy, simmer the bag sauce and slowly add the cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon water mixed with 1 tablespoon cornstarch) until desired thickness is reached. Add more or less slurry as needed.

The skin is tough so I highly recommend removing it. It’s best to do this after the tongue is cooked as it’s easier to remove.

Savtah's Famous Beef Tongue

I recommend setting the temperature of your sous vide water bath to 158F degrees. After 36 hours of cooking at this temperature, beef tongue will be tender, moist and juicy.

Yes, you can sous vide beef tongue from frozen. And since we’re cooking it over a long period of time, there is no need to add extra time.

You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. I like to freeze the beef tongue and gravy together as it helps prevent the meat from drying out.

Marinated Beef Tongue With Cannellini Hummus And Seasonal Veg

To reheat it, warm the beef and gravy in the microwave or over low heat on the stove top until heated through.

In addition to serving it with gravy (which is a must), you can serve this beef tongue with any dish you would normally serve with beef roast or steak, such as:

Sous Vide Beef Tongue is melt-in-your-mouth tender! The water bath makes this tough cut of beef moist and juicy with a braised-like texture.

Angie's Recipes . Taste Of Home: Slow Cooker Veal Tongue With Bok Choy Pesto

Serving: 4 ounces | Calories: 308 kcal | Carbohydrates: 3 g | Protein: 34 g | Fat: 14 g | Saturated Fat: 5 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6 g | Trans Fat: 0.2 g | Cholesterol: 104 mg | Sodium: 1269 mg | Potassium: 559 mg | Fiber: 0.2 g | Sugar: 2 g | Vitamin A: 121 IU | Vitamin C: 1 mg | Calcium: 40 mg |