Barbacoa Beef Tongue Recipe

As a food blogger, have a lot of pictures stored on my external hard drive waiting to be published. Like these pictures, theyhave been sleeping there for more than 2 years. I went in search of them after reading an article in a cooking forum about how cooking beef tongue is becoming a trend among Chefs in upscale restaurants across America.

I decided it was about time to get them out before this humble low-cost delicacy that is usually eaten in a taco in so many places of my country becomes a forbidden fruit. I mean in case this trend picks up and the price goes up. In Mexico, we also serve them in stews, where the cooked meat is sliced and then slowly simmered with different types of sauces. But that is another story. This recipe is super easy, no rocket science here.

This recipe is using the Crockpot; it is a good idea to do it overnight and have your barbacoa ready for breakfast, especially on Sundays, like we do in northern Mexico.

Beef Tongue Barbacoa

If you do not have a crockpot, cook in a large pot on your stove for about 2 ½ to 3 hours. This will depend also on the size of the beef tongue. A faster way will be using the pressure cooker and cook for 30 minutes after the valve starts whistling.

If you have never tried Beef tongue, this is the easy way to go. The texture is soft that almost melts in your mouth. The leftovers if any, are great for sandwiches, flautas, scramble with eggs, etc. It also freezes well.

1. Rinse the beef tongue with water and place in your crockpot, add onion, garlic, bay leaf, salt, and water. Cover and set the crockpot on low for 8 hours. Cook until tender. If after 8 hours the meat is not tender enough to shred cook a little bit longer. Not all Crockpots work alike.

Easy Paleo Beef Tongue Barbacoa Tacos

2. Remove the Beef tongue from the crockpot and place in a large dish, remove the skin using a knife to make a cut at first and discard. Trim off any fatty tissue at the bottom end. As you can see from the pictures above it is mostly meat.

3. Shred the meat using 2 forks and place in a serving bowl with some of the cooking broth that has already been decreased and strained.

The way we serve it at home is buffet style with the tortillas, chopped onion, cilantro, salsa, some lime wedges, and salt. Let everyone prepare their own tacos.

Beef Tacos De Lengua (beef Tongue Tacos) Recipe

These lengua tacos prove how delicious beef tongue can be! The meat is tender and covered in an incredible green sauce. Tastes delicious in some homemade corn tortillas!

Serving: 4 OZ Calories: 243 kcal Carbohydrates: 1 g Protein: 23 g Fat: 16 g Saturated Fat: 7 g Cholesterol: 69 mg Sodium: 59 mg Potassium: 325 mg Vitamin A: 15 IU Vitamin C: 1.5 mg Calcium: 13 mg Iron: 2 mgBarbacoa de Lengua, or Beef Tongue Barbacoa, is a traditional Mexican dish that showcases the art of slow cooking and the ability to transform an often overlooked cut of meat into a tender and succulent delicacy. This mouthwatering dish, steeped in rich flavors and cultural significance, offers a unique and unforgettable dining experience.

Barbacoa is a traditional cooking method in Mexico that involves slow-cooking meat in a pit or steaming it in a covered pot, resulting in tender and flavorful meat. Lengua, or beef tongue, is a prized ingredient in Mexican cuisine due to its rich flavor and unique texture. Barbacoa de Lengua is a classic variation that elevates beef tongue to new heights, showcasing its versatility and culinary potential.

Beef Barbacoa {multiple Cooking Options}

Growing up, I used to help my father prepare the barbacoa. We lived on a ranch and the traditional way was to get a cow head and wrap it in maguey leaves and then place the head in a pozo “hole” in the ground that was filled with red hot stones. Once the head was placed inside, it was covered with a burlap blanket and covered with dirt and left overnight. It was a big affair and was one of my fondest memories of making a traditional breakfast.

Living in Austin, Texas, I could not really duplicate what we used to do on the ranch so I developed an easy to use alternative.

Barbacoa can be made of beef, lamb or mutton but my recipe uses beef tongue. It’s delicious and even better if you also serve it along with Mexican menudo but that is a different story!

Tacos De Lengua~beef Tongue Tacos

I almost always prepare it on a Saturday night, and then have the family over Sunday morning to keep our tradition of the Sunday morning breakfasts. Usually my wife will make a double batch of homemade flour tortillas Saturday night so that we can cook them fresh while i’m getting the barbacoa ready in the morning. Enjoy!

Our Barbacoa Tacos are a mouthwatering delight, featuring tender, slow-cooked beef barbacoa served in warm tortillas and topped with fresh garnishes for a truly authentic Mexican taco experience.

Calories: 30 kcal Fat: 2 g Saturated Fat: 1 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1 g Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g Trans Fat: 0.1 g Cholesterol: 14 mg Sodium: 7 mg

How To Prepare Beef Tongue

Barbacoa is a traditional Mexican dish made primarily from slow-cooked, tender meat. The most common meats used for Barbacoa are beef (usually cheek or head meat), lamb, or goat. These meats are typically slow-cooked in their own juices until they become incredibly tender and flavorful.

Barbacoa is traditionally prepared by wrapping the meat tightly in banana or agave leaves (or foil if not available) and slow-cooked in an underground pit or a covered container (oven or grill if not available) for several hours. The slow cooking process allows the meat to become incredibly tender.