Tongue Tacos

 

 

This recipe demonstrates that healthy eating can be simple and fun, organ meats need not be intimidating, and teaching children the value of nutritious, nose-to-tail eating can be fun and valuable family activity.

 

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Tongue Tacos


  • Author: Jill Baker
  • Yield: 12 Soft Tacos, plus leftover tongue 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale

For Preparing The Tongue
1 Beef Tongue, about 2lbs.

1 Large White Onion, cut into wedges

10 Cloves of Garlic, smashed with the side of a knife

2 tsp. Dried Oregano Leaves

2 Tbsp. Ghee or Unsalted Grass-fed Butter

Fine Sea Salt and Ground Black Pepper

For The Pickled Onions & Radishes
2 Bunches Radishes, thinly sliced

1 White Onion, thinly sliced

3/4 c. Apple Cider Vinegar

2 Tbsp. Honey, preferably raw

4 tsp. Fine Sea Salt

1 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes

For Serving
12 (6-inch) Tortillas

6 c. Shredded Lettuce

6 oz. Cotija Cheese, or cheese of choice, crumbled or shredded

3 Hass Avocados, sliced

3 Limes, cut into wedges


Instructions

To Prepare the Pickled Radishes & Onions
Put all the ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well. Let sit on the counter for at least 1 hour before serving

To Prepare the Tongue
1) Put the onion wedges, garlic, tongue, and oregano in a 6-quart slow cooker and cover with boiling water. Set the slow cooker to low and cook until the tongue is tender and easily pierced with a fork, 6 to 8 hours.

2) Remove the tongue from the slow cooker and let cool for about 15 minutes, until cool enough to handle.

3) When the tongue is cool to the touch, use a sharp knife to make a slice across the base of the tongue (the wider end) then peel off the thick outer layer of skin. Cut the tongue into 1/2-ince dice.

4) Heat the ghee in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tongue and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until browned and nicely seared.

To Assemble
Divide the diced tongue among the tortillas and top with the pickled radishes and onions, shredded lettuce, cheese, and avocado. Serve with lime wedges and enjoy!

Notes

Both the tongue and pickled radishes & onions will keep in the fridge for up to a week.

Recipe is an excerpt from It Takes Guts by Ashleigh Vanhoute and can be purchased here.

 

 

Smoked Beef Tongue

 

 

Many people don’t like tongue because of the texture, but cooking it like this solves the problem. It’s a perfect recipe that makes the tongue tender and delicious!

 

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Smoked Beef Tongue


  • Author: Jill Baker
  • Yield: 1 tongue 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 Fresh Beef Tongue, about 3 lbs.

For The Cure
2 c. Kosher Salt
1 c. Sugar
2 Tbsp. Coriander
2 Tbsp. Whole Black Peppercorns
2 tsp. Chili Flakes
2 Tbsp. Fennel Seed
1 tsp. Caraway

Smoking Chips

2 c. Mirepoix; two parts onion, one part celery, one part carrot


Instructions

  1. Using a jaccard (meat tenderizer) punch the whole tongue evenly about 20 times.
  2. Rub the tongue in the cure mix and refrigerate it for 48 hours.
  3. Set the chips on fire using one pan, then smother the fire with a small amount of water. Transfer the smoldering chips to the bottom half of a two-part perforated/nonperforated pan.
  4. Put the tongue in the top, then cover it tightly with tin foil. Poke 1 or 2 small holes in tin foil for smoke to escape.
  5. Cold smoke for 1 hour.
  6. Place the tongue in a stockpot and cover with 1 inch of water. Add mirepoix. Bring to a boil, then turn down to just above simmer and cook 2 hours.
  7. Remove the tongue and cool it in an ice bath. When it’s cool enough to handle, peel off the outer skin. Wrap the tongue in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.
  8. When ready to serve the tongue, slice it thin like deli meat for sandwiches or cut thick slices and grill.

Notes

This also works nicely warmed up with chick stock and served with lentils.

Great served with Salsa Verde, found here.

Information contained within is an excerpt from The New Charcuterie Cookbook by Jamie Bissonnette. Purchase the book here.

Tongue and Beets

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Tongue and Beets


  • Author: Jill Baker
  • Yield: Serves 6

Description

To prepare the tongue see this recipe.


Ingredients

Units Scale

4 lbs. Fresh Beets, whole with skin on

2 c. Water

2 Splashes of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

A Splash of Balsamic Vinegar

1 Cold Cooked Tongue (thinly sliced)

Horseradish Sauce (see recipe here)


Instructions

In a deep roasting pan, place beets, water, a splash of olive oil, salt and pepper. Cover with foil (or lid) and place in a preheated 450° F oven for approx. 45 minutes.

Check beets for doneness, peel while hot, and cut into chunks.

Dress the beets with oil, balsamic, salt, and pepper.

Serve atop thin slices of cold tongue and a side of horseradish sauce.

Notes

This excerpt is taken from The Whole Beast by Fergus Henderson, purchase the book here.

Keywords: organs, tongue, beets

Boiled Ox Tongue

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Boiled Ox Tongue


  • Author: Jill Baker
  • Yield: Easily Feed 6

Description

You can salt the tongue yourself in a brine (see recipe here) l keep the tongue in it for 7 days. You can use this method for other animal tongues, like veal, pork or lamb.


Ingredients

Scale

1 Brined Ox Tongue, rinsed

2 Carrots, peeled

2 Leeks, cleaned

2 Onions, peeled

1 Head of Garlic, skin on

10 Black Peppercorns

2 Stalks of Celery

A Bunch of Fresh Herbs, tied together


Instructions

Cover all the ingredients with water in a pot, bring to gentle boil, then reduce to the calmest of simmers. Cook for 3 1/2 hours.

Once cooked, remove from pot and peel the tongue while it’s still warm. Note that some tongues may need additional cleaning as it can have bones (the end that meets the throat.) Some tongues even have the sweetbread attached, this is a gloriously added benefit and can be used elsewhere (like here.)

Tongue is a very dexterous element in a dish, and has many friends: serve it hot or cold, broiled or fried, in a sandwich with English mustard and tomato, with a caper sauce, or with Horseradish or Green Sauce, and it is particularly good with beets (see recipe here).

Notes

This excerpt is taken from The Whole Beast by Fergus Henderson, purchase the book here.

Keywords: organ, tongue, beef, pork, lamb, veal, ox

Tongue Confit

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Tongue Confit


  • Author: Jill Baker
  • Yield: 2 1/2 pounds 1x

Description

Beef or pork tongue has long been an unused or underused organ as of late! It is very mild so usually it’s best smoked just to add flavor to it, but this recipe will do the trick in the flavor profile as well.

Utilizing the method of confiting it is the best way to ensure a longer shelve life in your fridge (as long as it stays submerged in the fat.)

Once the tongue is prepared, use it on a sandwich, for your meat pies, in tacos, or even on it’s own on a charcuterie board served at room temperature! The possibilities with this dish is endless!


Ingredients

Units Scale

1 1/2 quarts (1.5 liters) Lard; rendered duck fat or even vegetable oil will do
3 lbs. (1.5 kilograms) Smoked Beef or Pork Tongue
20 Whole Black Peppercorns
6 Juniper Berries
4 Whole Cloves
3 Bay Leaves


Instructions

Preparing the Tongue:
1. Choose a pot or dutch oven in which the tongue will fit snugly; ideally this should be a taller but shorter width pot.
2. Preheat oven to 200 degrees (F) (preferably 180 (F) if your oven goes that low, but 200 (F) will work just fine)
3. Melt fat over medium heat and add in the tongue and seasonings. Ensure the tongue is completely submerged, if it isn’t, add more fat.
4. Bring dish up to 180 degrees (F) and transfer to the oven, uncovered.
5. Cook the tongue until completely tender, usually 4-5 hours.

To Use Immediately:
1. Allow dish to cool but is still warm.
2. Remove tongue from the fat and peel the skin off.
3. Slice thin and serve

To store (if not serving immediately):
1. Allow tongue and fat to cool completely. Do not peel the tongue if storing.
2. Place in an air-tight container and place in your refrigerator.

**Ensure the tongue is FULLY submerged in the fat in order for it to keep for longer than a week (can store up to 6 months in the fridge as long as it stays fully submerged in the fat.)**

Notes

Always peel the tongue (best to do while it is still warm) before serving. Leave unpeeled if storing long term.

Excerpt taken from Pâté, Confit, Rillette, Brian Polcyn with Michael Ruhlman

To purchase the book, visit: click here

Keywords: Organs, Tongue, Confit, Fat, Preserving, Lard, Pork, Beef