Lengua Tacos Recipes

TACOS DE LENGUE CON "QUESEAUX"

Steps:

• Add the tongue, garlic, onion, beef broth, chipotles in adobo and salt to a stovetop pressure cooker. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for locking on the pressure cooker lid set over high heat. Pressure cook at high pressure for 30 minutes. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for quick-releasing the pressure, then unlock the lid and use tongs to remove the tongue, reserving the cooking liquid. Allow the tongue to cool to the touch, running under cool water in a colander. Use your fingers or a paring knife to trim away the skin. Cube the meat and season with kosher salt. Put a 12-inch cast-iron pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. Heat until hot, then add the seasoned tongue and sear until evenly browned, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, blend the cooking liquid with the xanthan gum, creating your "queseaux."
• Build your tacos: tortillas, seared tongue, diced onion and cilantro. Serve alongside the lime wedges, "queseaux" and salsa.

LENGUA (BEEF TONGUE)

Steps:

• Place the tongue, half of the chopped onion, garlic cloves, 3 tablespoons salt, and 1 jalapeno pepper into a large pot. Fill with water to cover the tongue by several inches, then bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until very tender, 3 to 4 hours. Remove the tongue from the water and allow to cool. Reserve the liquid. Once the tongue has cooled, peel off the tough outer skin, then shred the meat using two forks.
• Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the whole tomatoes and 2 jalapeno peppers; boil until the vegetables are tender. Place the vegetables into a blender, and puree until smooth. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and cook until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Once the onion has softened, stir in the shredded beef tongue and tomato salsa. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, then pour in 2 cups of the reserved cooking liquid. Cook and stir until the liquid has evaporated, leaving moist, flavorful meat, about 20 minutes.

LENGUA TACOS

Steps:

• Fill a large (12-quart if you have one) stock pot two-thirds full with water. Add the tongue, onions, crushed garlic cloves, bay leaves, peppercorns, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 3 hours, until the tongue is soft to the touch and tender.
• Remove tongue from water and let cool for a couple of minutes. Notice the light colored skin-like covering over most of the tongue. Using your fingers, and/or a sharp small knife, remove this covering and discard. Notice the rough patch of meat where the tongue would attach to the bottom of the mouth. Arturo removes this patch (as does his mother when she prepares tongue) because it is a little rough. It's perfectly edible though, so keep it attached if you want.
• Slice the tongue in 1/4-inch slices. (If you are not preparing the whole tongue for tacos, you can return whatever tongue you do not slice to the cooking water to soak.) Heat a little oil in a frying pan on medium high and sauté the slices on both sides until they are lightly browned. Remove from pan and slice first into strips, then crosswise again so that you end up with small cubes.
• Soften tortillas either by cooking on the stove-top until pockets of air appear in them, or in the microwave (about 10 seconds per tortilla). Place a large spoonful of meat in the center of a tortilla. Add a spoonful of salsa verde and some chopped avocado, chopped fresh cilantro.

DELICIOUS BEEF TONGUE TACOS

Steps:

• Place the beef tongue in a slow cooker and cover with water. Add the onion slices, garlic, and bay leaf. Season with salt. Cover and cook on Low overnight or 8 hours. Remove the tongue and shred the meat into strands.
• Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the tomatoes and peppers in the hot oil until softened on all sides. Remove the tomatoes and peppers in a blender, keeping the oil on the heat; season with salt. Blend briefly until still slightly chunky. Cook the diced onion in the skillet until translucent; stir in the tomato mixture. Cook another 5 to 6 minutes. Build the tacos by placing shredded tongue meat into a tortilla and spooning salsa over the meat.