{"id":5135,"date":"2024-10-07T12:00:53","date_gmt":"2024-10-07T17:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.clovermeadowsbeef.com\/?p=5135"},"modified":"2025-04-24T14:43:23","modified_gmt":"2025-04-24T19:43:23","slug":"beef-tongue-tacos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.clovermeadowsbeef.com\/beef-tongue-tacos\/","title":{"rendered":"Easy Beef Tongue Tacos Recipe (Beef Tacos de Lengua)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Beef Tongue is a cut of beef many people aren’t willing to try, and they’re missing out! Cooking beef tongue is easy to do, and it is incredibly flavorful and tender when prepared correctly. This beef tongue tacos recipe is similar to something you would find at traditional Mexican restaurants. If you’re feeling adventurous or you enjoy authentic Mexican cuisine, this recipe is for you.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What do you think of when you hear the phrase beef tongue? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you think of a cut of beef that you want to cook and eat? Or, does it make you squeamish? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whenever we\u00a0sell<\/a>\u00a0a quarter, half or whole beef, we ask customers if they want any of the offal organ meats (also known as the \u201cone-per-cow parts\u201d) \u00a0like cow tongue, heart, liver or kidney. Many say \u201cyes\u201d and then they quickly ask, \u201cbut how do you cook it?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That’s where this recipe comes in. There are some very popular dishes featuring cow tongue. Two of the most popular on our site are\u00a0pickled beef tongue<\/a>\u00a0and this Beef Tacos de Lengua recipe.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n[feast_advanced_jump_to]\n\n\n

Lengua Tacos is a traditional Mexican dish where the meat is cooked until tender, and then shredded or coarsely chopped before being added to warm corn tortillas. \u00a0When it\u2019s cooked properly, the result is tender meat with rich beefy flavor and tender texture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

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What does raw cow tongue look like? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you are purchasing tongue from your local grocery store, you’ll know immediately that it is a tongue. It looks like a tongue, even with taste buds! The skin color of a cow\u2019s tongue is based upon a cow\u2019s breed.  Angus cattle have black tongues. Comparatively, Holstein cattle (dairy cattle) possess a gene that causes white patches in the coat and pink colored tongues. We\u2019re an Angus-based farm, so our cattle have black tongues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How to cook beef tongue<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The most important thing to keep in mind when cooking cow tongue is that it\u2019s a well-used muscle. \u00a0As we\u2019ve discussed in other post about\u00a0cuts of beef<\/a>, well-used muscles on beef cattle are tough cuts of meat, but they\u2019re very flavorful. \u00a0As a tough cut, the tongue must be slowly braised over low heat for several hours for the tongue meat to be tender.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 1: Braise the Tongue<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If this is your first time preparing tongue, it’s important to know that the tender meat is underneath the rough outer layer or skin of the tongue. To get to the tender meat beneath the skin, you must braise the tongue first.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Place the whole tongue in a stock pot (or you may use a slow cooker and adjust your cooking time as needed). Fill the pot approximately two-thirds full of cold water so that there is enough water to cover the tongue. \u00a0Add the onions, garlic, salt, peppercorn, bay leaves and jalapeno pepper to the large pot. \u00a0Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then reduce to medium heat and a gentle simmer. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for about 4 hours until the tongue is completely tender and soft. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check the water about halfway through and add more hot water if needed to keep the tongue mostly covered.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Step 2: Remove tough outer skin<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Then, remove the tongue from the broth, place on a cutting board, and allow it to cool. Next, peel off the tough outer membrane skin by using your fingers or a small sharp knife. The tongue is easier to peel if it is still warm or hot, but use caution and be careful that you don’t burn yourself! To me, this process is like peeling an orange because the outer skin of this cut of meat has a thick texture. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once peeled, you can also remove the rough patch of meat on the bottom part of the tongue where the tongue connects to the mouth.  This part is edible, but it has a different texture and tends to be harder and greasy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 3: Slice and saut\u00e9<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Slice the tongue in approximately 1\/4-inch slices, and then dice into small pieces — about 1\/4-inch dice.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When ready, heat a little oil in a large skillet or cast iron skillet over medium high heat until shimmering. \u00a0Add the tongue pieces and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tongue is lightly browned on all sides, approximately 5 minutes total. \u00a0Season with salt and black pepper as desired. This browning step is key to this taco recipe.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u200bStep 4: Assemble the tacos<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Assemble the lengua tacos by placing a large spoonful of tender meat in a warm tortilla (corn tortilla or flour tortillas). If using store-bought corn tortillas, we recommend wrapping in a double layer of corn tortilla. \u00a0Add other desired toppings as desired like avocado, white onion, fresh cilantro, fresh pico, and fresh salsa verde. \u00a0If desired, add a squeeze of fresh lime juice.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Leftovers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

These tacos are so good that it’s unlikely you’ll have leftovers. If you do, as with other cuts of meat, cooked tongue can be kept in the fridge, in a\u00a0sealed container<\/a>, for 3-4 days.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nutrient Information<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Like other cuts of meat, cow tongue is full of proteins, vitamins, and minerals. However, like other organ meat, it is high in cholesterol so it shouldn’t be on your plate every night, especially if you’re on a medically restrictive diet.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A 3-ounce serving of simmered cow tongue contains 3.5 milligrams of zinc, which contributes 44 percent toward the daily values recommended zinc intake for women and 32 percent for men. Each portion of cooked cow tongue also boasts 2.2 milligrams of iron \u2014 28 and 12 percent of the daily iron intakes set for men and women, respectively.  Each 3-ounce serving contains 16.4 grams of protein and, like other animal-based protein, it provides all the essential amino acids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Beef Tongue Tacos (Beef Tacos de Lengua)<\/h2>\n
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Prep Time <\/span>15 minutes<\/span><\/span> mins<\/span><\/span><\/div>
Cook Time <\/span>4 hours<\/span><\/span> hrs<\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n
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Course <\/span>Main Course<\/span><\/div>
Cuisine <\/span>Mexican<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Ingredients
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