How to Cook (Delicious!) Beef Tongue

In the U.S., most of us did not grow up eating beef tongue. But before you let the ew factor kick in, here me out! Not only is beef tongue a very popular food in many other countries (selling at premium prices), but it's traditional even in the U.S. And if you raise your own cattle, or you purchase a steer each fall, it just makes sense (and cents) to use as much of that animal as you can. You've already paid for it; why throw it away? Especially when properly cooked tongue tastes like...well, yummy beef!

I've heard some traumatic childhood stories about moms who didn't know how to correctly cook beef tongue, so let me assure you: When properly prepared, it isn't rubbery or tough and it certainly doesn't have taste buds! The good news is, beef tongue is really easy to prepare and an excellent introduction to eating offal (i.e. the edible, internal parts of an animal).

How to Cook Beef Tongue

1. Rinse the tongue with water, pat dry, and season with salt and pepper. Place it in a pot (see below); if desired, add a sliced onion (papery, outer layer included) and a few diced garlic cloves. Cover with water.

Cooking beef tongue in an electric roaster.

2. Now you may either:

a. Cook in a crock pot (with the lid on) on "low" for 6 to 8 hours. (Or on "high" for 3 to 4 hours.)

b. Cook in an electric roasting pan (with the lid on) at 300 degrees F. for about 3 to 4 hours.

c. Cook in a pot on the stove by bringing to a boil, then reducing the heat to a simmer for 1.5 to 2.5 hours. Be sure to leave the pot's lid in place.

3. Now check the meat for tenderness. A fork should easily pierce the meat. If if doesn't, put the lid back on and continue cooking, checking every half or or so until the meat is tender. If you like the meat firm (like for slicing and using in sandwiches), be sure not to over-cook; once a fork pierces the meat easily, you're done cooking. If you want the meat more like shredded beef/pulled pork in appearance and texture, cook it a bit longer - until the fork slides in as if through butter.

4. Remove the meat from the pot and allow it to cool for 10 to 15 minutes. You want it cool enough to handle - but don't let it sit too long, or it will be more difficult to peel. Strain the liquid in the pot and reserve it; it's very flavorful broth, perfect for any recipe calling for beef broth or stock.

Cutting a slit in the skin.

5. Use a sharp knife to make a little slit across the wider end of the tongue. Peel off the outer layer of skin, starting at this cut. The skin should come off easily; discard it or feed it to pets/livestock. (Some people reserve it to add to their next batch of beef bone broth.)

The peeled tongue.

6. Trim the meat. If there are any remains of taste buds on the meat, you may wish to trim them off. In addition, the rough part around the wider part of the tongue is often trimmed off, as it can be chewier.

7. Cut the meat as desired. The two most common ways are bite-sized for tacos, or 1/2 slices for sandwiches. If you're struggling to slice the meat, let it chill in the fridge a few hours first.

Browning and crisping the meat.

8. After slicing or chopping, season with salt and pepper and sear the meat in until browned and crispy around the edges. Butter is often traditionally used for this, but you could use any fat, including tallow.