Tacos de lengua
Beef tongue tacos
Tacos de lengua: central Mexico's slow-simmered beef tongue tacos with salsa verde
Tongue tacos are prized in the taquerías of Mexico City, Puebla and Guadalajara for their melting, rich texture, and they are a classic Saturday treat. The tongue is simmered for hours with onion, garlic and bay, peeled while warm, diced and seared until golden, then served in small tortillas with sharp salsa verde, onion and cilantro. Chef's tip: peel the skin while the tongue is still hot; once cold it sticks stubbornly.
- Total time
- 210 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 2 ⅝ lb beef tonguerinsed
- 1 white onionhalved
- 1 head garlichalved crossways
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 tbsp salt
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
To serve
- 1 cup salsa verde
- ½ white onionfinely chopped
- ½ oz fresh cilantro (coriander)chopped
- 2 limesin wedges
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Put the 2 ⅝ lb beef tongue, 1 white onion, 1 head garlic, 3 bay leaves, 1 tsp black peppercorns and 1 tbsp salt in a large pot, cover with water by 5 cm and bring to the boil. Skim, then simmer gently, covered, for 3 hours, until a skewer slides into the thickest part with no resistance.
180 minStep 2: Lift out the tongue and, while it is still hot (use a cloth), peel away the thick skin; it should come off in sheets. If it resists, the tongue isn't cooked enough, so return it to the pot for 20 minutes. Trim any gristle at the base. A common mistake is letting the tongue cool before peeling: the skin then sticks fast.
10 minStep 3: Cut into 1.5 cm dice. Heat the 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat and sear the meat for 4–5 minutes until golden at the edges.
5 minStep 4: Warm the 16 small corn tortillas and fill with tongue. Top with 1 cup salsa verde, ½ white onion and ½ oz fresh cilantro (coriander) and serve with 2 limes.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 430 kcal
- Protein
- 26 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tacos de lengua take?
- About 210 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 190 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of white onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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