Slow-Cooker Beef Tongue Tacos
Beef tongue stars in classic Mexican and Chinese dishes, and it's super easy to prepare.
Servings: 5-6 Prep time: 15 min Total time: 8 h 15 min
We’re one of the few cultures that tends to steer clear of offal – a sad mistake that you can remedy right here and now! Tongue is delicious, and happens to be a particular crowd pleaser at Crowd Cow. Prepared right, it’s beefy, yummy, and buttery. It stars in classic Mexican and Chinese dishes, and is super easy to prepare.
This recipe is perfect for tacos, and is adapted from AllRecipes Slow Cooker Lengua.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 beef tongue (called Lengua, in Spanish)
- 3+ cloves garlic (to taste)
- 1 small onion, or a handful of shallots for added sweetness
- Bay leaf or two, to taste
- A pinch salt and pepper
- Soft-shell tacos
OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS, FOR TACOS
- Shredded lettuce or spinach
- Cilantro
- Salsa
- Sour cream
- Fresh-grated cheese
- Olive oil or butter (for pan, when searing beef)
- Chopped onion
- Avocado
EQUIPMENT
- Slow cooker
- Skillet
image credit to Simply Recipes
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place beef tongue, garlic, onion or shallots, and bay leaf in the slow cooker. Sprinkle salt and pepper over, to taste. Add enough water to the slow cooker to cover the beef mixture.
- Cook on low for 8 hours, or overnight. Beef will be very tender.
- Drain and cool the beef tongue (you can totally save the other ingredients for stock, and the water as well, if you’re so inclined).
- When cool enough to touch, you’re going to want to peel the rough skin off the beef tongue, and cut away the tough end.
- Next, just chop, chop, chop into little pieces roughly 1/2-3/4 inches in diameter.
- Heat a cast-iron or non-stick skillet with the butter or oil of your choice on medium-high heat. Cook the beef a few minutes, or until browned evenly. It’ll be crispy on the outside, and buttery-soft on the inside.
- Assemble into delicious tacos!
Related cuts: Tongue
