Boiled Beef Tongue Recipe – Lengua De Res

Stove-Top and Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Instructions

Boiled Beef Tongue Recipe (Lengua de Res) is not something that you see on very many restaurant menus, or even on very many dinner tables of homes, but it is actually a very affordable meat that can be just as good as any other cut of beef (well maybe not the steaks and prime rib part).

 

Boiled Beef Tongue Recipe

 

This recipe, comments, and photos are courtesy of Cynthia Detterick-Pineda of Andrews, TX.

Per Cynthia: I have been told by people who have eaten my recipe for tongue, which if they did not know what it was, they would have thought it was a slow cooked roast.

My mother grew up eating boiled tongue in the Deep South.  She tells me she prefers hers served cold, which is also one of the ways you can find it served in Hispanic homes.  Tongue salads are a common way of serving this meat in the northern parts of Mexico.  I believe my recipe can work for a lot of people, as well as serve a lot of people, all at a very affordable price.

The market in my home town carries tongue most of the time, however the ones they have in there are extremely large (up to 9 pounds).  I prefer a smaller tongue, usually from a calf.  There is little difference, if any, in the final results, including taste and tenderness.   It is just that cooking a very large tongue will require a very large pot, or possibly cutting the tongue into more manageable pieces and cooking all these separately.  If you can find a smaller tongue, 3 to 4 pounds, that is usually the best ones to purchase.  Of course if you are planning on feeding a very large crowd, or don’t mind leftovers, then the larger ones may be better for you.

For this recipe we have provided both Stove-Top and Instant Pot pressure cooker instructions which can be followed for most electric pressure cooker brands.

 

Boiled Beef Tongue Recipe - Lengua De Res:
Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
4 hrs
 
Stove-Top Cook Time: 4 hours | Pressure Cooker Time: 1 1/2 hours
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Southwest
Keyword: Boiled Beef Tongue Recipe, Lengua De Res Recipe
Servings: 5 to 6 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 cow or calf tongue, approximately 3 pounds
  • 2 onions, 1 quartered and 1 finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 5 large tomatoes, skinned and diced
  • 1 sprig of fresh thyme, finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon, if using dried thyme, decrease to 1 teaspoon and crush well)
  • 1 sprig of fresh oregano, finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon, if using dried oregano, decrease to 1 teaspoon and crush well)
  • 1 or 2 long Anaheim chile peppers or similar green chile peppers that have been roasted, peeled, seeds removed and chopped into 1/4-inch pieces**
  • 1 (6-ounce) can of tomato paste
  • 3 tablespoons capers or green olives, finely chopped (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon coarse salt, or to taste
  • Black pepper, freshly ground to taste
Instructions
  1. Stove-Top Instructions:

  2. Scrub the tongue thoroughly with water and place in a large pot with enough water to cover the top of the tongue.  Add the quartered onion.  

  3. Bring just to a boil over medium high heat; lower temperature to medium, and allow the tongue to cook for approximately 3 hours, covered with a lid, until no longer pink (cook approximately 50 minutes per pound of tongue).  Check for doneness by piercing the thickest part with a knife.  It should enter easily when the tongue has cooked.

  4. Uncooked Lengua    Lengua and Onions in Water

  5. Remove the tongue from the pot, and allow to cool until it is just able to be handled without be burning yourself.  While the tongue is cooling is a good time to go ahead and peel the tomatoes:

  6. The tongue needs to be skinned while it is still warm.  If you allow too much cooling, it will be difficult to peel the skin off. When the cooked tongue is still very warm, but not hot, the skin will almost fall from the meat.  Once it is peeled, slice the tongue diagonally against the grain into 1/2-inch slices.

  7. Skinned cooked tongue

  8.  

  9. Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Instructions:

  10. Instant PotScrub the tongue thoroughly with water and place in inner pot with enough water to cover the top of the tongue.  Add the quartered onion.

  11. Close the lid and pressure valve to seal. Press the Manual/Pressure Cook button with high pressure setting. Set the cooking time for 25 minutes. After the cooking time is finished allow the pressure to naturally release. 

  12. After all the pressure has released and the pin has dropped, press the Keep Warm/Cancel button and open the lid.

  13. Use tongs to remove the tongue from the inner pot and set aside.  Allow to cool until it is just able to be handled without be burning yourself.  While the tongue is cooling is a good time to go ahead and peel the tomatoes:

  14. The tongue needs to be skinned while it is still warm.  If you allow too much cooling, it will be difficult to peel the skin off. When the cooked tongue is still very warm, but not hot, the skin will almost fall from the meat.  Once it is peeled, slice the tongue diagonally against the grain into 1/2-inch slices. 

  15.  

  16. Preparing Sofrito Base and Sauce:

  17. In a different pot, or a deep skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.  When it is hot, add the onion and saute  for a few minutes until translucent.  Next, add the garlic and continue to saute approximately for about 30 seconds until aromatic.  Add the chopped tomatoes, oregano, thyme, and long green chiles that have been diced.  Reduce the heat to medium/medium low and allow the onion/tomato/chili pepper mixture with herbs to simmer approximately 15 minutes (this will cook the tomatoes and increase the amount of liquid in the sauce).

  18. Add the tomato paste and mix well to incorporate into the sauce.  Add the chopped capers and stir well.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

  19. Caper Berries
    Place the sliced tongue into the sauce and gently cover over.  Decrease the heat to low/medium low so there is only a slight simmer and cook this approximately 20 to 30 minutes so that all the ingredients can heat through and the flavors can meld.  Remove from heat.

  20. Serve with potatoes, Spanish Rice, or some Corn Tortillas or Flour Tortillas to make Burritos.

  21. Makes approximately 5 to 6 servings.

Recipe Notes

* Learn How To Peel Fresh Tomatoes. Once the skin is off, dice the tomato into small pieces and set aside until ready to use.

** Learn how to roast and peel chile peppers.

 

Comments and Reviews

5 Responses to “Boiled Beef Tongue Recipe – Lengua De Res”

  1. Anon

    There is a huge difference between capers and caper berries.

    Reply
  2. Heather

    Really enjoyed this and you are right – the tongue was easy to skin and reminiscent of roast beef. I’m wondering if there is an ingredient missing? The recipe directed several times to “simmer” the veg, yet no liquid was ever added. I wound up adding some of the liquid remaining from boiling the tongue, but I can’t help wondering what liquid you had intended the veg to be simmered in!

    Reply
    • Whats Cooking America

      While the vegetables are sauteeing and simmering, the liquid is coming from the tomatoes. This is the stage where the sofrito flavor base is sauteed then simmered on low heat.

      Reply
  3. LAURA HILL

    I prepare my beef tounge by boiling for 3-4 hrs. I check for the tenderness at the 3rd hr. that is for a 4-5lb. tounge (avg. 3-4yr.old)
    at 2,1/2hrs. I take the lid off and continue a rolling simmer till desired tenderness.
    Remove from heat and let cool till I can handle with bare hands, not letting cool to long or you will have trouble peeling . Also Dont Puncture the Skin While Cooking . Breaking the skin allows the unseen barrier between the skin and meat, and the skin will stick to the meat, the same as letting it cool to long… does the same thing, allowing the trapped air that when hot expands, when cooled, well you get the picture. (your dog or cat will love the skin for a treat, PARROTTS
    too! (just not a lot at 1 time.)
    I then after allowing rest time, I slice it and make sandwiches with slighty salt and peppered meat.
    This is my friends and family’s favorite, besides just grabbing slices off the platter while I’m cutting it 🤔,
    LAURA from BELFAIR
    🤗 ENJOY 😉

    Reply
  4. Judy Meyer

    My mother told me about tongue about 20 years ago. I had forgotten about it until reading this article. I fixed it as she did, simply boiled, sliced and cooled and eaten in sandwiches. Once I got passed the icky part of peeling it (yuk), it made delicious sandwiches. I might have to try it again.

    Reply

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