Of all the tacos I’ve tried, my heart keeps going back to three classics: lengua, cabeza, and tripa. So when I spotted peeled beef tongue at Costco, I knew it was finally time to recreate my favorite taco — and truthfully, make tacos at home for the first time! Surprisingly, beef tongue tacos are quite straightforward to make and the process made me realize I lack most of the essential sauces and toppings in my well-stocked kitchen with Asian pantry lol Let’s try this juicy beef tongue nestled in a warm corn or flour tortilla, topped with zingy onions, cilantro, a hit of lime and salsa of your choice!
RECIPE
- 1 peeled beef tongue
- 2 onions (1 for boiling, 1 for topping and sauté)
- 1 tbsp whole black peppercorns
- 5–6 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp salt
- Corn or flour tortillas
- Lime wedges
- Salsa verde
- Guacamole
- Cilantro (a small bunch)
INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1: Slice one onion in half. In a large pot, add the beef tongue, onion halves, peppercorns, bay leaves, and salt. Cover with water, bring to a boil, skim off any foam, then lower heat and simmer for at least 3 hours until fork-tender
Step 2: Remove the tongue and let it cool for easier slicing. Once cooled, slice into small 1-inch cubes
Step 3: Finely dice ½ of a sweet white onion and roughly chop a handful of fresh cilantro
Step 4: In a pan over medium heat, caramelize the remaining diced onion with a little oil. Add the diced beef tongue, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until golden and slightly crispy on the edges; do not over salt the beef tongue as salsa also has flavors
Step 5: Heat tortillas in a lightly oiled pan over medium heat until warm; or add cheese till it melts
Step 6: Pile the beef tongue onto warm tortillas, sprinkle with raw diced onion and chopped cilantro, and top with your favorite sauces—salsa verde, guacamole, and a generous squeeze of lime
READY TO SERVE!!
