As a food blogger, have a lot of pictures stored on my external hard drive waiting to be published. Like these pictures, they have been sleeping there for more than 2 years. I went in search of them after reading an article in a cooking forum about how cooking beef tongue is becoming a trend among Chefs in upscale restaurants across America.
Beef Tongue Barbacoa Tacos
I decided it was about time to get them out before this humble low-cost delicacy that is usually eaten in a taco in so many places of my country becomes a forbidden fruit. I mean in case this trend picks up and the price goes up. In Mexico, we also serve them in stews, where the cooked meat is sliced and then slowly simmered with different types of sauces. But that is another story. This recipe is super easy, no rocket science here.
Beef Tongue Tacos
This recipe is using the Crockpot; it is a good idea to do it overnight and have your barbacoa ready for breakfast, especially on Sundays, like we do in northern Mexico.
If you do not have a crockpot, cook in a large pot on your stove for about 2 ½ to 3 hours. This will depend also on the size of the beef tongue. A faster way will be using the pressure cooker and cook for 30 minutes after the valve starts whistling.
If you have never tried Beef tongue, this is the easy way to go. The texture is soft that almost melts in your mouth. The leftovers if any, are great for sandwiches, flautas, scramble with eggs, etc. It also freezes well.
How to make Beef Tongue Barbacoa Tacos
NOTES:
- When buying the meat make sure it is coming from a trusted source. Since not a lot people buy this type of cut very often, chances are you will find it frozen. I am lucky to have a Grass Fed source and the quality can’t compare to the one found at regular supermarkets from my personal experience. Beef tongue is still very affordable; buy it in a place that you trust for their quality.
- Cooking time using an INSTANT POT, prepare as directed and cook for 45 minutes in the pressure setting.
- For the Stove Top pressure cooker, cook for 1 hour.
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Rinse the beef tongue with water and place in your crockpot, add onion, garlic, bay leaf, salt, and water. Cover and set the crockpot on low for 8 hours. Cook until tender. If after 8 hours the meat is not tender enough to shred cook a little bit longer. Not all Crockpots work alike.
2. Remove the Beef tongue from the crockpot and place in a large dish, remove the skin using a knife to make a cut at first and discard. Trim off any fatty tissue at the bottom end. As you can see from the pictures above it is mostly meat.
3. Shred the meat using 2 forks and place in a serving bowl with some of the cooking broth that has already been decreased and strained.
The way we serve it at home is buffet style with the tortillas, chopped onion, cilantro, salsa, some lime wedges, and salt. Let everyone prepare their own tacos.
¡Buen provecho!
Mely
📖 Recipe
Barbacoa Lengua Tacos (Beef Tongue)
Ingredients
- 1 beef tongue (2-3 pounds)
- ¼ of medium size onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt to taste
- Water enough to cover the beef tongue
TO SERVE:
- warm corn tortillas
- 1 cup of chopped cilantro
- 1 cup of chopped white onion
- salsa of your choice.
Instructions
- Rinse the beef tongue with water and place in your crockpot, add onion, garlic, bay leaf, salt, and water. Cover and set the crockpot on low for 8 hours. Cook until tender. If after 8 hours the meat is not tender enough to shred cook a little bit longer. Not all Crockpots work alike.
- Remove the Beef tongue from the crock pot and place in a large dish, remove skin using a knife to make a cut at first and discard. Trim off any fatty tissue at the bottom end. As you can see from the pictures above it is mostly meat.
- Shred the meat using 2 forks and place in a serving bowl with some of the cooking broth that has already been degrease and strained.
Notes
- When buying the meat make sure it is coming from a trusted source. Since not a lot people buy this type of cut very often, chances are you will find it frozen. I am lucky to have a Grass Fed source and the quality can’t compare to the one found at regular supermarkets from my personal experience. Beef tongue is still very affordable; buy it in a place that you trust for their quality.
- Cooking time using an INSTANT POT, prepare as directed and cook for 45 minutes in the pressure setting.
- For the Stove Top pressure cooker, cook for 1 hour.
NEW COOKBOOK
BUY IT NOW
Cindy
This was wonderful! THANK YOU for having the time listed for a stove-top pressure cooker. That's all I use and it's a bummer when recipes only have the insta-pot directions. This was my first time making tongue and I'll use this recipe again. 🙂
Joseph
Hi!
I have a large pressure cooker. Would it be ok to do 4 at once? I only se recipes for 1 at a time.
Mely Martínez
Hello Joseph,
Yes, you can cook them if they fit.
Angel
Easily one of my favorites!
Teresa
Hi! Where do I find the recipe for the yummy looking green sauce? Lengua tacos are my favorite and I'd love to try them like this!
Mely Martínez
Hello Teresa,
Here is the link to the recipe for the Salsa Verde.https://www.mexicoinmykitchen.com/salsa-verde-recipe/
Elizabeth
I made this tonight 7/29/22 and OMG let me tell you it turned out amazing 😍🔥🚒 everyone in the house devoured it 🤣 .I didn't have the bay leaves so I substituted it with basil and oregano, loved the taste of all the flavors
Sylvia Casiano
Hello, so I may need some help on making my Lengua, should I put crock pot on high or low if cooking over night?
Mely Martínez
Hello Sylvia,
Set your slow cooker to low.
Lauren
Hey Mely,
I have a huge cow tongue that i cant wait to use on this recipe! I have never cooked with cow tongue before and was wondering if i need to peel off the outer layer? And when I’m making the barbacoa how long would i wait to peel off the skin of the tongue?
Mely Martínez
Hello Lauren,
Yes, you need to peel it after cooking. Check the instructions in step 2.
Cooking times could vary depending on the size of the beef tongue. Maybe sure you cook it until the meat is very tender.
Mom of 6
I try to get my beef from the local farmers at the farmer's market here in Indiana. A friend was talking about beef tongue, and it tasting like roast. Well, at the time, I was pretty grossed out because of the image I had seen of a beef tongue on display at our butcher, when I was little. Me being an African American, beef tongue is not commonly eaten, only "soul food", which I do not do for health reasons. I've ventured out into other meats like buffalo, bison and lamb. For some reason I couldn't get the beef tongue out of my head, so I ordered it, and will be cooking this next week. Since I'm feeling quite adventurous I think I will try your recipe.
AD
I loved this! What a gem. Can I use the cooking liquid for something else after completing the recipe? A beef broth for a different soup?
Mely Martínez
Hello,
Yes, of course, you can use that leftover broth on soups.
Carl
Super easy! One of the best for sure.
Rhonda Smart
I purchased a tongue yesterday. I LIVE FOR LENGUA TACOS! So yummy! I live alone, and the tongue was already frozen, so I had the butcher cut it in half. Now I fear, it won't cook right and will be ruined.
I planned on making it according to your recipe.
It was VERY SPENDY....$30!.
CAB YOU HELP THIS GRINGA?
Mely Martínez
You can cook just half, or cook the whole piece, and freeze the rest to enjoy later on.
Diana
Yes, it's very rich & delicious but also very fatty.
Mely Martínez
Hello Diana,
You have to remove the fat and separate the meat.
Wendy
Fantástica receta! Ésto cae ésta semana, claro está si consigo la lengua. Ay Dios! Maldita pandemia. No puedo moverme más allá de 1 km. de mi casa, y no sé si la podré comprar on line. Ya te contaré. Cuidaros mucho. Feliz confinamiento 😘😘😘
Aidan
I got so lucky recently and found beef tongue for 99¢ a pound; I bought four or five and wrapped and froze all but one. The first was delicious and I’m getting ready to make it again. How do I defrost it? I don’t ever need to defrost anything that large because I live alone and but small cuts. Can it be cooked from frozen in part of the process? I’m just worried about thawing the whole thing safely. It’s so large, and my cold water tap in the kitchen sprays all over so I can’t leave it running (I use the drinking spout for cold water but it has to be pressed to dispense, and I don’t think I could rig it to stay on). My fridge is very cold; meat won’t really thaw in there.
Mely Martínez
Hello Aidan,
99 cents! Great buy!
To defrost, leave in your refrigerator at least for 2 days to defrost. You can also leave in the kitchen sink overnight.
Happy cooking!
Andrea
I have a question - what If I want to use beef cheek? Could I follow the same recipe and time in the crock pot? Thank you!
Mely Martínez
Hello Andrea,
Yes, you follow the same process, the time should be about one hour less cooking in the crock pot.
Angelica
Hi I would like to make your tacos de lengua in the instant pot tomorrow. Your instructions say 45mins cook but should I natural or quick release when it is done? Thanks for your help. Love your website
mmartinez
Hello Angelica,
Either way is Ok. Thanks for visiting.
Maggie Martinez
Today I was craving tacos de lengua and I’m going to give this a try this weekend, hopefully the store will have some in stock. I was telling a coworker earlier today that my husband’s aunt from Corpus Christi would make us some every time we visited her and the recipe and instructions are exactly the same. So I know it should turn out great.
Kumquat
I am so excited, the pot is simmering away right now and I cant wait to taste it! This is my first time attempting to cook lengua, even though it's long been a favorite order! Thank you for sharing this easy recipe because without it I was too intimidated to try cooking it!
mmartinez
Enjoy!
Slyvia
I have just recently made it for the first time. I used to eat it as a child. But oh my goodness it is SO expensive! I guess the rest of the world has discovered how delicious this is.
mmartinez
Hello Sylvia,
You are right it is delicious.
Esther
It's 12:30 am, I'm drooling & my stomach is growling! I LOVE lengua...in tacos, tortas, con chile colorado, you name it!
Unfortunately, lengua isn't as cheap as it used to be "back in the day." At least not here in metro Phoenix. So now I just make it for special occasions.
I'll dream of lengua all night....
Anonymous
Hi Mely
I have cooked beef tongue a couple of times and I always use my crock pot because it does cook it very tender for several hours. I was wondering if you have a recipe for a cold vegetable salad adding beef tongue my mother used to make this for us when we were kids but I don't remember all of the recipe but all I know that it was very cold you would leave it in the refrigerator overnight and eat it the next day.
I looking all of your recipes and have done a few thank you
mmartinez
Hello,
yes, i do have a recipe for a cold beef tongue in a vinaigrette marinade with vegetables. I don't have it on the blog. Please send me an email to send you the recipe.
Anonymous
Brilliant recipe! My husband will love this... and so will our bank account. Thank you!
Anonymous
I have notice many Chefs are using some old recipes and what was low cost to make now is sell at a high dollar. I went to a place once to order tacos and on the board they had a hot dog with cheese rolled in a tortilla. My mom used to make them for us after school for snacks in the early 60's I do a lot of cooking for friends and others and am always checking what everyone is making I ran a Café for a while for a company and love it but went back to accounting. when I was younger I worked in kitchens and started a the bottom and worked my self to line. sorry I love to talk about cooking
Cruz Cortez
Hello, Mely thanks for recipe of legua. I'm doing one right now .. I'm from San Juan tx and over here most of barbacoa is eaten or done on Sundays .But today its Friday morning and couldn't wait for Sunday so we're having legua tacos today for breakfast . thanks for your recipe.
Unknown
Hello, Mely thanks for recipe of legua. I'm doing one right now .. I'm from San Juan tx and over here most of barbacoa is eaten or done on Sundays .But today its Friday morning and couldn't wait for Sunday so we're having legua tacos today for breakfast . thanks for your recipe.
Dustin
Thanks for posting this recipe! Turned out GREAT. Just like my Grandmother made all those years ago. 🙂
Mely
Hello Dustin,
You just made my day!
Apryl Lammers
Turned out fabulous! I had always boiled the tongue first, took the skin off, then finished cooking. I like your way much better:) Much less time consuming!
Bianca Gonzalez
I remember my dad making this when I was very young, I'm planning on making it for him!! Wish me luck(:
Bianca Gonzalez
Here goes nothing!! Tonites my first time making it!! Wish me luck!!!
KELLEN smith
lengua is ez to cook, put it in teh crockpot over night and its done
Mexico in my kitchen
Hola Muybuneocookbook,
Thanks for you nice comment. Sorry for the late reply. I had been busy lately and some comments where left unpublished.
Saludos,
Mely
Mexico in my kitchen
Hola Prieta,
Lllego el Otoño y me distraje viendo la belleza que nos da esta epoca del año. Sun duda alguna una de mis favoritas.
Gracias por acordarte de mi.
Saludos,
Mely
Prieta
Mely, por donde andas? Regresa que ya te extrañamos.
createwithmom
this looks lovely
Gabriela, clavo y canela
Hace tanto tiempo que no como lengua! mira que rico lo presentas..
besitos Mely 🙂
silvia
love it
Aldy @ Al Dente Gourmet
Absolutely scrumptious, Mely. Que delicia se ven estos tacos, como todo lo que compartes en tu blog. Y por cierto Happy Halloween!
Hugs <3
Sam @ My Carolina Kitchen
Your tacos look delicious and I would definitely give beef tongue a try. I have an adventuresome palate. It's nice to know grass fed places have it. There's one near us. Besides, we like ris de veau and it's certainly not for everyone.
Sam
Prieta
Pues yo sí; de lengua me como un taco y hasta dos!
Que rico Mely y se ve muy fácil de preparar. Yo nunca la he preparado porque, ya sabes, en casa se come muy poca carne, pero me encanta. Así que me voy a comer lengua a casa de mi mamá cada vez que ella la prepara. Ay, pero esos tacos me están sacando el hambre!
Un beso.
La Dama
Mely.
que divino se ven los tacos de lengua, My cousin makes me peel the tongue. she finds that part gross.se me antojaron mucho.
besos
Nora
Mely, a mi también se me antojó. Besos
Mexico in my kitchen
Hola Carmen,
Aqui apenas he encontrado buche aparte de la lengua. Y te entiendo si no te gusta la lengua, a mi en particular no me gustan las criadillas. Dicen que son muy ricas pero la verdad no me animo a comerlas.
Un abrazo,
Mely
Carmen
De lengua me como un taco.
No, la verdad es que me como de cabeza, de buche, de oreja, de cachete, pero de lengua, es algo que mi estúpido paladar no le entra, y no sé porque. Todo mundo me dice que es deliciosa y no, la verdad es que no le encuentro el gusto Mely. ¿Cómo ves?
Te mando mucho mucho cariñito
Mexico in my kitchen
Hello Yolanda,
You can find it at the supermarket, well at least here where I live some, not all supermarkets carry beef tongue. Grass fed groups also offer it.
Have a nice day,
Mely
loves2spin
It sounds wonderful. Where can a girl buy beef tongue?
Mexico in my kitchen
Thanks everyone for your kind comments. I hope you have a great time cooking an a blessed week.
Mely
Cheryl Franco
As usual, I can always count on you for the best recipes my husband LOVES! God bless you for helping me learn to cook Mexican food my family loves!
Miz Helen
Hi Mely,
These look like awesome Tacos! Sure wish I had a couple right now. Thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday. Hope you are having a great week and come back soon!
Rebecca from Chow and Chatter
looks really tender but i bet you know just how to cook it
MyCookingTime
Hola Mely
Mmm qué delicia de tacos, ideal y típico en un domingo por la mañana!
Gracias
kirby
My mom used to make tongue tacos way back when, probably because it was cheap. Que delicioso! I should probably make them for my guys at least once.
Swathi
Sure you can try without oil,but you need to add some fat, may be tablespoon of butter or ghee (Clarified butter) gives more taste.
Tim
Doesn't need any fat. The tongue has plenty.
girlichef
Mmmm...those tacos look fantastic. We make tacos de lengua every once in a while around here. I do love the tender, melty texture of tongue. Fantastic!
Foodness Gracious
Amazing! My mom used to cook tongue when I was very young and this reminds me of it, great post
Take care..
Jay&Norma
Here in South Texas we make Lengua with some Cachete (cheeck)meat just to give it a little fat and also a taste that you will not forget.Great with homemade corn tortillas and a good tasting salsa with lime onion and cilantro
Mely Martínez
Hello Jay & Norma,
Yes, beef tongue and check meat make a great combination, perfect to enjoy for the weekend barbacoa tacos. Saludos!
Jay&Norma
Hi Mely,I just made barbacoa Saturday night in the crockpot and woke up to a very nice breakfast my wife prepared for Valentines Day
Mely Martínez
Hello Jay,
Barbacoa de Lengua for breakfast on Valentine's day is lovely!
Swathi
Tacos looks delicious Mely, even though I won't eat meat it is tempting for me.
raquel@erecipe
wow lengua is one lean meat and it surely tasty I love this recipe.
Pily
Hay eres mala, mala, mala!! porqué me antojas ésta delicia??? me encantan los tacos de lengua, a ver si la semana que entra compro y hago!! qué ricura!!
Saludos querida amiga
PILY
Gloria
I'm sure it's good, but I've never eaten beef tongue before. I remember my Dad loved it and he also loved rabbit. I don't care for the taste of it and when I think of eating rabbit I see their beauty and just can't. Give me tamales, menudo(tripe), taco de res, chili's rellenos and I'm in heaven.:)) I'm sure your dish is very good Mely, thanks for sharing. Looks super!
Michelle Mendoza
Hi
I am a white girl married to a Mexico City native. Im addicted to your recipes. He says it is REAL AUTHENTIC
Please keep adding more recipes.
The tongue is so good. Instead of water I used beef broth just for a little extra umph!!😁 Thank you for sharing.