Beef Tongue in Almond Sauce
Today’s recipe, Beef Tongue in Almond Sauce, is a delicious and elegant dish that’s perfect for a nice dinner with friends. The beef tongue is cooked until tender, then sliced and added to the almond sauce. Once you serve it, everyone will want to dip a piece of bread into the rich sauce!
If you enjoy beef tongue, you definitely need to explore beyond the classic boiled beef tacos; this cut of meat is a delicacy that deserves to be prepared in endless ways! I promise you, any way you decide to cook this cut of meat will be a hit with your family. Like a friend of mine used to say, the best parts of the cow are the ends: the beef tongue and the oxtail!
While doing some research trying to find out more about this recipe, I only found out that it is popular in the State of Zacatecas, a north-central state that is known for its rich mineral deposits and its Colonial architecture. Although I have a couple of old cookbooks from that state, none of them mention this recipe. I’ll keep searching for more information and update this post later on.
Enjoy this easy recipe, the beef tongue when cooked right is a delicacy, and the almond sauce is sublime! Remember to look for the RUMBA® meats brand, their products come in a carefully vacuum sealed package that allows you to store in your fridge for several days without freezing them. Always check the indications and date on the packing in order to use or freeze the product. Go to your local Market or Giant Store to find their products.
In the meantime, let’s dig into the recipe!
HOW TO MAKE BEEF TONGUE IN ALMOND SAUCE
DIRECTIONS:
- Place the beef tongue in your instant pot along with the onion, garlic, and herbs. Cover with water and cook for 30 minutes. If using a regular pot, cook over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil. Reduce the heat and gently simmer. Cook until it is tender, about 2 hours. Make sure that you cook it until it is tender, but still firm enough to cut into slices.
- Once the beef tongue is cooked, wait until it has cooled and then remove the outer skin. Cut into ⅓-inch slices and set aside.
- While the beef tongue is cooking, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry the bread slices until they are a light golden brown, turning once. Set aside.
- In the same skillet, fry the almonds, onion, and garlic clove for about 8 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and keep cooking until the tomatoes have released their juices.
- Place this tomato-almond mixture into your blender and add the clove, peppercorns, cinnamon, and sherry. Process until you have a smooth sauce.
- Using the same skillet as before, heat the rest of the oil at medium heat and then pour the tomato–almond sauce in. Add 1 cup of the beef tongue’s broth and gently simmer for about 15 minutes. Season with salt.
- Add the beef tongue slices and keep cooking for 8 more minutes, until the sauce has reduced.
Serve with white rice and garnish with the olives, pickled jalapeños, and chopped parsley.
BEEF TONGUE IN ALMOND SAUCE
Ingredients
For cooking the meat:
- 1 beef tongue from RUMBA® meats
- ⅓ of a medium white onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 sprig of thyme
- 1 teaspoon of marjoram
- 1 bay leaf
For the Sauce:
- 4 tablespoons of lard or vegetable oil
- 1½ slices of bread
- ⅓ cup of almonds
- 1 lb. of tomatoes cut into slices
- ⅓ of a medium white onion sliced
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 clove
- 6 black peppercorns
- 1 inch of a cinnamon stick
- ¼ cup of sherry wine
- 12 stuffed olives sliced
- 2 Pickled jalapeños sliced
- Parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Place the beef tongue in your instant pot along with the onion, garlic, and herbs. Cover with water and cook for 30 minutes. If using a regular pot, cook over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil. Reduce the heat and gently simmer. Cook until it is tender, about 2 hours. Make sure that you cook it until it is tender, but still firm enough to cut into slices.
- Once the beef tongue is cooked, wait until it has cooled and then remove the outer skin. Cut into ⅓-inch slices and set aside.
- While the beef tongue is cooking, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry the bread slices until they are a light golden brown, turning once. Set aside.
- In the same skillet, fry the almonds, onion, and garlic clove for about 8 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and keep cooking until the tomatoes have released their juices.
- Place this tomato-almond mixture into your blender and add the clove, peppercorns, cinnamon, and sherry. Process until you have a smooth sauce.
- Using the same skillet as before, heat the rest of the oil at medium heat and then pour the tomato–almond sauce in. Add 1 cup of the beef tongue’s broth and gently simmer for about 15 minutes. Season with salt.
- Add the beef tongue slices and keep cooking for 8 more minutes, until the sauce has reduced.
Serve with white rice and garnish with the olives, pickled jalapeños, and chopped parsley.
Nutrition
This recipe was made in collaboration with RUMBA® MEATS. I’m very selective with whom I partner up with as I don’t want to overwhelm my readers with products & sponsorships. Therefore, if you see a company or product I’m working with, it’s because they rock! They help this little blog of mine keep producing delish recipes and showing you the things I love.
For those of you living in the Northeast, you can find these brand at your local GIANT store. Check the following link for coupons in your next purchase. GIANT
If you are looking for more recipes using Beef Tongue, check this Beef Tongue in Green Salsa.
susan
wow, this is just how my mom made Lengua!!! If my brothers begged she would make it with chicken
Xochitl
Do you think you could make this with roasted marcona almonds? Or maybe even cashews? I have both on hand in large amounts!
Mely Martínez
Hello Xochitl. Yes, you can use those.
Hanna Frederick
Hi Mely, I love tongue, but my American hubby would not eat any. I was thinking to do it from beef chuck. I might need more cooking, but the flavor is richer than chicken would be. I am Hungarian, and frequently substituted my heritage tongue dishes with beef. We have lived 2 years recently in Puebla, and love so much Mexican food! Visited Tampico, Veracruz and Yucatan through your recipes again. Thank you for giving us a new source of inspiration to cook Mexican food.
Mely Martínez
Hello Hanna,
Thank you for visiting the blog.
Have fun cooking, love the idea of using chuck, it also has a great flavor.