Beef Tongue Tacos (Tacos de Lengua)

Lunch | Mexican

Prep time: 50 min Cook time: 3 min Servings: 6

Tacos de lengua are a fixture on taco menus across Mexico for good reason. Beef tongue is a cut that rewards patience: a 3-hour braise with onion, garlic, bay leaves and peppercorns in chicken stock renders the meat completely tender. Once it’s cool enough to handle, the thick outer skin peels off cleanly, leaving you with rich, deeply flavoured beef. The final step is a hard sear in batches in a very hot pan to develop a caramelised crust. That combination of soft braised interior and browned exterior is what makes tacos de lengua worth the effort, and it’s a cut that tends to convert people who have never tried it before.

The tortillas are made from masa harina, a nixtamalized corn flour that gives you corn tortillas from scratch. The dough takes about five minutes to mix and knead, then rests for 30 minutes before you press and cook each one. The salsa verde is charred jalapeño, garlic and onion blended with canned tomatillos and the coriander leaves reserved from the braise. It takes about ten minutes and cuts through the richness of the tongue well. Most of this dish can be prepped ahead and it will hold comfortably for a group.

Ingredient Notes

Beef tongue: Beef tongue is a whole muscle sold as one piece at butchers and Latin or specialty food stores. It weighs around 1 to 1.5kg and looks nothing like a standard cut of beef at the start: the outside is covered in a thick, rough skin that must be removed after cooking. This skin peels off while the tongue is still warm from the braise. If you let it cool completely first, the skin contracts and tightens and you’ll work much harder to remove it. The cooked meat underneath is similar in texture to short rib: rich, tender and well-marbled with fat. Ask your butcher to order one if it’s not on display. There is no close substitute that gives the same result.

Masa harina: Masa harina is dried, ground nixtamalized corn. Nixtamalization is the process of treating corn with an alkaline solution, which changes the structure of the grain, improves its nutritional profile and gives masa its distinctive flavour and binding properties. Masa harina is available at Latin grocery stores and online, and increasingly in the specialty section of major supermarkets. The brand MASECA is the most common and reliable. Store opened bags in an airtight container as the flour can go stale and affect the dough texture.

Tomatillos: Tomatillos are a Mexican fruit in the same family as cape gooseberries, similar in size to a small tomato with a papery husk. For this salsa verde they’re used from a can, which is practical and gives a consistent result year-round. Canned tomatillos are already cooked and have a bright, tangy acidity that balances the heat from the jalapeño and richness of the tongue. You’ll find them at Latin grocery stores and in the international aisle of major supermarkets. If you can find fresh tomatillos, halve them and add them to the pan with the jalapeño and onion to char before blending.

Equipment

Chopping board
Chef’s knife
Large saucepan with lid
Blender
Large mixing bowl
Tortilla press
Tawa or heavy-based frying pan
Tongs

Ingredients

1kg (2.2 lbs) beef tongue
1 white onion, halved
1 head garlic, halved horizontally
2 fresh bay leaves
1 bunch coriander stems and roots (reserve the leaves for salsa verde)
1 tsp peppercorns
1 litre chicken stock
2 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt, to season
Sliced avocado, diced white onion, coriander leaves and lime wedges, to serve
Corn Tortillas
400g (3.5 cups) masa harina
750ml warm water
1 tsp sea salt
2.5 tbsp lard
Salsa Verde
1 jalapeño, halved
2 cloves garlic, unpeeled
½ white onion, cut in half
700g (24.6 oz) can of tomatillos, drained
1 bunch of coriander leaves (from cooking the tongue)
juice of 1 lime
Sea salt, to taste

Directions

Cook the tongue
Place the tongue in a large saucepan with the onion, garlic, bay leaves, stems of the coriander, peppercorns and chicken stock. Add enough water to just cover the tongue.
Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then cover and cook on low for 3 hours, until tender.
Remove the tongue from the pot and set aside, until cool enough to handle.
Prep the tortilla dough
Combine the masa, lard and salt in a large mixing bowl. Gradually stir in the water until you get a wet dough consistency, similar to playdough.
Gently knead the dough 1 minute, testing a small amount in your hands pressing together to flatten. Add a little more water if it is too crumbly.
Cover and set aside for 30 minutes to rest.
Make the salsa verde
Preheat a heavy based frying pan over high heat. Cook the jalapeno, garlic and onion, turning until well charred on all sides.
Transfer to a blender, along with the tomatillos, coriander leaves, lime juice and season with salt. Blend until smooth, then transfer to a serving bowl.
Cook the tortillas
Portion the tortilla dough into 40g balls. Roll between your palms into smooth balls.
Press each ball into a thin round using a tortilla press lined with thick plastic wrap (such as a snaplock bag) or baking paper.
Preheat a tawa or large heavy based frying pan over high heat. Cook the tortillas for 30 seconds, then flip and cook for 1 minute. Flip again and cook for a further 10 seconds or until they start to puff.
Transfer the tortillas to a plate wrapped in a tea towel to keep warm.
Finish and serve
Remove the “skin” from the tongue, then slice 1cm thick.
Heat a heavy based frying pan over high heat and add your oil. Cook the tongue, in batches, for 2-3 minutes, until well browned on both sides and starting to crisp. Transfer to a serving plate and keep warm while cooking the remaining tongue.
To serve, top a tortilla with some slices of tongue, avocado, onion, a drizzle of salsa verde and coriander leaves to garnish.

Recipe notes

Chef Tips

Peel the tongue while it’s still warm

Once the tongue comes out of the braise, give it 15 to 20 minutes until you can handle it without burning your hands, then peel immediately. The skin should slip off in sections without much resistance. If it sits too long and cools down, the skin contracts and tightens against the meat and you’ll work much harder to get it off. Have a bowl nearby to collect the skin as you go. Once peeled, the tongue can be refrigerated and sliced the next day if you’re prepping ahead.

Sear the tongue in batches, don’t crowd the pan

The pan needs to stay very hot throughout the sear to get a proper caramelised crust on each slice. If you add too many slices at once, the temperature drops and the tongue steams rather than sears and you won’t get much colour. Work in batches, give each slice 2 to 3 minutes per side without moving it, and let the pan recover between batches if it’s losing heat. The crust makes a real difference to the texture of the taco, so it’s worth taking the time.

Cook support

If you don’t have a tortilla press then you can use a heavy frying pan to press down the dough. Take care not to make them too thin as they can crack and break apart before reaching a hot frying pan. This quantity of dough will make about 18-20 tortillas, but can easily be halved if you want to make less.

Storage

Store the cooked, peeled tongue in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, preferably with a little braising liquid poured over to keep it moist. The salsa verde keeps covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Tortillas are best eaten fresh on the day they’re made, but will keep wrapped in a tea towel at room temperature for a few hours or reheated briefly in a dry pan.

Serving ideas

Mix up the serving with your favourite tacos sides, such as guacamole, pico de gallo, some Queso fresco or feta cheese.

FAQs

Can I make the tongue ahead of time? Yes, and I’d recommend it. Braise the tongue the day before, let it cool in the stock and refrigerate overnight. The next day, peel it, slice it and sear it fresh when you’re ready to serve. The tongue actually holds and slices more cleanly when cold.

Can I use store-bought tortillas? You can, and flour or store-bought corn tortillas work fine with the filling. But if you have the masa harina, making your own corn tortillas from scratch is genuinely easy and the flavour and texture difference is noticeable. The dough takes five minutes to mix and 30 minutes to rest.

Where do I find beef tongue? Your butcher is the best place to ask, and it’s worth calling ahead to check availability. In Australian cities it’s also available at Latin or South American grocery stores and sometimes at Asian butchers. It’s not always on display but butchers can usually order it for you.