Spicy Beef Tongue Tacos

 

I felt like this was an appropriate recipe to launch my new blog and format. Wouldn't I feel like an ass if the first new recipe on a blog named Even Offal was some chicken breast, or filet mignon.

The tongue of an animal is a beautiful thing. Yet, I feel there are few cuts which people are more repulsed by. Before it is brined, braised, skinned and sliced, it looks like a tongue. For someone who has never had tongue, and may not have an inherent curiosity for offal, something which looks like it was just ripped from a cow's head does not instill a great deal of confidence. For these people, coercing may be necessary, along with lots of judgement fogging alcohol. However, you must only convince them once, because once they have tried tongue, they will know there exists no more tender meat.

All of these steps are from Jennifer McLagan's book, Odd Bits: How to Cook the Rest of the Animal. It is a fantastic book, full of information on how to source, prep, and cook different parts of the animal. I highly recommend it.

To prepare tongue takes a few days. First, it must be brined...

For the brine:
8 ounces kosher or sea salt by weight
6.25 ounces brown sugar
1 tablespoon toasted coriander seeds, crushed
1 tablespoon black peppercorns, crushed
1/2 teaspoon allspice berries, crushed
1/2 teaspoon juniper berries, crushed
4 cloves garlic, crushed
4 sprigs fresh thyme
4 fresh bay leaves
1 gallon water

Place all the ingredients in 8 cups of the water and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, and then remove from the heat. Pour into a glass or plastic container, add the rest of the water, and cool completely.

Rinse the beef tongue well and add to the cooled brine. Brine for 2-3 days, turning if necessary. After the tongue has been brined, rinse well.

Then the tongue must be poached...

1 beef tongue
1 onion, quartered
2 cloves
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
6 black peppercorns
6 allspice berries
3 sprigs of parsley
1 clove garlic
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 fresh bay leaf

Place the tongue in a large saucepan or stockpot with the cloves, onion, carrot and celery. Add enough cold water to cover the tongue by 2 inches. Bring slowly to a boil, making sure to skim any scum which rises to the surface (like you are making stock). When you feel the scum is no longer rising to the top, add the remaining ingredients and simmer, partially covered, for 1.5 - 2.5 hours. The tongue should be very tender.

When the tongue is tender to your liking, remove it and set on a plate or cutting board. Now you must peel the tongue, and it is easiest to do when the tongue is still hot. Start at the back of the tongue with a small knife, loosen the skin (which should have separated a little from the meat) and peel off. It usually comes off pretty easily. You can use the knife to clean off any remaining scraps of skin, and discard. Also, trim the fat of the base of the tongue and discard. Place the peeled tongue back in the cooking liquid and leave to cool. The recipe can be completed up to this point and left in the refrigerator for 2-3 days if you would like.

When ready to make the tacos...

1.25 pounds fresh plum tomatoes
2 serrano chiles
1/4 cup blanched almonds
3 ancho chiles
2 cascabel chiles (sometimes these are hard to find, so experiment with something you think will be good)
1 cup boiling water
1 tablespoon lard
1 clove garlic
1.5 teaspoons course sea salt
A nice pinch of allspice
A nice pinch of ground cinnamon
12 ounces of poached tongue
12 flour tortillas
Queso fresco
Shredded lettuce
Pickled or fresh red onion
Cilantro
Lime wedges

Core the tomatoes and lightly blacken them, with the serranos, on a gas grill or under the broiler. Transfer them to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to steam, set aside. In a small frying pan, toast the almonds until lightly browned, set aside.

Tear the chiles up into large pieces, discarding the stems and seeds. Toast the pieces in a hot frying pan until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Place the pieces in a small bowl and cover with the boiling water. Leave to steep for about 20 minutes.

Peel and chop the tomatoes and serranos, discarding the seeds and skins. Drain the dried chiles.
In a large frying pan over medium heat, melt the lard. Add the garlic and cook for about 20 seconds. Add the almonds, tomatoes, drained chiles, salt, allspice, and cinnamon. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

Place the serrano chiles in a blender, add the tomato-almond sauce and blend until smooth. Pass the mixture through a course sieve with a spatula, and back into the frying pan. Check for seasoning and adjust if necessary.

Cut the tongue into strips, across the grain, about 1/4 inch by 2 inches and reheat in the sauce. You can add a little bit of water if the sauce looks too thick.

Serve the tongue with warm tortillas and bowls of the other condiments. This recipe takes a lot of work, so the guests can make their own tacos.