How to cook tongue? That is the question I would like to ponder in this post. Is there a way to make it edible without gagging? Now I know many people love tongue especially those that have been brought up eating it. It’s an acquired taste shall we say? At the restaurant I cook at we make it once a week for staff dinner. And now that I’m at the meat station that job is mine, mine all mine. To cook tongue. There is a God afterall.
I always watch in awe as our thirty-six young chefs wolf it down. But me, well, my own tongue does this weird thing whenever I try to take a bite. It kind of balls up in the back of my throat terrified that I might mistake the cows tongue for my own tongue and swallow itself. Then my throat just simply closes, shuts down, fermez la porte and I have to spit it out before the rest of the contents in my stomach come forward in a desperate attempt to force my tongue back in the direction it was intended to be all along – lying horizontally flat.
However, correctly prepared it should cut easily and have a texture similar to beef brisket – kind of stringy. The two most difficult parts are peeling the skin off the tongue (I did not include picture, I thought I’d save you the horror) and cutting it. There’s something about slicing that makes my own tongue just quiver.
See? It doesn’t look too bad once prepared right. It could be mistaken for beef to the slightly inebriated eye. And the vinagrette that goes with it is delicious and hides most of the flavor (so I’m told). Well to all you tongue lovers out there….this is how we do…
To go recipe click on link “Continue reading: What? Cat got your tongue?”
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Tongue
Ingredients
1 Cow’s tongue
2 Carrots, peeled and left whole
3 Leeks whole
6 Black peppercorns
4 Tablespoons gros salt (rock salt)
Water to cover tongue by 4 inches
For Vinagrette:
1 Tablespoon capers, crushed and chopped
5 Cornichon pickle,s finely chopped
1 Hard boiled egg, finely chopped
1 Egg Yolk
1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
1/4 Cup sherry vinegar
3/4 Cup olive oil
1/2 bunch Italian parsley chopped
Instructions
1. Place all ingredients for tongue into a big pot and turn onto boil. Once boiled turn down heat a little and continue to boil for 4 hours. If needed add more water to insure that there is always water covering the tongue.
2. After 4 hours check for doneness by inserting a pick. If it slides through easily (like when testing a potato) then it is done.
3. Remove and let cool a little. Reserve carrots if you want to serve with tongue. Peel off the white skin and try not to gag.
4. Cut into 1/2″ slices and place on a baking tray. It can be reheated later if necessary.
5. For vinagrette: whisk egg yolk in a mixing bowl and add a pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk in mustard. Drizzle in olive oil (like making mayonnaise) while continuing to whisk briskly. Then add vinegar. Stir in capers, cornichon pickles, hard boiled egg, and parsley.
6. Serve vinagrette over tongue if you’re trying to disguise it or along side.
Oh thank you — not for the recipe, but for the permission to not like eating tongue.
I’ve tried, really I have. I want to be the person that casually sits down in front of a beautifully prepared tongue, and eat it without looking like I’m gagging it down.
It does look pretty, though. In the “after” picture.
Blaaaaah!
gross. just the idea. not your cooking.
I happen to love tongue. But when I was about 7 years old, the first time I ate it, I had the ghastly surprise, after enjoying two plates full, realizing that my father had tricked me into eating tongue(he’s French by the way). But after the initial shock went away…and after my stomach settled down a little too…I have enjoyed eating it, ever since! I’ll have to try your recipe, it looks great!! Are those leeks along with it in the finished disk?
My grandmother used to make tongue. I always liked it because it tasted like corned beef. But the texture is a bit different. Thanks for the description. I have to pass this onto Alison and Bill!
Tongue sucks… just kidding. Actually, I love tongue… especially when you get it from a can and it comes in that crazy Madeira sauce. Fun fun fun.
Tongue tacos were always a big hit for staff dinners in a Chicago restaurant where I worked as a server. Copious amounts of chile and lime allow one to (barely) save face.
Bwlegh!
Tongue tacos, now that sounds truly interesting. I can see how one might think it’s shredded beef and not shredded tongue. With enough red sauce, I might be tempted. I haven’t seen too many tacos here in Paris though – unfortuantely…
thomas loves tongue. it’s a shame he didn’t have any this summer.
Do you always dis the food you cook? I read your page because it was the only beef tongue recipe I could find on short notice. I had the great good fortune to be raised to judge my food by the way it TASTES, not by what part of the animal’s body it came from. How do you ever manage sausages? To say nothing of tripe or escargot! Guess it helps that I also lived on a farm for 10 years, and got really chummy with my food….
Hmm..
Your bloggings are great, I’ve just started my own blog too.
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