Mexican · Dinner
Tender Beef Tongue Tacos
Tacos de Lengua
Mexican taqueria tacos of beef tongue slow-simmered with aromatics until tender, peeled and finely chopped, crisped briefly on the comal and served on corn tortillas with onion, cilantro, and salsa verde.
$$
10 minsPrep
45 minsCook
55 minsTotal
HardLevel
Nutrition per serving
520Calories
38gProtein
22gFat
38gCarbs
4gSugar
6gFiber
780mgSodium
120mgChol
Goes well with
Argentinian MalbecArgentinian Malbec — A medium-bodied red...
local
Mezcal Espadin, neatMezcal Espadin, neat — A refreshing pair...
international
Instructions
1
Prep
Halve 1 onion and smash 6 garlic cloves for the simmer. Husk and rinse 10 tomatillos. Stem 4 serrano chiles. Rough-chop 1/2 onion and mince 4 garlic cloves for salsa. Chop 1/2 cup cilantro total. Dice 60g white onion for topping. Cut lime into wedges.
2
Simmer
Place beef tongue in a large heavy saucepan with halved onion, 6 smashed garlic cloves, 4 bay leaves, 2 tsp peppercorns, 1 tsp oregano, and 2 tsp salt. Cover with water by 4cm. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low and simmer covered 35-40 minutes until fork-tender and skin loosens easily.
3
Char
While tongue simmers, char 10 tomatillos and 4 serranos in a large dry skillet over medium-high heat 6-7 minutes, turning often, until blackened and tomatillos collapse. Blend with rough-chopped onion, 4 garlic cloves, 1/4 cup cilantro, and 1 tsp salt until coarsely textured.
4
Rest
Transfer cooked tongue to a board and cool 5 minutes until handleable. Peel away the rough outer skin in strips while still warm and discard, revealing tender meat underneath.
5
Crisp
Chop peeled tongue finely into 5mm pieces. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat 1 minute. Add chopped tongue and crisp 3-4 minutes stirring until edges brown and surface darkens.
6
Toast
Char 4 corn tortillas directly over a gas flame or in a dry skillet over medium-high heat 20 seconds per side until dark spots appear and tortillas become pliable.
7
Plate
Divide crisped tongue between the four warm tortillas. Top with diced onion, remaining cilantro, and a generous spoonful of salsa verde. Serve with lime wedges on the side.
Recipes use AI and Edamam. Always check for allergens before cooking. Spotted something wrong—email us at hello@grubplanit.com.
Serves
2 portions ·
2 adults, 0 over 10, 0 under 10
Ingredients
- 480g (17 oz) beef tongue
- 1 white onion
- 10 garlic cloves
- 4 bay leaves
- 2 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 3 tsp fine salt
- 10 tomatillos
- 4 serrano chiles
- 16g (small handful) fresh cilantro
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 4 corn tortillas
- 60g (2.1 oz) white onion
- 1 lime