Boiled beef tongue has always been considered a delicacy. It can replace sausage and meat, and also become an excellent addition to salads and appetizers. The main thing is to cook it correctly!
Main Tricks and Cooking Rules
Approach the selection of beef tongue very responsibly; otherwise, no matter how you cook it, nothing good will come of it. Look closely at the offal; it should appear as fresh as possible. A dried-out top or a grayish tint indicates that the beef tongue has been on the shelf for too long. If the product is soft and doesn't return to its original shape after pressing with a finger, its shelf life has long passed.
Immediately before cooking, the beef tongue must be thoroughly washed. Soak it for 45 minutes in slightly warmed water. Then rinse under the tap. Arm yourself with a stiff-bristled brush and a knife to scrape off all impurities.
Do not try to peel off the outer membrane from the raw offal. You will only spoil it, and the desired delicacy will not appear on your table.
The product must be cooked in several stages and always with spices. Be sure to stock up on bay leaves, dried herbs, allspice and black pepper, and prepare your favorite seasonings.
Beef tongue will be even tastier if you add vegetables and root vegetables to the pot during cooking. The broth in which the offal was cooked can, if desired, be used in the preparation of first and second courses, but professional chefs do not recommend doing this, as the broth turns out too fatty and not particularly pleasant to the taste.
Try to follow the recipe to preserve all the valuable vitamins and microelements in the beef tongue that are so necessary for your health. To do this, cook the beef tongue over minimal heat so that the water in which it is cooked always remains clear.
It is advisable to add salt in the middle of the cooking process. If you do this at the beginning of cooking, the product will become tough, and if at the end, it will not have time to salt and will remain tasteless.
Keep an eye on the time; it is unacceptable to undercook or overcook the product. In both cases, it will be unsuitable for consumption. The larger the beef tongue, the longer it will take to cook. For a weight up to 1 kg, two hours will be enough; for larger specimens, it can take about 3-4 hours.
Checking the readiness of the offal is very simple. Try to pierce the tip of the tongue with the tines of a fork; if they go in easily and a completely clear juice appears, then you can remove it from the stove. Another option that chefs use is to pierce the thickest part of the tongue with a narrow-bladed knife. It should enter the meat effortlessly, and the juice released should also be clear.
Immediately remove the cooked beef tongue from the boiling water and transfer it to a bowl of very cold water. After a few minutes, you will be able to easily remove the tough skin. Then trim off the salivary glands, remaining skin, and fat with a knife.
Use the cooked beef tongue for salads, appetizers, sandwiches, add to soups, borscht, stews, or serve sliced with any sauce and fresh vegetables. For longer storage, it is best to freeze the offal. Shelf life is up to 3 months.
20 Delicious Ways to Cook Beef Tongue
Cook Beef Tongue Correctly!
You can cook delicious and tender beef tongue in several ways. Choose the one you like best!
1. How and How Long to Cook Beef Tongue in a Pot
Place the prepared tongue in a pot, pour boiling water over it until it is completely covered. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Let it boil for about 7-8 minutes, then drain the first broth, rinse the beef tongue again under running water, and return it to the pot. Pour in clean boiling water, add a peeled raw carrot and onion. No need to cut them. Add bay leaf, pepper, clove buds, and other spices. Cook the offal until tender over minimal heat with the lid on, remembering to skim off the foam with a slotted spoon, as it is not needed in the broth.
2. How to Cook in a Multicooker or Pressure Cooker
Lucky owners of this kitchen marvel can cook beef tongue much more easily. Pour cold water over the offal in the multicooker bowl, add whole onion and carrot, and parsley root. Add spices. Set the "Stew" mode for 1 hour, then open the lid, add salt, and cook for another hour to an hour and a half.
In a pressure cooker, beef tongue can be fully cooked in one hour. The cooking process is significantly accelerated under pressure and high temperature.
3. How Long to Cook Beef Tongue in a Steamer
Doctors recommend steamed beef tongue for children, people suffering from anemia, pregnant women, the elderly, and patients recovering from surgery. We should note that this method is a bit troublesome, but it's worth it. Offal cooked in a steamer becomes more tender and flavorful, retaining many more beneficial microelements necessary for a weakened body.
First, immerse the pre-washed product in a pot of boiling water and let it simmer over low heat for 30-40 minutes. Transfer the tongue to ice water, then to a wooden board, and peel off the skin. Let it cool slightly and cut it into several pieces.
Arrange the slices of offal on the steamer trays, sprinkle with seasonings, onion rings, and carrots. You can also add coarsely chopped shallot stalks. Turn on the device and cook until done, checking for readiness once an hour with a fork. If the pieces are easily pierced, and the tines go into them like butter, it's time to turn off the steamer. Let the tongue cool completely, slice it thinly, and serve.
4. Cooking Beef Tongue in the Oven
With this cooking method, beef tongue turns into a real delicacy: delicious, juicy, aromatically spicy, and with an appetizing crispy crust. First, parboil the offal. Simply place it in a saucepan, cover with boiling water, and cook, constantly skimming off the foam, for about 45 minutes. Immediately transfer the tongue to a container with very cold water. Then clean it of all unnecessary membranes, skin, and fat.
In a separate bowl, mix 50 ml of soy sauce, fresh garlic pressed through a press, a heaped teaspoon of sea salt, bay leaf broken into pieces, and half a teaspoon of meat seasoning or dried herbs. Thoroughly "bathe" the beef tongue in the resulting mixture, cover the bowl with cling film, and refrigerate to marinate. Overnight is best, but 3-4 hours will also be sufficient.
Before baking, transfer the product to a sheet of thick culinary foil, wrap it tightly, and place it in the oven (preheated to 180 degrees Celsius) for an hour to an hour and a half, depending on the weight. 15 minutes before it's done, unwrap the foil so that the top browns properly. All that's left is to let the tongue cool completely, slice it, and serve, garnished with herbs and fresh vegetables.
