tongue...cured, brined...thoughts?

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gnatboy911

Meat Mopper
Original poster
Jan 4, 2017
281
96
Western, CO
Hey guys, 

So I have a tongue in the freezer I'd like to do something delicious with.  I have read up on the difference between corned beef and pastrami. I think I'd like to go the pastrami route, but had some other questions.

Some recipes have had some differences.  Some call for just a salt, sugar, spices brine.  Yet, others call for that plus some curing salt #1.  I'm fairly new to curing things, so I was wondering what you guys thought about each method.  

I found this thread: http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/139765/pickled-beef-tongue-3rd-times-the-charm

and the curing/boiling, peeling, then cold smoking seemed like a route I wanted to take.

Thoughts guys?

Thanks!

Nate.
 
If you cure it, I've found that splitting the tongue down the middle shallowly will help get it cured really well.  Then after curing (Pop's is what I used), I smoked it for a while like I would sausage and then wrapped it in some foil with a little dark beer (1/4 cup maybe), let it run along at 225 for a couple of hours, split it open and dove in.  

That was several years ago and I think it may have been in a thread with barbacoa where we also smoked the whole head...  Tongue has a very unique flavor and I'd do it a lot if they weren't so expensive here in Texas!
 
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Thanks Crankybuzzard for the reply. Sounds delicious. Might go that route. The tongue is from an elk I got this year.
 
Yep I have done just like CB. This would be a great project for Sous Vide...
Dirtsailor...now you have me interested in the Sous Vide deal.  I've seen it come up lots of times on here. Been doing a little research and found this one highly recommended on Amazon...


I guess this could be a discussion for a whole new thread though...
 
Dirtsailor...now you have me interested in the Sous Vide deal.  I've seen it come up lots of times on here. Been doing a little research and found this one highly recommended on Amazon...

https://www.amazon.com/Anova-Culinary-PCB-120US-K1-Bluetooth-Precision/dp/B00UKPBXM4/ref=sr_1_5?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1485212796&sr=1-5&keywords=sous+vide

I guess this could be a discussion for a whole new thread though...

Go visit this forum

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/f/3182/sous-vide-cooking
 
I would either Smoke it or Cure & Smoke it.

It already is Tender---It just needs Smoke Flavor, which you don't get from SV.

Just my 2 Piasters,

Bear
 
I would either Smoke it or Cure & Smoke it.

It already is Tender---It just needs Smoke Flavor, which you don't get from SV.

Just my 2 Piasters,

Bear

I would combine all the above.

I've never foind tongue to be tender right out of the package. Normally need a longtime low and slow to get to the good tender spot.
 
I would combine all the above.

I've never foind tongue to be tender right out of the package. Normally need a longtime low and slow to get to the good tender spot.
Yeah---I meant Tongue isn't tough like Eye Round, Bottom Round, and Sirloin Tip.

Those things are screaming for either SV or Slicing real thin.

You're probably right about Tongue though----Probably Cured, Cold Smoked, and SV.

Bear
 
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