Lengua or Tongue in English

[daveomak]

Rafter H BBQ posted a taco recipe that's awesome looking... It reminded me of a small get-together we had in the 70's...
A group of folks we frequented, would put together wild game and offal get togethers at least once a year... About 15-20 folks that hung around together... Salmon, elk, venison, beaver, rattle snake, porcupine, duck, goose etc, were acceptable contributions along with gross quantities of adult beverages.... Entrees were gathered during individual or group outings, from nature, by the participants... and prepared using their favorite recipes...
I always liked Chinese BBQ pork with HOT Chinese mustard and toasted sesame seeds... For some reason, I decided a beef tongue would be a great substitute for pork... So, I baked a seasoned tongue for about 12-16 hours, if memory serves me correctly... After the first few hours it was ready to peel and then season again and bake some more... I'm sure the oven was set at 170ish but who knows for sure... Refer cooled, sliced and plated... The beef flavor was intense and the meat was moist and tender... Paired with the mustard and seeds, it put pork to shame...
My fishing partners wife found the plate and took a small taste... Then had an epiphany (A sudden insight or intuitive understanding:)... She knew it was beef but demanded to know the cut and cooking process... All food was plated sans description...
Several hours of pestering me, to know the details, followed... Succumbing to her pestering, I divulged the facts...
She was overtaken by horror that I would serve tongue, for people to eat... That was an unconscionable act and immediately projectile vomited all that delicious tongue she had been consuming for the last hour or so... She grabbed her coat and left my home... We never spoke again...

How to win friends and influence people....

 

[BigW.]

Great story! I have a tongue in the freezer and will have to cook it without the family seeing/knowing what it is.

 

[Gonna Smoke]

Funny story Dave. I've only cooked tongue once and that was YEARS ago when I was much dumber about cooking things than I am now. Still dumb, just not as dumb and now I have SMF and the interweb . Anyway, as I remember it was tough as shoe leather, but something that I'd like to revisit sometime now that I'm "smarter" ...

 

[Norwester55]

When I was a kid back in the 1800s my mom would cook tongue once in a while. Bout all I can remember is that she would slow simmer it all day with pickling spices, and it was delicious! None of my siblings would touch it, so more for me! Sliced on crackers.

 

[crazymoon]

DO, Funny story! I enjoy beef tongue and venison tongue on occasion.

 

[zwiller]

LOL. Never had but heard good things about it. I have an older gentleman I look after and will get it for him but not cheap so no go for me. I asked him how he does it. He's german like me and pretty much describes how I heard it was done. Pickled, cooked, chilled, sliced paper thin and served on crackers with some thin sliced onion. daveomak You might know. Is tongue "lean beef" in eyes of USDA?

Funny also that people use esoteric names to keep people from getting grossed out LOL. I was fed hassenpfeffer as a kid.

 

[daveomak]

It has some fat streaks in the lower connective area... It's a well-used muscle so it has a lot of flavor....

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

45 or so years ago, you could walk into nearly every grocery store's meat department and find tongue, brains, trotters, and all. Not anymore.
One of my guilty pleasures is fried chicken livers smothered in sherry gravy.
Last time I was physically in Safeway, I asked the meat counter person if they had any chicken livers in the back. Instead of answering yes or no, the guy asked me if I needed them for catfish bait. "No", I said. I am going to cook them for consumption. He got a repulsed look on his face and said, "No, we don't carry chicken livers".
Hell, I don't think they even carry beef liver anymore.

 

[1MoreFord]

45 or so years ago, you could walk into nearly every grocery store's meat department and find tongue, brains, trotters, and all. Not anymore.
One of my guilty pleasures is fried chicken livers smothered in sherry gravy.
Last time I was physically in Safeway, I asked the meat counter person if they had any chicken livers in the back. Instead of answering yes or no, the guy asked me if I needed them for catfish bait. "No", I said. I am going to cook them for consumption. He got a repulsed look on his face and said, "No, we don't carry chicken livers".
Hell, I don't think they even carry beef liver anymore.

Sorry. Here in Arkansas I can still get beef liver, calf liver, chicken liver, and braunschweiger at Kroger. Life is good.

I can also get liver loaf slices, liver cheese slices, and chicken feet. No trotters or brains that I'm aware of.

Tongue is hard to find though.

 

[SmokinEdge]

In the 70,s I was in grade school and used to trade tongue tacos (homemade flour tortillas) for sandwiches on wonder bread. It was a great trade because it was a treat both ways. We slaughtered our own animals and threw out very little.

As to finding a source for tongue, check with local processors. Especially small USDA shops. Folks that have their own animals processed don’t usually get the tongue back, or even want it. Just ask and I bet you could have a steady supply.

 

[DougE]

Folks that have their own animals processed don’t usually get the tongue back, or even want it.

Whoever is inclined can have the tongues from any animals I have processed.

 

[TNJAKE]

I'm a fan of beef tongue done right but agree it's intimidating for some. Picked one up at Sam's a few months back and slapped my wife in the ass with it lol. She'll never try it

 

[zwiller]

It has some fat streaks in the lower connective area... It's a well-used muscle so it has a lot of flavor....

Good point on the fat but what I was really getting at is it possible tongue and also maybe heart is used in sausage and is simply labeled beef being both are technically muscle. To add to your story, last time I got one for my bud I stashed in the office freezer and forgot about it but was reminded after hearing a scream from one the girls at lunch time. LOL

Chicken gizzard (livers and heart) are still sold here in fried chicken restaurants. I ate them alot as a kid but been awhile. Chicken and beef liver sold here in most stores but always frozen and in odd places. I bet if you look you would find them but NEVER seen any fresh.

Totally agree it's probably easy to find a cheap good supply at small shops or processors you just gotta do a little leg work. That's where I got the tongue. I dug a little and see quite a few people cure it. That said, they way my parents and buddy describe it is sweet and sour so not cured.

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

Sorry. Here in Arkansas I can still get beef liver, calf liver, chicken liver, and braunschweiger at Kroger. Life is good.

I can also get liver loaf slices, liver cheese slices, and chicken feet. No trotters or brains that I'm aware of.

Tongue is hard to find though.

Joe,

Now that I think about, it might just be a Safeway thing.
There is a Fry's (owned by Kroger) that is further away. It might be worth the drive for me just to check things out.

Stu

 

[zwiller]

My go to store is Kroger and they have it all but tucked away in odd areas. Probably have to hide it from the soccer moms.

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

My go to store is Kroger and they have it all but tucked away in odd areas. Probably have to hide it from the soccer moms.

Sam,
When we moved to where we are at now, there used to be a small butcher shop.
The owner could get anything as long as the order was placed a week in advance. Unfortunately, he close up shop about a year after we moved here due to the "big boy's" in town always undercutting him.
While his prices were a tad higher, the product was far superior.
Plus, I didn't mind supporting him instead of the big chains in town.

Stu

 

[Rafter H BBQ]

daveomak appreciate the mention! We like the stuff a lot of other folks don’t… ox tails, tongue, etc.

That story was great, thanks for sharing!

 

[buzzy]

DO got a little chuckle out of your story. Reminded me of the time a women did the same to me (no puking though) half way through a deer BBQ sandwich (not burger) she was enjoying. No loss to me because didn't really know her. I like beef tongue to but slice & pickle after cooked. Keep in frig for a few days before trying.

 

[Fueling Around]

I have many similar stories.

Walmart back in MN carries beef tongue.
Publix in Florida carries kidney.
When I lived in Seattle, Safeway carried fresh (never frozen) fryers (rabbit).

 

[daveomak]

WHB.... Ox tails, cheeks.... both hard to beat for flavor cuts... Love 'em...