Lengua Tacos

Lengua means tongue in Spanish, and these tacos are a beloved fixture of Mexican street food. Slow-braised beef tongue turns meltingly tender, then gets tucked into warm corn tortillas with onion, cilantro, salsa, and a squeeze of lime.

Serves 4

Estimate for one serving

• 420 cal
• 28g protein
• 32g carbs
• 21g fat
• 4g fiber

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Ingredients

• 1 (about 3 lbs / 1.4 kg) beef tongue
• 1 large, quartered white onion
• 6 garlic cloves
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp black peppercorns
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• enough to cover tongue (about 10 cups) water
• 12 small (6-inch) corn tortillas
• 1 small, finely diced white onion
• 1/2 cup, chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 cup salsa verde or roja
• 4 lime wedges
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions

1. 1Rinse the beef tongue thoroughly under cold water and place it in a large pot or Dutch oven.
2. 2Add the quartered onion, garlic cloves, bay leaves, peppercorns, and salt to the pot.
3. 3Pour in enough water to fully cover the tongue by about 2 inches (roughly 10 cups).
4. 4Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a low simmer. Cover and cook for 3 to 3½ hours until the tongue is very tender and a knife slides in easily.
5. 5Remove the tongue from the broth and let it cool for 10–15 minutes until handleable. Strain and reserve the broth if desired for another use.
6. 6Peel off the outer skin/taste buds from the tongue while still warm (it should slip off easily). Discard the skin.
7. 7Slice the peeled tongue into ¼-inch thick pieces, then cut across into small bite-size strips or cubes.
8. 8Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tongue pieces in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 3–4 minutes until crispy and golden on one side. Stir and cook 2–3 minutes more until crisped all over. Season lightly with additional salt if needed.
9. 9Warm the corn tortillas on a dry skillet or directly over a flame until soft and pliable.
10. 10Assemble the tacos: fill each tortilla with about 2–crisped lengua, then top with diced onion, chopped cilantro, and a spoonful of salsa. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.