Cut · Tongue, a dense muscle
Beef tongue
Beef tongue is a single, dense muscle covered by a thick, rough skin. Its fibres run in three directions, so once simmered for hours and peeled it turns tender, fine-grained and smooth — the base of Mexican tacos de lengua, Argentine lengua a la vinagreta and deli pickled tongue; sliced thin and grilled, it is Japanese gyūtan.
At a glance
- Part
- The tongue: one muscle mass of interlacing fibres
- Weight
- Whole tongue about 1–1.5 kg / 2–3.5 lb
- Texture
- Fine-grained and dense; fattiest at the root
- Best cooked
- Simmered 2.5–3.5 h and peeled; or sliced thin and grilled
Fibres running three ways
The tongue is a mass of skeletal muscle whose fibres run in three directions, lengthwise, across and vertically, which lets the animal shape it to gather grass. That interlacing gives cooked tongue its characteristic texture: very fine, close-grained and smooth, closer to a tender braise than to a steak, without long fibres to chew through.
A whole beef tongue usually weighs about 1–1.5 kg (2–3.5 lb). It is covered by a thick, bumpy skin of papillae that is inedible once cooked and is removed. The tip is the leanest and firmest part; the root, at the back, is wider and much richer in fat, and in Japan it is sold separately as tan-moto and considered the best part for grilling.
A variety meat, sold whole
The tongue is removed with the head at slaughter, trimmed of the larynx, the hyoid bone and some of the fat and glands at the root, and inspected. It is classed as a variety meat (offal) and sold whole, either fresh, frozen, brined or smoked. Some butchers sell it already cooked and peeled.
Because each animal gives only one tongue, and because of strong demand in Japan, Korea and Mexico, a large international trade moves frozen tongues from beef-exporting countries such as the United States, Australia and Argentina to Asian markets.
Cooking it: simmer, then peel while warm
The classic method is to simmer the whole tongue, after rinsing it well, in water with onion, garlic, bay leaf and peppercorns for about two and a half to three and a half hours, until a skewer slides easily into the thickest part. While it is still warm, the skin is slit along the underside and peeled off; it comes away easily when the tongue is hot and sticks once it has cooled. The gristle and small bones at the root are trimmed, and the meat is sliced across, then used in many ways.
In Mexico, tacos de lengua are made with tongue simmered and then chopped, sometimes crisped on the griddle, served on corn tortillas with onion, coriander and salsa. In Argentina and Uruguay, lengua a la vinagreta is a cold starter of sliced tongue dressed with a sharp vinaigrette of finely chopped onion, peppers, parsley and hard-boiled egg; lengua a la vinagreta and lengua en escabeche are fixtures of family celebrations. Spanish lengua en salsa braises the slices in tomato or almond sauce.
In Central and Eastern European and Jewish cooking, tongue is brined and simmered as pickled or corned tongue, or brined and smoked, then sliced thin for sandwiches; it is a long-standing item in delicatessens. In Britain pressed tongue is rolled, cooked and set in its own jelly.
Tongue can also be eaten without long cooking. In Japan, gyūtan (牛タン), thick slices of peeled raw tongue that are salted, sometimes aged, and grilled over charcoal, has been associated with the city of Sendai since the years after the Second World War; it is traditionally served with barley rice and a clear oxtail soup. Japanese and Korean barbecue restaurants also serve paper-thin slices (tan-shio) grilled in seconds and eaten with salt and lemon. In Vietnam, lưỡi bò is boiled and then stir-fried, grilled or served with dipping sauce.
Firm, pinkish-grey, clean-smelling
A fresh tongue should be firm, pinkish-grey, with a clean smell and no slime. A larger tongue has a higher proportion of meat to trim. For grilling, the root end gives the most tender and fatty slices; for simmering, a whole tongue is the usual purchase, and about 1 kg raw gives roughly 600–700 g of peeled, trimmed meat. Cooked tongue keeps three to four days in the refrigerator, best stored in its cooking liquid, and freezes well.
Names around the world
16
The same muscle, named by language and by trade system.
| English | Beef tongue · ox tongue |
| Español | Lengua de res |
| Tiếng Việt | Lưỡi bò |
| Português | Língua |
| Français | Langue de bœuf |
| Italiano | Lingua di manzo |
| 日本語 | 牛タン |
| 한국어 | 우설 |
All the cuts' names, country by country →
Trade and national systems
| System | Name | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Beef tongue (variety meat) | IMPS Series 700 |
| United Kingdom | Ox tongue | AHDB |
| Australia / NZ | Tongue | HAM |
| Argentina | Lengua | IPCVA |
| Mexico | Lengua de res | — |
| France | Langue de bœuf | Larousse |
| Japan | 牛タン (gyūtan) · タン元 (tan-moto, root) | JMGA |
| Korea | 우설 (useol) | KAPE |
Frequently asked questions
How do you peel beef tongue?
Simmer it until tender, then peel it while still hot: slit the skin along the underside and pull it off. Once cold, the skin sticks and is much harder to remove.
How long does beef tongue take to cook?
About two and a half to three and a half hours of simmering for a whole tongue of 1–1.5 kg, until a skewer goes in easily.
What does beef tongue taste like?
Like mild, very tender beef with a fine, smooth grain. Its taste is close to a slow-cooked pot roast, without strong organ flavour.
What is gyūtan?
Gyūtan is Japanese grilled beef tongue, cut into thick salted slices and cooked over charcoal. It is a speciality of Sendai and is usually served with barley rice and oxtail soup.
Sources
4
- McGee, Harold. On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen, rev. ed. New York: Scribner, 2004.
- Larousse Gastronomique, rev. ed. London: Hamlyn, 2009.
- Toldrá, Fidel (ed.). Lawrie's Meat Science, 8th ed. Duxford: Woodhead, 2017.
- Japan Meat Grading Association. Beef Carcass Grading Standard. Tokyo, 1988 (rev. 2014). www.jmga.or.jp
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