Beef Tongue Tacos (Tacos de Lengua)

Recipe notes

Peel the tongue while it’s still warm

Once the tongue comes out of the braise, give it 15 to 20 minutes until you can handle it without burning your hands, then peel immediately. The skin should slip off in sections without much resistance. If it sits too long and cools down, the skin contracts and tightens against the meat and you’ll work much harder to get it off. Have a bowl nearby to collect the skin as you go. Once peeled, the tongue can be refrigerated and sliced the next day if you’re prepping ahead.

Sear the tongue in batches, don’t crowd the pan

The pan needs to stay very hot throughout the sear to get a proper caramelised crust on each slice. If you add too many slices at once, the temperature drops and the tongue steams rather than sears and you won’t get much colour. Work in batches, give each slice 2 to 3 minutes per side without moving it, and let the pan recover between batches if it’s losing heat. The crust makes a real difference to the texture of the taco, so it’s worth taking the time.

Cook support

If you don’t have a tortilla press then you can use a heavy frying pan to press down the dough. Take care not to make them too thin as they can crack and break apart before reaching a hot frying pan. This quantity of dough will make about 18-20 tortillas, but can easily be halved if you want to make less.

Storage

Store the cooked, peeled tongue in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, preferably with a little braising liquid poured over to keep it moist. The salsa verde keeps covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Tortillas are best eaten fresh on the day they’re made, but will keep wrapped in a tea towel at room temperature for a few hours or reheated briefly in a dry pan.

Serving ideas

Mix up the serving with your favourite tacos sides, such as guacamole, pico de gallo, some Queso fresco or feta cheese.

Ingredient notes

Beef tongue:

Beef tongue is a whole muscle sold as one piece at butchers and Latin or specialty food stores. It weighs around 1 to 1.5kg and looks nothing like a standard cut of beef at the start: the outside is covered in a thick, rough skin that must be removed after cooking. This skin peels off while the tongue is still warm from the braise. If you let it cool completely first, the skin contracts and tightens and you’ll work much harder to remove it. The cooked meat underneath is similar in texture to short rib: rich, tender and well-marbled with fat. Ask your butcher to order one if it’s not on display. There is no close substitute that gives the same result.

Masa harina:

Masa harina is dried, ground nixtamalized corn. Nixtamalization is the process of treating corn with an alkaline solution, which changes the structure of the grain, improves its nutritional profile and gives masa its distinctive flavour and binding properties. Masa harina is available at Latin grocery stores and online, and increasingly in the specialty section of major supermarkets. The brand MASECA is the most common and reliable. Store opened bags in an airtight container as the flour can go stale and affect the dough texture.

Tomatillos:

Tomatillos are a Mexican fruit in the same family as cape gooseberries, similar in size to a small tomato with a papery husk. For this salsa verde they’re used from a can, which is practical and gives a consistent result year-round. Canned tomatillos are already cooked and have a bright, tangy acidity that balances the heat from the jalapeño and richness of the tongue. You’ll find them at Latin grocery stores and in the international aisle of major supermarkets. If you can find fresh tomatillos, halve them and add them to the pan with the jalapeño and onion to char before blending.