Easy Beef Tongue Tacos Recipe (Beef Tacos de Lengua)

Beef Tongue is a cut of beef many people aren’t willing to try, and they’re missing out! Cooking beef tongue is easy to do, and it is incredibly flavorful and tender when prepared correctly. This beef tongue tacos recipe is similar to something you would find at traditional Mexican restaurants. If you’re feeling adventurous or you enjoy authentic Mexican cuisine, this recipe is for you. 

What do you think of when you hear the phrase beef tongue? 

Do you think of a cut of beef that you want to cook and eat? Or, does it make you squeamish? 

Whenever we sell a quarter, half or whole beef, we ask customers if they want any of the offal organ meats (also known as the “one-per-cow parts”)  like cow tongue, heart, liver or kidney. Many say “yes” and then they quickly ask, “but how do you cook it?”

That’s where this recipe comes in. There are some very popular dishes featuring cow tongue. Two of the most popular on our site are pickled beef tongue and this Beef Tacos de Lengua recipe. 

Jump to:

• What does raw cow tongue look like? 
• How to cook beef tongue
• Step 1: Braise the Tongue
• Step 2: Remove tough outer skin
• Step 3: Slice and sauté
• ​Step 4: Assemble the tacos
• Leftovers
• Nutrient Information
• Beef Tongue Tacos (Beef Tacos de Lengua)
• Other Offal Recipes

Lengua Tacos is a traditional Mexican dish where the meat is cooked until tender, and then shredded or coarsely chopped before being added to warm corn tortillas.  When it’s cooked properly, the result is tender meat with rich beefy flavor and tender texture.

What does raw cow tongue look like? 

If you are purchasing tongue from your local grocery store, you’ll know immediately that it is a tongue. It looks like a tongue, even with taste buds! The skin color of a cow’s tongue is based upon a cow’s breed.  Angus cattle have black tongues. Comparatively, Holstein cattle (dairy cattle) possess a gene that causes white patches in the coat and pink colored tongues. We’re an Angus-based farm, so our cattle have black tongues.

How to cook beef tongue

The most important thing to keep in mind when cooking cow tongue is that it’s a well-used muscle.  As we’ve discussed in other post about cuts of beef, well-used muscles on beef cattle are tough cuts of meat, but they’re very flavorful.  As a tough cut, the tongue must be slowly braised over low heat for several hours for the tongue meat to be tender. 

Step 1: Braise the Tongue

If this is your first time preparing tongue, it’s important to know that the tender meat is underneath the rough outer layer or skin of the tongue. To get to the tender meat beneath the skin, you must braise the tongue first. 

Place the whole tongue in a stock pot (or you may use a slow cooker and adjust your cooking time as needed). Fill the pot approximately two-thirds full of cold water so that there is enough water to cover the tongue.  Add the onions, garlic, salt, peppercorn, bay leaves and jalapeno pepper to the large pot.  Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then reduce to medium heat and a gentle simmer. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for about 4 hours until the tongue is completely tender and soft.

Check the water about halfway through and add more hot water if needed to keep the tongue mostly covered. 

Step 2: Remove tough outer skin

Then, remove the tongue from the broth, place on a cutting board, and allow it to cool. Next, peel off the tough outer membrane skin by using your fingers or a small sharp knife. The tongue is easier to peel if it is still warm or hot, but use caution and be careful that you don’t burn yourself! To me, this process is like peeling an orange because the outer skin of this cut of meat has a thick texture.  

Once peeled, you can also remove the rough patch of meat on the bottom part of the tongue where the tongue connects to the mouth.  This part is edible, but it has a different texture and tends to be harder and greasy. 

Step 3: Slice and sauté

Slice the tongue in approximately 1/4-inch slices, and then dice into small pieces — about 1/4-inch dice. 

When ready, heat a little oil in a large skillet or cast iron skillet over medium high heat until shimmering.  Add the tongue pieces and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tongue is lightly browned on all sides, approximately 5 minutes total.  Season with salt and black pepper as desired. This browning step is key to this taco recipe. 

​Step 4: Assemble the tacos

Assemble the lengua tacos by placing a large spoonful of tender meat in a warm tortilla (corn tortilla or flour tortillas). If using store-bought corn tortillas, we recommend wrapping in a double layer of corn tortilla.  Add other desired toppings as desired like avocado, white onion, fresh cilantro, fresh pico, and fresh salsa verde.  If desired, add a squeeze of fresh lime juice. 

Leftovers

These tacos are so good that it’s unlikely you’ll have leftovers. If you do, as with other cuts of meat, cooked tongue can be kept in the fridge, in a sealed container, for 3-4 days. 

Nutrient Information

Like other cuts of meat, cow tongue is full of proteins, vitamins, and minerals. However, like other organ meat, it is high in cholesterol so it shouldn’t be on your plate every night, especially if you’re on a medically restrictive diet. 

A 3-ounce serving of simmered cow tongue contains 3.5 milligrams of zinc, which contributes 44 percent toward the daily values recommended zinc intake for women and 32 percent for men. Each portion of cooked cow tongue also boasts 2.2 milligrams of iron — 28 and 12 percent of the daily iron intakes set for men and women, respectively.  Each 3-ounce serving contains 16.4 grams of protein and, like other animal-based protein, it provides all the essential amino acids.

Other Offal Recipes

• Pickled Beef Tongue
• Homemade Beef Bone Broth (crock pot)
• 4-Ingredient Beef Bone Broth (stove top)
• Oxtail Stew
• Liver & Onions (two variations)
• How to Eat Liver (Even if you hate it)

Kitchen Products We Love

• Meat Thermometer
• Stock Pot
• Cast Iron Skillet

One More Thing!

Do you want to learn more about beef? Join our weekly e-newsletter where we share farm happenings, recipes and beef availability. Sign-up and get a cheat sheet with 9-must-ask questions before buying beef directly from a farmer. Or, we have an entire ebook about beef that goes through purchasing and preparing beef from a cattle farmers perspective.

Here are a few other links you may like:

• What everybody ought to know about beef cuts
• Buying a Cow. How Much Beef Is It?
• 7 Steps to Grilling a Steak to Perfection
• What Do Cows Eat
• Easy Beef Brisket Recipe (oven-roasted)
• The Best Farm Books for Kids

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions are our own and we only recommend products that we truly believe in.

We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. See our disclosure policy for more details.