Tacos de Lengua

20 minutes Prep Time
45 minutes Cook Time
20 Servings

Original Blog & Recipe by
Charbel Barker

Charbel Barker, owner and main contributor to MyLatinaTable.com. She loves to share her favorite recipes from growing up in Mexico with her diverse audience, in English and Spanish. Originally from Veracruz, Mexico, she moved to the United States in 2010 and lives in Colorado with her husband and three little boys.

See more of my recipes

Authentic Tongue Tacos

If you have ever wanted to learn how to make beef tongue tacos, you are in the right place. Keep reading to find out the proper way to make this Mexican delicacy.

AUTHENTIC BEEF TONGUE TACOS Plated

In Mexico, there are many recipes that use the less commonly-consumed cuts of meat, such as beef tripe, beef tongue, oxtails, and cheek meat. Here in the United States, you won’t find these cuts on many menus, and the meat can be hard to find as well! Fortunately, you can easily order all of these types of meat from the comfort of your home from Rumba Meats.

beef tongue rumba meats packaged

I recently purchased the variety pack from Rumba Meats, and it came with all of the cuts that I listed above. It was a really good deal for the amount of meat that came in the box, and it arrived in a very well packed box, and still frozen! The meat is very high quality and will allow you to make this beef tongue tacos recipe and more.

What Does Beef Tongue Taste Like?

When people hear “beef tongue”, the most common reaction is that it must not taste good. However, once people give it a try, they usually enjoy it! When cooked correctly, beef tongue is extremely tender and flavorful and is the perfect base for a delicious taco.

In order to ensure that the beef tongue is tender, you have to prepare it carefully and cook it slowly. The end result will surprise you and you will understand why these tacos are so popular in Mexico.

How Do You Cook Beef Tongue Properly?

The first step to cooking Beef Tongue is to prepare it by washing it and removing any excess fat.

Next, you will cook it in a large stockpot with boiling water and some fresh herbs, garlic and spices.

Once the beef tongue is cooked according to the instructions above, you will be able to easily remove the outer layer of the tongue and get into the tender meat in the center.

I always like to cut the beef tongue into small pieces, and then add it back to a frying pan with some oil and some of the broth that is leftover from cooking the meat.

Tacos de lengua tongue tacos in pan

Finally, it is time to put together the tacos. This is a pretty straightforward process. First, take a corn tortilla and heat it in the microwave or over the stove. Next, add the shredded beef tongue and top with cilantro, diced onions, a spritz of lime juice, and a pinch of salt. The last step is to add a delicious salsa, like this salsa verde or this salsa roja.

tacos de lengua making

One taste of these beef tongue tacos and I am sure that you will be a fan.

Ingredients

Rumba Meats® Beef Tongue (1 package)
1 Beef Tongue Rumba Meats
6¼ cups water
1 onion
1 sprig fresh thyme
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp salt
20 corn tortillas
3 limes
1 bunch cilantro chopped
1 tsp vegetable oil
Garnish: chopped onion, cilantro, lime wedges, salt and salsa verde

Instructions

Rinse beef tongue and trim excess fat off.
Combine tongue, onion, garlic, salt, thyme and water in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook for 30 to 45 minutes until you can easily insert a fork into tongue and internal temperature reaches 160ºF
Remove tongue from cooking water and peel away the outer layer of the beef tongue. Slice tongue into small pieces.
Combine ¼ cup reserved cooking water and vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add chopped beef tongue and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
For each taco: Layer beef tongue in a corn tortilla and top with chopped onions, chopped cilantro, lime juice, salt, and salsa verde.