Gorditas de Lengua

Ingredients

• Rumba Meats® Beef Tongue (1 package)
• 1⁄2 white onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 thyme sprigs (optional)
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Adobo seasoning, to taste

Instructions

1. Combine beef tongue, onion, garlic, thyme, and oregano in a stock pot. Add water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 3 hours until tongue is tender and reaches an internal temperature of 160°F.
2. Remove tongue and cool slightly. Peel off the outer layer and trim fat. Chop meat into bite-size pieces. (Recipe makes 8 cups chopped tongue; save 4 cups for another meal. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.)
3. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add 4 cups chopped tongue, season with adobo seasoning, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until meat is lightly browned. Keep filling warm.
4. For gorditas: Combine masa, olive oil, salt, and baking powder in a bowl. Stir in warm water to form a dough. Add additional water if mixture seems dry and crumbly. If the dough is sticky, dust lightly with additional masa. Knead for 2 minutes. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 30 minutes. Form dough into 10 balls and cover.
5. To griddle gorditas: Preheat a cast-iron skillet or comal over medium high heat. Press a dough ball between plastic into a 1⁄4 -inch thick, 4-inch round disk. Place in hot skillet, cover and cook for 3 minutes on each side. Flip again and continue cooking until gordita is cooked in the middle and starting to puff. Remove. Using a paring knife, partially slice warm gordita to form a pocket and cover with a towel to keep warm. Repeat with remaining dough balls.
6. To pan fry gorditas: Press a dough ball between plastic into a 1⁄4 -inch thick, 4- inch round disk. Fry in 1-inch hot oil for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and puffed up. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Partially slice open to form a pocket. Cover with a towel to keep warm. Repeat with remaining dough balls.
7. Spoon chopped beef into each gordita. Top stuffed gorditas with shredded cabbage, queso fresco, chopped onions, cilantro, and salsa.