Basque Tongue Recipes

Steps:

• Wash one large beef tongue or several lamb tongues well. Place the tongue in a kettle and cover with cold water. Add 2 whole buttons of garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Bring the water to a boil and turn the heat down.
• Cover the kettle with a lid and keep the water boiling until the tongue is tender to fork. This can take three or more hours. When the tongue is tender, run cold water over it and skin it. Be sure to trim the membranes under the tongue. Next slice the tongue to about 1/4 inch slices. (The tongue can be fixed a day or two ahead and then wrapped in saran wrap and refrigerated).
• Saute the garlic, onion and green pepper until golden brown. Add tomato sauce, pimento and sugar. Simmer slowly for 15 minutes. Add the tongue and continue simmering until the tongue is good and hot. This dish is good hot or cold. The sauce can also be used for tripe, pigs feet or any left over meat.

Steps:

• Boil tongue in salt water for 3 hours. Peel skin from the tongue.
• Mix remaining ingredients in a large, nonreactive pot and bring to a boil.
• Add meat and boil for 10 minutes.
• Cool and store in refridgerator for one week.
• Slice tongue thinly to serve.

Steps:

• Place beef tongue, onion, garlic, and bay leaf in the crock of a slow cooker; generously season with salt. Pour in enough water to cover beef mixture.
• Cook on Low for 8 hours.
• Transfer beef tongue to a work surface and cool slightly. Peel outer layer of skin from beef tongue and remove rough end. Chop the meat into bite-size pieces.
• Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir beef tongue meat until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Steps:

• 1. Place the beef tongue, chopped carrots, parsley, bay leaves, pepper corns and quartered onion in a 6 qt pot (or pressure cooker) with sufficient water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce to rolling simmer covered for 2 1/2 hours. If cooking in a pressure cooker, cook at high pressure (15 psi) for 60-75 minutes, then allow pressure to release normally.
• 2. Remove the tongue. Peel off the skin and trim the underside a bit. Discard the first 1/4" slice from the back. Then cut 1/4" slices crosswise to tip of tongue. You then add these slices to the prepared sauce (directions following) and simmer covered for about 45 minutes after which you continue simmering for one hour uncovered, stirring occasionally. Then serve the slices covering them with the sauce.
• 3. For the sauce: While the tongue is cooking, in a 6 quart saucepan sauté the garlic, onion and green pepper in oil. Add the tomatoes, and parsley. Simmer until the tomatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the beef stock, cover the pot and simmer it for 1 hour. Remove the cover and simmer it for another hour to allow reduction and thickening, stirring occasionally. Add the tongue slices as described above to finish the cooking process.