Sous Vide Beef Tongue Tacos

Beef tongue, also known as lengua, can be a surprisingly wonderful cut of meat — if it’s prepared well. When cooked for 36 hours in the Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker, it becomes so tender it will melt in your mouth. After a quick sear in a cast-iron skillet, it’s the perfect filling for simple street-style tacos.

Author

Emily Farris and Jeff Akin

Emily Farris and Jeff Akin are the co-founders of Feed Me Creative, a former culinary creative agency in Kansas City, MO.

Prep Time: 00:20

Recipe Time: 36:00

Temperature : 158F / 70C

Ingredients

• 1 (2 to 3 pound) beef tongue
• 3 tablespoons ancho chili powder
• 2 tablespoons garlic salt
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 18 corn tortillas, warmed for serving
• 1 white onion, finely diced
• 1 bunch cilantro, leaves picked
• 2 cups thinly sliced radishes
• 3 limes, cut into wedges

Directions

1. Set the Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker to 158ºF (70ºC).
2. Season the tongue with chili powder, garlic salt, cumin, and pepper. Place in a large zipper lock or vacuum seal bag and seal using the water immersion technique or a vacuum sealer on the moist setting.
3. Place the bag in the water bath and set the timer for 36 hours. You will likely need to add water every several hours to keep the water level above the tongue.

Finishing Steps

1. When the timer goes off, remove the bag from the water bath. Remove the tongue from the bag and pat dry with paper towels. Remove the outer layer of the tongue. It should easily peel off.
2. Separate the meat from any excess fat and shred or cut into small cubes.
3. Heat the canola oil in a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. When the oil just begins to smoke, add the tongue. Sear, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 2 minutes.
4. Serve the tongue on warmed tortillas, topped with onions, cilantro, radishes, and lime wedges.