Marianne Martinez
Lengua estofado is a delicious, tender, and juicy beef tongue dish that can be made in a crock pot. The meat is cooked slowly and seasoned with onion, garlic, and bay leaves, resulting in a flavorful and juicy meal. The crock pot method is convenient as it requires minimal supervision during cooking and produces tender meat that can be used in various dishes such as tacos, tortas, and con chile colorado. The recipe typically involves rinsing and scrubbing the tongue, adding seasonings and vegetables, and cooking on low heat for several hours. The tongue is then removed, skinned, chopped, and served with the desired sides.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Main Ingredient | Beef Tongue |
| Other Ingredients | Onion, Garlic, Bay Leaf, Salt, Black Pepper, Water |
| Additional Ingredients | Olive Oil, Tomato Paste, Tomato Sauce, Soy Sauce, Green Olives, Beef Broth, Bell Peppers, Carrots, Mushrooms, Baby Potatoes |
| Crock Pot Temperature | Low |
| Cooking Time | 8 hours or until tender |
| Skin Removal | Use a knife to remove and discard the skin |
| Meat Preparation | Cut the meat into small pieces |
| Serving Suggestions | Tacos, Tostadas, Tortas, Flautas, Scrambled Eggs, Gorditas |
| Storage | Refrigerate for up to 4 days, freeze for up to 1 month |
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What You'll Learn
Prep the beef tongue: scrub, rinse, and season
To prep the beef tongue, start by scrubbing it with rock salt. Rinse the tongue thoroughly with water. Place the beef tongue in the crock pot and add enough water to cover the tongue. You can also season the tongue with salt and pepper before adding the water. Set the crock pot on high pressure for 40 minutes. After cooking, release the pressure and dispose of the liquid. Remove the tongue from the crock pot and place it on a work surface. Let it cool slightly before handling.
Once the tongue is cool enough to handle, use a paring knife to remove and discard the outer layer of skin. Be sure to remove the rough end of the tongue as well. This step is important as it improves the texture of the dish; if the outer layer of skin is not removed, it will be too chewy.
After removing the skin, cut the tongue into small pieces. You can chop the meat into bite-sized cubes or shred it with two forks. If you plan to serve the lengua estofado immediately, return the meat to the crock pot and continue with the rest of the recipe.
If you are preparing the dish in advance, you can store the cooked beef tongue in an airtight container or plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to four days. You can also freeze it for up to a month by placing it in an airtight, freezer-safe container or plastic bag. When ready to serve, simply thaw it in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter, then warm it in the microwave or in a skillet until it reaches your desired temperature.
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Add tongue to the crock pot with water, salt, pepper, and bay leaves
To cook lengua estofado in a crock pot, you'll first want to thoroughly rinse the beef tongue. Some recipes suggest scrubbing the tongue with rock salt before rinsing. Next, place the tongue in your crock pot with water—make sure to add enough water to cover the tongue. You'll also want to add salt, pepper, and bay leaves to the crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or until the meat is tender when pierced with a knife.
The crock pot is a great option for cooking lengua estofado because it yields tender, juicy, and flavorful results. The low and slow cooking method means you don't have to monitor the cooking process too closely. Plus, you can easily remove the tongue's skin after cooking, as it will come off more easily thanks to the slow cooking method.
After cooking the tongue in the crock pot, you'll want to remove it from the pot and use a paring knife to remove and discard the skin. Be sure to also trim off any fatty tissue at the bottom end of the tongue. Once the skin is removed, cut the meat into small dice or shred it, depending on your preference and the requirements of your recipe.
Some recipes suggest returning the meat to the crock pot after it's been shredded or diced. You can then add other ingredients, such as tomato paste, sauce, broth, and vegetables, and continue cooking to incorporate all the flavors.
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Cook on high pressure for 40 mins, then low for 8 hours
To cook lengua estofado using a crock pot, you'll first need to scrub the tongue with rock salt and rinse it. Place the ox tongue in the crock pot and add enough water to cover the tongue. Set the crock pot on high pressure for 40 minutes.
After 40 minutes, release the pressure and dispose of the liquid. Remove the tongue from the crock pot and carefully peel off the skin. Cut the tongue into cubes and set aside.
Now, you'll want to set the crock pot to saute mode and add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, leeks, carrots, mushrooms, and bell pepper. Saute these ingredients until they're softened and fragrant.
Once the vegetables are ready, it's time to add the tomato paste, tomato sauce, beef broth, soy sauce, green olives, and any additional seasonings. Stir everything together and set the crock pot to low pressure. Let this sauce simmer and thicken for several hours.
For the final step, simply add the cubed ox tongue back into the crock pot and let it cook on low for 8 hours. This extended cooking time will ensure that the meat becomes incredibly tender and absorbs all the flavours of the sauce.
Your lengua estofado will be mouthwateringly delicious, with melt-in-your-mouth tender meat in a rich and flavourful sauce.
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Remove tongue, peel skin, and cut into cubes
After cooking the ox tongue in the crock pot, you need to remove the tongue from the pot and carefully peel off the outer layer of skin. This layer is tough and chewy, so it is important to remove it. Use a paring knife to make a cut and help remove the skin. You can also trim off any fatty tissue at the bottom end of the tongue.
Once the skin is removed, cut the tongue into cubes. The size of the cubes can vary depending on your preference, but they should be small enough to easily fit on a tortilla or fork. You can also shred the meat using two forks if you prefer a more pulled texture.
The tongue should be tender after cooking, but if you want to further tenderise the meat, you can cook it in a skillet with butter or oil. This will also add a nice sear to the meat. However, this step is optional, and you can proceed to add the cubed tongue to your sauce or other ingredients if desired.
The tongue is now ready to be added back to the crock pot or slow cooker to finish the lengua estofado dish.
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Add vegetables and sauce to the crock pot, and serve with the tongue
Once the tongue has been cooked and the skin removed, you can start to prepare the vegetables and sauce. For this recipe, you will need onions, garlic, leeks, carrots, mushrooms, and bell peppers. You can also add baby potatoes, green olives, and mushrooms for extra flavour and texture. Start by sautéing the onions, garlic, leeks, and bay leaves in some olive oil until they are softened and fragrant. Then, add the carrots, mushrooms, and bell peppers and continue cooking for a few minutes.
Next, it's time to build the sauce. Add the tomato paste, tomato sauce, beef broth, soy sauce, and season with salt and pepper to taste. If you want a thicker sauce, you can add a little cornstarch or flour. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes to allow the flavours to meld.
Now, you can add the cooked tongue to the crock pot. Carefully place the tongue cubes into the sauce and ensure they are coated evenly. Let the tongue simmer in the sauce for about 20 minutes, so the flavours can combine.
Finally, it's time to serve! This dish goes well with tortillas, radishes, cilantro, and lime wedges. You can also serve it with rice or mashed potatoes if you prefer. For an extra touch of freshness, garnish with chopped parsley or green onions. Enjoy your delicious and tender lengua estofado!
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Frequently asked questions
First, scrub the ox tongue with rock salt and rinse. Place the tongue in the crock pot and add water until the tongue is covered. Cook on high pressure for 40 minutes. Release the pressure, dispose of the water, and peel off the skin. Cut the tongue into cubes and set aside. Saute the onions, garlic, bay leaves, leeks, carrots, mushrooms, and bell pepper. Add the tomato paste, sauce, broth, salt, and pepper. Simmer on low pressure until the sauce thickens, then add the tongue cubes.
Cooking times may vary depending on the crock pot and the size of the beef tongue, but generally, it takes around 8 hours on low pressure to cook lengua in a crock pot.
You will need the following ingredients to cook lengua estofado in a crock pot: ox tongue, rock salt, peppercorns, leek, white onion, olive oil, garlic, bay leaves, carrots, mushrooms, tomato paste, tomato sauce, soy sauce, green olives, beef broth, green and yellow bell peppers, baby potatoes, and salt to taste.
