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Tacos de Lengua with melt-in-your-mouth tender ox tongue, corn tortillas and your favorite taco fixings! Moist and flavorful, they're one of the best tacos you'll ever have!
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4 from 1 vote

Tacos de Lengua

Tacos de Lengua with melt-in-your-mouth tender ox tongue, corn tortillas and your favorite taco fixings! Moist and flavorful, they're one of the best tacos you'll ever have!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 20 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Main Entree
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 16 Servings
Calories: 171kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds beef tongue
  • kosher salt
  • water
  • 1 small onion, peeled and quartered
  • 1 head garlic, peeled and pounded
  • 2 tablespoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon peppercorns
  • 2 bay leaves

For the Tacos

  • 32 pieces small corn tortillas
  • 1 large onion, peeled and diced
  • 1 bunch cilantro, stemmed and chopped
  • salsa roja or salsa verde
  • limes, cut into wedges

Instructions

  • Scrub surface of tongue with coarse salt. Rinse and repeat for a few times. Rinse well. 
  • In a deep pot, combine beef tongue and enough water to cover. Over medium heat, bring to a boil for about 10 to 15 minutes, skimming scum that may float on top. Drain tongue and rinse well. Discard liquid and wash pot.
  • Return tongue to the pot and add enough water to cover. Add onions, garlic, salt, peppercorns and bay leaves. 
  • Over medium heat, bring to a boil. Skim scum that my float on top. Lower heat, cover and simmer for about 3 to 4 hours or until meat is fork-tender. Add more water as needed during cooking to completely cover the tongue. 
  • Drain tongue from liquid and discard liquid and aromatics. Allow tongue to cool to touch. Peel the skin and dice meat.
  • In a skillet over medium heat, arrange tortillas in a single layer and warm, turning once or twice, until soft and pliable.
  • To assemble tacos, spoon about 2 tablespoons of tongue on tortillas. Top with onions, cilantro, and salsa. Serve with limes.

Notes

Amount of servings depends on how much meat used on each taco. At about 2 tablespoons each, this recipe would yield approximately 16 servings with 2 tacos per serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 171kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 961mg | Potassium: 231mg | Vitamin A: 70IU | Vitamin C: 0.8mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 2.1mg