Sous Vide Tacos de Lengua Recipe (2025)

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J. Kenji López-Alt

Sous Vide Tacos de Lengua Recipe (1)

J. Kenji López-Alt

Culinary Consultant

Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.

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Updated March 26, 2019

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Sous Vide Tacos de Lengua Recipe (2)

The best tongue tacos I've had anywhere come from Rosticeria Cancun in East Boston's Maverick Square. Chef/owner Lionel Betancol braises the beef tongues in a rich tomato and onion-based broth before piling it into soft corn tortillas. It's an incredible dish, and one that'll make a believer out of anyone who's ever been afraid to try tongue. It's also quite involved to make.

Enter sous vide.

Not only does cooking a tongue sous vide make for complete set-it-and-forget-it ease (as it does with any braised or confit dish), it also creates a more flavorful finished product as the tongue slowly stews in its own juices.

Use those same juices combined with a bit of canned chipotle, and you've made yourself an easy salsa to go with it. I like to cook down the braised tongue in a skillet until it starts getting a bit crispy on the edges. Tongue is very moist, so you'll definitely want to go with the traditional double-wrap of corn tortillas.

Note: If you don't have a water bath, combine the seasoned tongue, cilantro, onion, tomato, and fat in a medium saucepan and add 1 cup chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce to a sub-simmer, cover and cook until completely tender, about six hours, topping up with extra liquid as necessary.

Allow to cool and continue recipe as directed from step two. The best way to heat corn tortillas is to dip one in a bowl of water and transfer it to a hot non-stick or cast-iron skillet. Cook on the first side for about 30 seconds to a minute, then flip it over and cook just until the surface moisture has evaporated. It should be lightly charred in spots. Place the tortilla in a clean folded dish towel and repeat with the rest, stacking them as you go.

We Tested 19 Sous Vide Machines (Immersion Circulators)—Here Are Our Favorites

Recipe Details

Sous Vide Tacos de Lengua Recipe

Active20 mins

Total72 hrs

Serves4to 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 cow or veal tongue, about 1 1/2 pounds

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 6 stems cilantro

  • 1 medium onion, split in half

  • 1 roma tomato, split in half

  • 2 tablespoons duck fat, pork fat, or canola oil

  • 4 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, plus 1 tablespoon sauce

  • 1 lime

  • 16 to24 corn tortillas

  • Chopped onions, scallions, cilantro, and limes for serving

Directions

  1. Season tongue with salt and pepper and place in vacuum bag with cilantro, onion, tomato, and fat. Cook at 170°F until completely tender, at least 24 hours, and up to 48. Place bag in ice bath and cool completely, about 15 minutes.

  2. Open bag carefully and pour contents into large wire-mesh strainer set over bowl. Transfer tongue to cutting board and discard remaining solids. Carefully peel outer membrane off of tongue and discard. Chop tongue into 1/2-inch pieces.

  3. Combine chipoles, adobo sauce, and half of liquid from tongue in blender and blend until smooth. Season to taste with lime juice and salt. Set aside. Combine tongue and remaining liquid in heavy-bottomed 10 or 12-inch skillet. Bring to a simmer over high heat, reduce to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until liquid is reduced and tongue has started to crisp, about 8 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

  4. To serve, wrap a scoop of tongue in a double layer of corn tortillas. Top with chipotle sauce and diced onions, scallions, or cilantro as desired. Pass additional lime wedges.

Special Equipment

Sous Vide Water Oven

This Recipe Appears In

  • We Test the $199 Sous Vide Circulator From Anova
  • Mexican
  • Sous Vide Beef
  • Beef Mains
  • Tacos
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
524Calories
32g Fat
34g Carbs
26g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4to 6
Amount per serving
Calories524
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 32g41%
Saturated Fat 10g49%
Cholesterol 150mg50%
Sodium 283mg12%
Total Carbohydrate 34g12%
Dietary Fiber 6g20%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 26g
Vitamin C 17mg84%
Calcium 79mg6%
Iron 4mg23%
Potassium 470mg10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Sous Vide Tacos de Lengua Recipe (2025)

FAQs

How long to sous vide a tongue? ›

Season tongue with salt and pepper and place in vacuum bag with cilantro, onion, tomato, and fat. Cook at 170°F until completely tender, at least 24 hours, and up to 48.

What temperature is beef tongue done? ›

Cook all organ and variety meats (such as heart, kidney, liver and tongue) to 160 °F (71.1 °C). Cook all raw beef steaks and roasts to a minimum internal temperature of 145 °F (62.8 °C) as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source.

Are beef tongue tacos good? ›

I get there just in time to scoop up the last of the day's lengua for my taco and I'm in tongue heaven. So tender, so perfect in a taco. Here's the deal with tongue. Prepared correctly it is melt-in-your-mouth tender (from slow braising) and flavorful (because it's a muscle that got a lot of exercise).

Is barbacoa lengua? ›

Barbacoa de Lengua, or Beef Tongue Barbacoa, is a traditional Mexican dish that showcases the art of slow cooking and the ability to transform an often overlooked cut of meat into a tender and succulent delicacy.

How do you know when tongue is done? ›

Step 3: Test the Candy Coating

You can't have tanghulu without a hard crunchy candy coating so it is important to test the syrup. To do this, simply drizzle a spoonful of the syrup into an ice water bath. If it hardens within seconds and cracks when you bend it, then it is ready for dipping.

How do you know when tongue is cooked? ›

Tongue is ready to eat when it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Next, take the cooked tongue out of the pot and place it on a cutting board to rest for five to ten minutes. While the tongue is still warm, face it upwards and cut lengthwise into the outer skin with a paring knife.

Can you eat too much beef tongue? ›

The nutritional downsides of beef tongue

A 100-gram portion of beef tongue contains 22 grams of fat, including 8 grams of saturated fat and 1 gram of trans fat. Consuming a high amount of saturated fats can lead to raised levels of harmful LDL cholesterol and increased inflammation [*].

Why is my beef tongue tough? ›

Why is my beef tongue tough? Oops! Sounds like you didn't cook it for long enough. Tongue meat requires a long cooking time to break down all the muscle fibers enough to result in a tender cut.

Can you eat beef tongue medium rare? ›

Alternately, Chris Cosentino recommends freezing the tongue and peeling with a thick vegetable peeler. Place it between two spoons, all tied together, so that it lays flat as it freezes. He then recommends serving rare or medium rare tongue in several familiar preparations, such as grilling, searing or sauteeing.

Do Mexicans eat beef tongue? ›

Beef tongue is exactly what it sounds like – the big ol' tongue of a cow. Though not as commonly found on the average U.S. family's dinner table, it's widely used in Mexican cuisine, as well as several European, Asian, and South American cultures.

Are lengua tacos healthy? ›

Nutrition and Benefits

As you might expect, lengua is an excellent source of protein. While beef tongue is not a lean meat, it contains a good balance of saturated and unsaturated fats. It's also a valuable source of micronutrients like zinc, phosphorus, iron, and vitamins B-12, B-2, B-3, and B-6.

What is cow tongue called at a Mexican restaurant? ›

Lengua (tongue) is used in so many cuisines all over the world. In Mexico, it is a true delicacy and if cooked correctly, its melt in your mouth delicious.

What is pastor in Spanish meat? ›

Al pastor (from Spanish, "herdsman style"), tacos al pastor, or tacos de trompo is a preparation of spit-grilled slices of pork originating in the Central Mexican region of Puebla and Mexico City, although today it is a common menu item found in taquerías throughout Mexico but most prominently is from these two parts ...

What is birria in english? ›

The name Birria in Mexico refers to stew, but in Spanish it defines something as useless or of lesser value. Probably a reference to feral goat meat. Today the most common meat used for Birria is beef.

At what temperature does food burn your tongue? ›

While the exact temperature can vary from person to person, in general, anything over 110 degrees Fahrenheit can cause a superficial burn, and anything 160 degrees Fahrenheit or higher will cause a burn instantly, he notes. This means the majority of beverages served at your local café are hot enough to scald you.

How long does sous vide take? ›

Strip and Ribeye Steak
Preferred DonenessTemperatureTime
Very rare to rare120°F / 49°C to 128°F / 53°C1h to 2h 30m
Medium-rare129°F / 54°C to 134°F / 57°C1h to 4h
Medium135°F / 57°C to 144°F / 62°C1h to 4h
Medium-well145°F / 63°C to 155°F / 68°C1h to 3h 30m
1 more row

How long to sous vide beef cheeks? ›

Once beef cheeks and red wine reduction are completely cooled, place in a large sous vide bag and seal to cook at 181.4°F for 12 hours. After cooking, remove beef cheeks and reserve. Separate and discard the herbs and vegetables, then reserve jus for sauce in a large saucepot or cocotte.

References

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