Name: Information
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 2 h

Bold, smoky, and packed with flavor, these crispy beef tongue tacos with roasted tomato salsa bring authentic street taco vibes straight to your kitchen. The tongue is slow-cooked with onions, garlic, tomatoes, and spices until meltingly tender, then crisped under the broiler for irresistible texture. A roasted tomato salsa reduction clings to every bite, infusing the meat with tangy, smoky depth. Finished with Pluck organ-based seasoning for a boost of nutrients and umami, these tacos are both adventurous and satisfying. Load them into warm corn tortillas and top with avocado, pickled radishes, fresh cilantro, or your favorite salsa for a taco night that’s anything but ordinary. Once you taste these tacos, you’ll understand why lengua is a beloved staple in traditional Mexican cooking.

Prep time

15 min

Cook time

2 hrs

Servings

Ingredients

1 grass fed beef tongue (sizes will vary. If under a pound add some beef stew meat to increase amount to 2 lbs)
2 large onions, peeled and sliced
1 Can 14.5 oz organic fire roasted diced tomatoes (get the one with green chilis if you want some spiciness)
3 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp thyme
2 tbsp salt
8-10 corn tortillas
1+ tbsp Pluck Southwest seasoning
diced avocados
shredded cheese
sour cream
diced red onion
minced cilantro
diced jicama
cultured vegetables
pickled radish and/or onions
diced beets
salsa of choice

Directions

Step 1

Fill an instant pot or slow cooker with onions, tongue (and stew meat if using), tomatoes, garlic, bay leaves thyme and 2 tablespoons salt.

Step 2

If slow cooking, cook for 3 hours. If using instant pot, cook for 90 minutes. Tongue should be soft and tender with the outer layer peeling off.

Step 3

Remove tongue and bay leaves from the pot. Discard the bay leaves. Place the rest of the pot contents into a blender. Blend until smooth and then pour into a medium pot. Place pot on stove top over high heat to reduce the water content. The sauce will thicken as it reduces. Reduce the pot but about half.

Step 4

While the sauce is reducing, place tongue on a cutting board. Remove the outer layer and discard. Chop or shred the meat. Add some more salt to taste and place shredded meat on baking tray. Place tray under broiler to crisp for 5-7 minutes minutes. Keep an eye on the meat to ensure it doesn’t burn.

Step 5

Place crispy meat in a bowl. Toss in an appropriate amount of the reduced sauce from the pot. Mix well, sprinkle with 1-2 tablespoons Pluck seasoning and serve with the taco add-ons that fit your palate.

Step 6

Soften the tortillas on the stove-top in a dry pan about 5-10 seconds per side.

Recipe

James Barry

James Barry, founder of Pluck, is a renowned chef, author, and pioneer in functional nutrition. With over two decades of culinary expertise, including working as a private chef for A-list celebrities, James is on a mission to revolutionize the way we nourish our bodies by reintroducing nutrient-dense ancestral foods to the modern table.

Crispy Beef Tongue Tacos with Roasted Tomato Salsa