Beef Tongue & Mashed Potatoes

Why You Should Try Cooking Beef Tongue

Beef tongue might seem like an intimidating cut of meat to work with, but once you give it a try, you’ll discover that it’s incredibly tender, flavorful, and satisfying to eat. When prepared properly, beef tongue is soft, with a texture that melts in your mouth. It’s a unique experience that stands apart from more common cuts, and if you love slow-cooked meats with deep, rich flavors, then this beef tongue recipe is absolutely worth trying.

Many people shy away from cooking beef tongue simply because it looks unfamiliar or complicated to prepare. However, with the right techniques, it’s straightforward to cook and results in a dish that is both comforting and luxurious. The slow cooking process breaks it down, resulting in meat that is juicy and packed with flavor. Once sliced and seared, it develops a beautiful golden crust that pairs perfectly with a creamy side like mashed potatoes.

Preparing Beef Tongue: Why the Extra Steps Matter

The preparation process for beef tongue involves a few additional steps compared to other cuts, but each one has a specific purpose. One of the most important steps is soaking the tongue in salt water for about an hour before cooking. This helps to remove any impurities. After soaking, the next step is to briefly boil the tongue for 15 minutes in fresh water. This is done to allow any scum or excess impurities to rise to the surface. Once the water becomes cloudy, it’s discarded, and the tongue is transferred to a new pot with fresh water and aromatic vegetables. This technique ensures that the final dish is clean-tasting and free from any unwanted flavors.

Once the tongue has been properly cleaned, it needs to be simmered gently for a couple of hours until it becomes tender enough to peel. The outer skin is removed once the tongue has cooled slightly, revealing the delicate and soft meat underneath. From here, it can be sliced and seared to add more texture and depth of flavor.

Why Homemade Stock Makes the Difference

A rich, homemade veal or beef stock is key to making a deeply flavorful sauce. While you can use store-bought stock in a pinch, homemade stock provides a much more complex and well-rounded taste, adding an extra layer of depth to the dish. If you’ve never made your own stock before, check out this video for a step-by-step guide:

Using homemade stock ensures that the sauce has the right consistency and a well-developed base of flavors. The natural gelatin in homemade stock also helps to create a silkier, more luxurious sauce compared to store-bought versions, which are often watered down or overly salty.

One small but important detail in making the sauce is adding a knob of butter off the heat. This technique, known as “monter au beurre,” helps to emulsify the sauce and gives it a rich, glossy finish. The butter enhances the texture, making the sauce feel more luxurious while also balancing the acidity of the red wine. It’s a small step that makes a noticeable difference in the final dish.

Efficient Timing: Cooking Everything at Once

One of the best things about this dish is how well the different components align in terms of timing. The beef tongue needs to simmer for about 2 ½ hours, which is the same amount of time that the potatoes take to bake. This means that while the tongue is cooking, you can also have your potatoes roasting in the oven, making the most efficient use of your time. Once both are cooked, the sauce can be left to simmer and reduce while you finish preparing the other elements of the dish. This makes the process feel smooth and manageable, without too much downtime between steps.

The Secret to Perfect Mashed Potatoes

For the mashed potatoes, it’s best to use large potatoes, the kind typically used for baking. These potatoes have a high starch content and a fluffy texture when cooked, making them ideal for creating ultra-smooth and creamy mashed potatoes. Baking them whole, rather than boiling them, ensures that they don’t absorb excess water, which results in an amazing consistency.

When mashing the potatoes, the key is to go by feel rather than relying strictly on measurements. The butter and heavy cream should be adjusted based on the texture you prefer. Some like their mashed potatoes extra creamy, while others prefer them slightly firmer. Speaking of butter and cream, one trick to making extra creamy mashed potatoes is to mix them on low heat. Keeping the potatoes warm while incorporating butter and heavy cream helps everything blend smoothly. The result? The silkiest, most indulgent mashed potatoes you’ve ever tasted.

A potato ricer is a great tool for achieving the smoothest possible consistency, as it prevents lumps and creates a silky texture. If you don’t already own one, you can find a good option here. Using a ricer ensures that the potatoes stay fluffy rather than becoming overworked, which can happen with a traditional masher.

What to Serve with Beef Tongue and Mashed Potatoes

While the combination of beef tongue, mashed potatoes, and a rich sauce is already a fantastic meal on its own, you can also add some complementary side dishes to balance out the flavors and textures. Roasted or sautéed vegetables make a great addition. Try serving the dish with buttered green beans, roasted carrots, or braised leeks for a touch of sweetness and freshness. A simple green salad with a tangy vinaigrette can also provide a nice contrast to the richness of the dish.

A Dish Worth Trying

Cooking beef tongue might feel like a challenge at first, but it’s well worth the effort. The result is a dish that is incredibly tender, full of deep beefy flavor, and surprisingly easy to prepare once you get the hang of it. By following a few key steps – soaking and boiling the tongue properly, using homemade stock for the sauce, and baking the potatoes for a perfect mash – you’ll end up with a meal that’s both comforting and refined. Whether you’re trying beef tongue for the first time or you’re already a fan of slow-cooked meats, this dish is sure to impress. Give it a try, and you might just find yourself adding beef tongue to your regular cooking rotation!

My Must-Have Tools for This Recipe

Cast Iron Pot: https://amzn.to/4amkJHc

Cast Iron Skillet: https://amzn.to/4a24UoP

Potato Ricer: https://amzn.to/4apQrDo

Fine Mesh Strainer: https://amzn.to/4hComLx

Kitchen Tongs: https://amzn.to/4jF4CbP

Knife: https://amzn.to/3WwzPnL

Cutting Board: https://amzn.to/3VYKhn

Beef Tongue with Mashed Potatoes

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Beef tongue might seem like an intimidating cut of meat to work with, but once you give it a try, you’ll discover that it’s incredibly tender, flavorful, and satisfying to eat. If you love slow-cooked meats with deep, rich flavors, then this beef tongue recipe is absolutely worth trying.

• Total Time: 4 hours
• Yield: 4 portions 1x

Ingredients

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For the Beef Tongue

• 1 beef tongue
• 1 onion, cut into quarters
• 1 carrot, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 garlic bulb, halved
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 2 tbsp butter

For the Mashed Potatoes

• 600–800 g (1 ⅓ – 1 ¾ lbs) large potatoes (the kind used for baked potatoes)
• 3 tbsp cooking oil
• 75–100 g (5–7 tbsp) butter
• 100–200 ml (½–¾ cup) heavy cream
• Black pepper (to taste)
• Salt (to taste)

For the Sauce

• 150 g bacon, diced
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 4–5 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tsp all-purpose flour
• 350 ml (1 ½ cups) red wine
• 350 ml (1 ½ cups) veal or beef stock
• 1 tsp butter
• Black pepper (to taste)
• Salt (to taste)

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Instructions

For the Beef Tongue

1. Soak the beef tongue in salt water for 1 hour to remove impurities.
2. Add the tongue to a pot of fresh water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes, then discard the water to remove scum.
3. Fill a clean pot with fresh hot water and add the tongue along with the onion, carrot, garlic, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and black peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 2 ½ hours.
4. Remove the tongue from the pot and let it cool slightly before peeling off the skin.
5. Slice the tongue into 1 cm (½ inch) thick slices.
6. Heat the cooking oil and butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Sear the beef tongue slices until golden brown on both sides.
7. Serve with the mashed potatoes and sauce.

For the Mashed Potatoes

1. Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F).
2. Poke holes all over the potatoes with a fork. Drizzle with cooking oil, season with salt and black pepper, and rub to coat evenly.
3. Bake for 2 ½ hours, or until soft.
4. Let the potatoes cool slightly, then cut them in half and scoop out the flesh, discarding the skins.
5. Mash the potatoes using a ricer or potato masher.
6. In a pot over low heat, mix the mashed potatoes with butter and heavy cream, adding as much as needed to reach your desired consistency.

For the Sauce

1. In a dry pan over medium heat, sear the bacon with the rosemary until it starts to brown.
2. Add the shallot and cook for a few minutes. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and cook for another couple of minutes.
3. Sprinkle in the flour, stirring continuously, and cook for 2-3 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
4. Pour in the red wine and let it reduce by ⅓. Season with salt and black pepper.
5. Add the veal stock and let the sauce simmer until it thickens to your preference.
6. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer.
7. Off the heat, stir in the butter to finish.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes