Beef Tongue & Vegetables

Mary Leverington's Note:

I had a college roommate who prepared beef tongue the way her Russian mother and grandmother prepared it before her. I never actually got her recipe, but I found this one out of an old cookbook years ago. This is the traditional method of preparing tongue. Sliced leftover tongue makes excellent sandwiches. I toast the bread and slather on grainy mustard and a little horseradish.

• Total Time: 3 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 3 -4 lbs fresh beef tongues
• water, to cover
• 3 -4 teaspoons salt, 1 per pound of meat
• 1 medium onion, whole
• 3 -4 garlic cloves, 1 per pound of meat
• 1 stalk celery, cut into chunks
• 6 peppercorns
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 1/2-2 teaspoons sugar, 1/2 per pound of meat
• 2 -3 bay leaves
• 6 -8 medium red potatoes, scrubbed, unpeeled
• 6 -8 medium carrots, scrubbed, unpeeled
• cabbage (optional) or parsnips (optional) or rutabagas (optional) or turnips (optional) or boiling onions (optional)
• fresh horseradish

Directions:

1. Wash tongue thoroughly.
2. Place in large pot and cover with filtered water about 2-3 inches.
3. Add garlic, onion, bay leaves, salt, pepper corns, whole cloves, sugar, and celery.
4. Cover pot and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat and simmer 1 hour per pound or until tender.
6. Remove tongue from the pot and cut the leathery skin off--kitchen scissors work well for this job.
7. Cover and keep the meat hot.
8. Add the vegetables you want to serve, except cabbage.
9. Simmer until almost done.
10. Add cabbage (quartered) the last 15 minutes or cook separately.
11. Serve with lots of butter for the vegetables and horseradish for the meat.

Reviews

[Pierre Dance]

LThis is just like Grandma used to make. The memories brought tears to my eyes. Definitely include the parsnip and the cabbage but it has to be red cabbage. Serve with a farm made red wine. If you can't find Ukrainian wine, try the Italian. Carlo Rossi Piasano works well. One glass for the stew and a glass or two for the cook. Thanx for posting this great recipe. Pierre

[Ms Polly]

I love Beef Tongue and this recipe was just a litle twist on my usual. Very easy. Yummy!

[Chef #347768]

It was very similar in taste to roast beef but with slightly different texture.