What Is Lengua?

What Is Lengua?

Lengua, Spanish for "tongue," is the tongue of a beef cow. Lengua is a tough cut—if you've ever seen a cow use its long, dextrous tongue to pull a tuft of grass or a clump of hay into its mouth, you'll understand why. Due to the workout this muscle receives during the animal's life, lengua is typically braised or slow cooked, which softens and tenderizes the meat. Lengua includes both the tongue muscle and a section with fat and connective tissue at the root end of the cut. 

One tongue from a full-grown animal averages around three pounds. You may also see veal tongue or calf tongue available. These smaller cuts are from younger animals and are therefore smaller—about half the size at around one and a half pounds each with a more tender texture and milder flavor. Veal tongue is typically from dairy rather than beef cows. 

Lengua is consumed in beef-raising cultures across the globe, most notably in parts of Latin America like Mexico and Puerto Rico, East and Southeast Asia, Japan, and in cuisines of the Jewish diaspora. It’s also classified as offal, which includes the organ meats and other non-choice cuts that are used as food. 

How To Cook Lengua

Lengua is typically boiled or braised (slow-cooked with a small amount of liquid) with onion, spices, and seasonings. Lengua must be slow-simmered for several hours before it's sliced and grilled. It may be pickled in a salt brine for several days before it's cooked.

The skin of the tongue must be removed before consumption. This can be done before cooking by quickly blanching the lengua in boiling water and peeling off the skin, or it can be done after cooking by plunging the cooked tongue into an ice bath and quickly removing the skin.

Some common preparations for lengua include slow-cooking, chopping, and grilling the tongue and serving it as tacos in corn tortillas with onion, cilantro, and lime wedges. In Japan, very thin slices of uncooked beef tongue are grilled and served with a soy-based dipping sauce. In some Jewish cultures, cooked tongue is sliced and served as cold cuts for sandwiches or processed with other ingredients into a spreadable paté.

What Does Lengua Taste Like?

Like many other tough cuts, long, slow cooking methods bring out lots of flavor and a very soft, tender texture in lengua. Its flavor is very rich and distinct. If the lengua is sliced and grilled after being cooked, the high heat will create a crisp texture on the meat's exterior, which helps to avoid a mushy cut of meat.

Lengua vs. Beef Tongue vs. Ox Tongue

In dishes such as tacos in Mexico or stuffed beef tongue in Puerto Rico, this cut is referred to by its Spanish name, lengua. In English, lengua may be referred to as beef tongue or ox tongue. While the cut is prepared in different dishes in different cultures, all three names refer to the same cut from the same animal.

Lengua Recipes

• Joan Nathan's Pickled Tongue or Brisket
• Sweet and Sour Tongue (Meat)

Where To Buy Lengua

Lengua can be purchased in the fresh meat section or butcher counter at Latin American grocery stores as well as some large supermarkets. It may also be found at traditional or specialty butcher shops. You may be able to find it already cleaned and skinned or ask the butcher to peel off the skin for you. Pickled tongue may be purchased from Jewish delis and grocery stores.

Storage

Store fresh lengua in its original packaging or tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container for three to four days. Fresh lengua can also be frozen in airtight freezer bags or wrapped in freezer paper or heavy-duty aluminum foil for two to three months. Once cooked, lengua should be refrigerated in an airtight container.

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.