Oh yea, I went there! Why not make it? We have a few in the freezer, and this week we could really use something for sandwiches.
If you are brave or curious enough to try it, here is what you do:
Rinse the tongue and trim off the meaty part that may still be attached at the back. Then you will be left with a neat, tidy piece of tongue.
In a large kettle(I use a stock pot), place the tongue and cover with cool water.
Then add the seasonings:
3 Tablespoons pickling spice
1 large onion- sliced
1Tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons pepper( my pickling mix has whole peppercorns in it, so I omit)
Over medium heat, bring to a simmer.
Skim as foam appears.
Cover and simmer 3 hours, or until tender.
Cool enough to handle.
With a sharp knife, peel all skin from the meat. This is my least favorite part, but it is easy to do.
Slice meat thinly to use for sandwich meat.
It’s just that easy. Now, you can serve tongue many ways, but for squeamish folks, sandwiches are a good introduction. Before you say no, once you slice it, tongue is simply a very tender, rich meat. The one I cooked today, ended up being 1 1/3 pounds of meat.
Ask about them at your local butcher. When someone has a beef processed, they are asked if they want the heart/liver and tongue. Most people say no, so the butcher often has extra, and you can get them for next to nothing.
We just had beef tongues last week. I baked them at 250 degrees all day while I was away, and came home to a kitchen that smelled very appetizing. I just sprinkled it liberally with Celtic sea salt before baking. It was delicious, and the children always love it, too.