Beef Tacos de Lengua (Authentic Mexican Tongue Tacos Recipe)

“De lengua me como un taco (I’ll eat a tongue meat taco.).” this popular Mexican saying doesn’t literally mean eating a taco made of beef tongue. It’s something we say when someone is bragging or exaggerating — when a story sounds too good to be true.
Saying “de lengua me como un taco” is our way of responding with a little sarcasm, like: “Yeah… I’ll believe it when I see it.”

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And that’s exactly why it makes me smile to use it here because tacos de lengua are so good that they sound unreal until you try them.

My mom used to hate cooking lengua de res because she swore it made the whole house smell. Her solution? She plugged the slow cooker into an extension cord and cooked it overnight on the patio. Problem solved

The result was always amazing, fork-tender beef tongue that practically fell apart. She often made it into salpicón de lengua, which was one of my favorite meals growing up.

Over time, I found my own way to make it faster and more practical for busy life in the U.S., without losing that traditional Mexican flavor.

What Cut to Buy

In the U.S., you can find beef tongue (lengua) at Mexican or Latin grocery stores. If you see “tongue tips,” I recommend buying them they tend to be more tender and lean. (Many popular recipes use this same cut (puntas de lengua de res).

Ingredients

• 2.5 lbs beef tongue (about 1 kg)
• 1/2 tablespoon whole peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 5 bay leaves
• Enough water to fully cover the tongue
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or lard
• 1 whole head of garlic, cut in half

Cooking Directions

Instant Pot

1. Put tongue, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, oregano, salt, and water into Instant Pot.
2. Cover and select Beef/Meat setting.
3. Cook on manual high pressure for 60 minutes.

Pressure Cooker

1. Add all ingredients to pressure cooker and cover with water.
2. Cook under high pressure for 60 minutes.

Slow Cooker

1. Cover tongue and seasonings with water.
2. Cook on low for 8 hours at low temperature.

After Cooking

• Remove the cooked tongue and peel off the skin, it should come off easily with a knife and fork.
• Chop the tender meat into small pieces.
• Discard the cooking liquid if it has a strong odor.

Optional Step: Brown the Tongue

Heat oil or lard in a skillet and lightly brown the chopped tongue. This enhances flavor same as in my barbacoa recipe it gives you the street tacos flavor!

How to Serve

Warm corn tortillas and top your Beef Tacos de Lengua with:

• Fresh cilantro
• Diced white onion
• Lime wedges
• Mexican salsa taquera verde or creamy avocado salsa.

Serve immediately for delicious, traditional Mexican taco flavor.