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Beef Tongue in Roasted Mexican Salsa, or Lengua en Salsa Asada is a bold and flavorful dish. So tender and so delicious. Add some tortillas, Mexican rice, and enjoy! By Mama Maggie’s Kitchen
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5 from 4 votes

Lengua en Salsa Asada

Beef Tongue in Roasted Mexican Salsa, or Lengua en Salsa is made up of soft, tender meat in a delicious sauce. A yummy and easy-to-make recipe that's incredibly flavorful.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time6 hours 25 minutes
Total Time6 hours 35 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 4
Calories: 272kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 3-lb beef tongue
  • Water
  • 2 garlic cloves divided
  • 1 onion divided
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 4 tablespoon Olive Oil divided
  • 6 Roma Tomatoes
  • 1 jalapeño

Instructions

  • Rinse the beef tongue with enough water until the water comes out clean.
  • It usually takes about 3-4 rinses.
  • Place the beef tongue in the slow cooker.
  • Add enough water to cover the meat.
  • Add 1 garlic clove, ½ onion, bay leaf, salt, and pepper to the slow cooker.
  • Cover and set on low for 6-8 hours, or high 4-6 hours.
  • Remove the cooked beef tongue from the slow cooker and set aside.
  • Let cool to touch and peel the outer layer using your hands or tongs.
  • Remove any fatty areas. (You can also do this part before cooking).
  • Cut into thin slices.
  • Set aside.
  • In a foil-lined sheet pan, add the tomatoes, ½ onion, 1 garlic clove, 1 jalapeño.
  • Coat with 1 tablespoon olive oil and add salt and pepper.
  • Broil on high for 8-10 minutes, or until everything is blistered.
  • Add all the roasted tomatoes, onion, garlic, and jalapeño to a blender.
  • Blend until smooth.
  • Taste for salt.
  • In a large skillet, heat two tablespoons olive oil.
  • Add the roasted tomato salsa and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the cooked beef tongue.
  • Cover and let simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Serve with tortillas and Mexican rice.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

The outer layer needs to be removed. You MUST take it off when it is still warm. If you don’t, it will stick to the meat and you’ll have a hard time taking it off.
Once the tongue is cooked, remove any fat.
You can make the red salsa ahead of time. 
You can also make this recipe using Salsa Verde. It would then be called: Lengua en Salsa Verde. 
To Cook Beef Tongue on the Stove: Add water (about 3 inches above the meat) in a large and deep stockpot. Cover and cook on low heat for 3 hours. Check every hour if it needs more water. Add more water as needed.

Nutrition

Calories: 272kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 36mg | Potassium: 412mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 815IU | Vitamin C: 19.4mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1.4mg