What is lingua?

What is lingua?

Lingua is “language” in Spanish. The language A beef lengua is a tough cut—if you’ve ever seen a cow use its long, sharp tongue to pull a piece of grass or a bunch of grass into its mouth, you’ll understand why. Because of the exercise this muscle receives during the animal’s life, lengua is usually braised or slow-cooked, which makes the meat tender and tender. Lengua includes both the muscles and the fatty part of the tongue. Connective tissue At the root end of the cut.

A full-grown animal’s tongue weighs an average of three pounds. You may also see calf tongue or calf tongue. These smaller cuts are from smaller animals and are therefore smaller—about half the size at about a pound and a half each—with a more tender texture and milder flavor. Veal tongue is usually dairy rather than beef.

Lengua is eaten in beef-raising cultures around the world, particularly in parts of Latin America such as Mexico and Puerto Rico, East and Southeast Asia, Japan, and Jewish cuisine. It is also classified as offal, which includes organ meats and other non-choice cuts that are used as food.

How to Cook Lengua

Lengua is usually boiled. Braised (slow cooked with a small amount of liquid) with onions, spices and condiments. Lengua should be gently simmered for several hours before being sliced ​​and grilled. It can be pickled in one Salt water for several days before cooking.

The skin of the tongue should be removed before use. This can be done by quickly blanching the lingua in boiling water before cooking and peeling off the skin, or after cooking by placing the cooked tongue in an ice bath and quickly removing the skin. is

Some common preparations of lengua include slow-cooking, slicing, and grilling the tongue and serving it as a taco in corn tortillas with onions, 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 a cold cut for sandwiches or processed with other ingredients into a spreadable patty.

What’s your favorite flavor of lingua?

As with many other tough cuts, long, slow cooking methods bring out a lot of flavor and a very tender, soft texture in lengua. Its taste is very rich and distinct. If the lingua is sliced ​​and grilled after cooking, the high heat will create a crispy texture on the outside of the meat, which helps 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, the cut is referred to by its Spanish name, lengua. In English, lengua can be called beef tongue or ox tongue. While cut is prepared in different dishes in different cultures, all three names refer to the same cut from the same animal.

Lingua Recipes

Where to buy lingua?

Lengua can be purchased in the fresh meat section or at the butcher counter in Latin American grocery stores as well as some larger supermarkets. It can 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 the skin for you. Pickled tongue can be purchased at Jewish delis and grocery stores.

storage

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

Nutrition and benefits

As you might expect, lingua is a great source of protein. Although beef is not a lean meat, it does have a good balance of saturated and unsaturated fats. It is also a valuable source of micronutrients such as zinc, phosphorus, iron, and vitamins B-12, B-2, B-3, and B-6.