Ox tongue has a way of dividing a room. Half the people at the table will wince at the sight of it. The other half will remember a grandmother who pressed one every Christmas, or a Karachi aunt whose zaban masala was the best thing on the dastarkhwan, and quietly ask for seconds.
The doubters are missing out. Cooked properly, tongue is one of the most tender, richly flavoured pieces of beef there is: soft, fine-grained and so tender it almost melts, with none of the chewiness people expect. It is also excellent value. This guide covers how to buy it, the one essential cooking method, and three ways to serve it.
What ox tongue is like to eat
Tongue is a muscle, not an organ, so it tastes much more like beef than liver or kidney do. The flavour is mild and savoury, a little richer than brisket, and the texture once cooked is closer to a very tender pot roast than anything you would call offal.
The reason it has a reputation is the way it looks raw: large, pale and covered in a rough outer skin. That skin is removed after cooking, and what is left underneath is a smooth, rosy joint that slices like cold roast beef and is equally good hot or cold.
Buying ox tongue
A whole ox tongue usually weighs between 1kg and 1.5kg and will serve six to eight people once cooked. It should look clean and firm, pinkish-grey, with no discolouration and no strong smell. A fresh tongue smells faintly of fresh beef and nothing else.
THB sells ox tongue and beef tongue, both fresh, never frozen, and delivered chilled within 24 hours. Tongue benefits more than most cuts from being fresh, because the long simmer exposes any loss of quality in the meat. You will find it alongside oxtail and the other speciality beef cuts in the ox range.
The essential method: simmer, peel, slice
Every tongue recipe starts here. Once the tongue is simmered and peeled, you can serve it as it is, press it, fry it or finish it in a sauce.
Step one: soak and rinse
Rinse the tongue well under cold running water, scrubbing the surface with a stiff brush. Some cooks soak it in a simple brine of cold salted water for a few hours or overnight in the fridge to draw out any remaining blood. It is not essential with a fresh tongue, but it does give a cleaner flavour. Discard the soaking water before cooking.
Step two: simmer until properly cooked
Put the tongue in a large pot and cover generously with cold water. Add a halved onion, a carrot, a stick of celery, 2 bay leaves, 10 black peppercorns, 3 cloves of garlic, a few herbs and a tablespoon of salt. For a South Asian version, swap the vegetables for a thumb of ginger, a few cloves, a cinnamon stick and a black cardamom.
Bring just to the boil, skim off any scum, then reduce the heat straight away to the gentlest simmer. This is gentle poaching, not a rolling boil. Cover and cook for 3 to 3.5 hours for a 1kg to 1.5kg tongue, topping up with boiling water if needed. It is properly cooked and ready when a skewer slides into the thickest part, at the root end, with no resistance.
In a pressure cooker, allow 50 to 60 minutes at high pressure. In a slow cooker, 8 hours on low.
Step three: peel
This is the step that puts people off, and it is easier than it sounds. Lift the tongue out of the pot and plunge it into a bowl of cold water for a minute, just until you can handle it. You must peel it while it is still warm; once cold, the skin sticks fast.
Make a shallow cut along the length of the underside and pull the skin away with your fingers. It should come off in large pieces. Use a small knife for any stubborn bits. Trim away the small bones and gristle at the root end. Strain and keep the cooking liquid; it is a well-flavoured stock.
Step four: slice
Slice across the grain into thin rounds for serving cold, thicker slices for pan frying, or chunks for a curry. A whole peeled tongue keeps for four days in the fridge, wrapped, or in a little of its stock.
Beef tongue recipes: three ways to serve it
Pressed tongue (the British classic)
Curl the hot, peeled tongue tightly into a round container, a small cake tin or a pudding basin, so that it fills it snugly. Pour over a little of the reduced stock. Put a saucer on top, weigh it down firmly with a few tins while it cools and sets, and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, turn it out and slice it thinly. The gelatine in the stock sets around the meat and holds it together. Serve with English mustard, piccalilli or a sharp salsa verde, capers, cornichons and good bread. It is superb on a Boxing Day table or in sandwiches.
Zaban masala (spiced tongue)
This is the version many British Pakistani families will know. Cut the peeled tongue into slices about 1cm thick, or into bite-sized chunks.
Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a karahi and fry a sliced onion until golden. Add a tablespoon each of ginger and garlic paste, then 2 chopped tomatoes, a teaspoon of chilli powder, half a teaspoon of turmeric, a teaspoon of ground coriander, half a teaspoon of ground cumin and salt to taste. Cook until the tomatoes break down and the oil separates, about 10 minutes.
Add the tongue and 150ml of its cooking stock. Simmer for 15 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the meat. Finish with garam masala, green chillies, ginger matchsticks and coriander. Serve with roti or paratha.
Crisp pan-fried tongue
Cut the peeled tongue into thick 1.5cm slices. Season with salt, pepper and a little smoked paprika or cumin. Fry in a hot frying pan with a little oil and a knob of butter for 2 to 3 minutes each side until well browned and crisp at the edges.
Serve in warm tortillas with onion, coriander, lime and a fresh chilli salsa, the Mexican way, or in a flatbread with tahini, pickles and sumac onions. The contrast between the crisp outside and the soft inside is what makes this the version that converts the sceptics.
Using the leftovers
Tongue is generous, and nothing needs to be wasted. Leftover slices make an excellent sandwich with mustard and pickles. Cubed tongue can be added to a pilau in the last ten minutes, fried with potatoes and onions for a hash, or braised gently in a rich onion and tomato sauce.
The cooking stock is valuable. Strain it, chill it and lift off the fat. Use it as the base for soup, for cooking rice, or for a gravy.
If you are enjoying the cheaper, slower cuts, oxtail is the natural next step; THB’s ox tail makes a deeply savoury stew or curry. The guide to cooking beef brisket covers another cut that thrives on low, slow heat.
Is tongue good for you?
Tongue is a fattier cut than lean steak, so it is rich, and portions can be modest. It is a good source of protein, iron, zinc and vitamin B12, like other beef. The fat content is one reason it stays so tender, and you can skim fat from the stock if you are using it.
For more on the nutritional side of eating the whole animal, THB Mag looked at the forgotten nutrients in red meat.
Frequently asked questions
How long does ox tongue take to cook?
Simmer a 1kg to 1.5kg ox tongue for 3 to 3.5 hours until a skewer slides easily into the thickest part. In a pressure cooker allow 50 to 60 minutes; in a slow cooker, about 8 hours on low.
Do you have to peel ox tongue?
Yes. The outer skin is tough and unpleasant to eat. Peel it while the tongue is still warm after cooking, when it comes away easily. Once cold, it is much harder to remove.
What does ox tongue taste like?
Like very tender, rich beef. It has a mild, savoury flavour and a soft, fine-grained texture, closer to slow-cooked brisket than to liver or kidney.
What is the difference between ox tongue and beef tongue?
In practice the names are used interchangeably in the UK. Strictly, “ox” refers to mature cattle, and tongues sold as ox tongue are usually larger. Both are cooked the same way.
Can I freeze cooked tongue?
Yes. Slice it, pack it with a little stock to stop it drying out, and freeze for up to three months.
Is ox tongue halal?
Tongue from a halal-slaughtered animal is halal. THB’s ox tongue and beef tongue are certified halal and hand-slaughtered in accordance with Islamic principles.
Try something different this week
Ox tongue asks for a few hours of gentle simmering and five minutes of peeling, and it gives back a tender, flavourful joint at a fraction of the price of prime beef. Order fresh halal ox tongue from THB today, delivered chilled tomorrow, and explore the rest of the ox range while you are there.
