Beef Tacos De Lengua

Ingredients

• 1 3-4 lb beef tongue
• 2 large onions, peeled
• The cloves from 1 head of garlic, peeled and crushed
• 6-7 bay leaves
• 1 Tbsp of peppercorns
• 2 Tbsp salt
• Vegetable oil
• Corn tortillas
• Salsa verde*
• Avocados
• Cilantro
• Chopped red onion
• Thinly sliced radishes for garnish

Directions

1. Set a large stock pot, 12-quart if you have one, on the stove and pour in enough water to reach two-thirds of the way up. Add the tongue, onions, crushed garlic cloves, bay leaves, peppercorns, and salt.
2. Bring the pot up to a boil, then lower the heat so the liquid gently simmers. Put the lid on and cook for 3 hours, until the tongue feels tender and soft when pressed. Lift the tongue out of the cooking liquid and allow it to cool for a couple of minutes.
3. Look for the pale outer layer that covers most of the tongue. Pull it away with your fingers, using a small sharp knife where needed, and discard it.
4. At the base, you’ll see a coarser section where the tongue connected to the bottom of the mouth. Trim off that piece if you prefer a smoother texture, or leave it in place if you do not mind it.
5. Cut the tongue into 1/4-inch slices. If you are not using all of it for tacos right away, leave the unsliced portion in the cooking liquid so it stays moist.
6. Warm a little vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium high heat. Add the tongue slices and cook them on each side until they take on a light brown color.
7. Transfer the browned slices out of the pan. Cut them into strips first, then turn the strips and cut across them to make small cubes.
8. Warm the tortillas on the stove-top until they puff with little air pockets, or heat them in the microwave for about 10 seconds per tortilla. Spoon a generous amount of meat into the middle of each tortilla, then top with salsa verde, chopped avocado, onion, and fresh cilantro. Finish with radish slices.