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cooked Beef tongue in tomato sauce in a plate with sweet plantains, white rice and avocado
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Venezuelan Lengua en Salsa

This Venezuelan Lengua en Salsa recipe is super tender, easy to make and flavorful. The beef tongue is cooked into a delicious tomato sauce and veggies.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Venezuelan
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 626kcal
Author Oriana Romero

Ingredients

To cook the tongue:

  • 1 Rumba Meats beef tongue (mine was 4.4 lb)
  • 4 cups beef stock
  • 1 onion, quartered
  • 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon Peppercorns

Lengua en Salsa

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup onion, finely diced
  • 1 cup green bell pepper, finely diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup white wine (see notes)
  • 1 can (10.5 oz) tomato sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • Kosher salt to taste (I added ½ teaspoon)
  • ¼ teaspoons black pepper
  • Fresh chopped cilantro to garnish

Instructions

  • Wash the whole tongue in cold water.
  • Place tongue, beef stock, onion, garlic, bay leaf and peppercorns in the Instant Pot.
    uncooked beef tongue in a pressure cooker with onion, garlic and bay leaf
  • Close lid and Select "Pressure Cook" mode adjust to 40 minutes. When cooking is complete let the pressure cooker naturally release pressure for 10 minutes. Then press “Cancel” and carefully turn the vent to “Venting” to release the pressure. Then remove the lid.
  • Remove the cooked beef tongue to a cutting board. Allow cooling until easier to handle. When cool enough, peel the outer layer of skin from beef tongue and remove rough end. Chop the meat into bite-size pieces
    how to cooke beef tongue step by step photos
  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and green pepper and cook until soft and caramelized - about 5 minutes. Add the garlic; cook for one more minute.
  • Add beef tongue bites and mix to combine. Add wine and let the wine reduce, about 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce, oregano and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover the skillet, reduce heat to low and let simmer for 5-8 minutes.
  • Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and server with rice and sweet plantains, if desired.

Notes

If you plan to use this recipe to make Tacos de Lengua I recommend cutting the meat into thin strips.
 
White wine can be replaced for beef stock or vegetable stock. You can also reserve some liquid from cooking the tongue and use it instead of the white wine. 
 
Rumba Meats Beef Tongue can be bought at you local Walmart or online at Amazon. 
 
 
STORE: Let it cold completely. Cover tightly when and refrigerate up to 3 days.
 
FREEZE: Let it cold completely. Place it in an airtight container. Make sure it's well sealed to avoid freezer burn. This recipe can be kept frozen for up to 3 months.
 
REHEAT: Thaw in the refrigerator. Lengua en salsa can be reheated on the stovetop or in the microwave. 
 
Looking for more Venezuelan recipes?
 
★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!
 
 
Please note that nutritional information is a rough estimate and it can vary depending on the products used.

Nutrition

Calories: 626kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 198mg | Sodium: 479mg | Potassium: 457mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 90IU | Vitamin C: 24.4mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1mg