Learn how to cook cow tongue in the pressure cooker to get tender meat every time! This easy Instant Pot beef tongue recipe will show you how to achieve the perfect texture, effortlessly peel the skin, and clean the beef tongue quickly. Hint: It's much easier than you think!
The beef tongue is a global delicacy, featured in Mexican tacos de lengua and European salads or sandwiches. And if you're curious about the nutritional benefits of beef tongue (and other organ meats for that matter) but not sure where to start, this pressure cooker beef tongue recipe is a great starting place.
It's incredibly tender, and the mild taste is perfect for those new to organ meats. Plus, I love cooking beef tongue in my Instant Pot because the skin peels off so effortlessly.
Looking for more nutrient-dense organ recipes?
Check out beef liver pâté, dirty rice with chicken liver, and how to make tacos de lengua.
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Recipe Overview
- Prep and Cook Time: 10 minutes to prep, 1 hour and 30 minutes cooking time, and 1 hour pressure rising and release.
- Cooking Method: Instant Pot
- Dietary Info: Paleo, GAPS, Keto, Ancestral diet
- Tools Needed: Instant Pot, chef knife, cutting board
- Skill Level: Easy
What is an ancestral diet? Read my post on what nourishing foods are based on the traditional dietary principles of the Weston A. Price Foundation.
Reasons to Love Cooking Beef Tongue
Serving beef tongue regularly is a total game-changer. Not only is it packed with essential nutrients like iron, zinc, and B vitamins, making it a powerhouse for your health, but it's also ridiculously tender and easy to cook thanks to the Instant Pot.
Seriously, the texture is melt-in-your-mouth perfect every time, and you don't have to be a pro to pull it off.
Plus, it's super versatile - swap out ground beef in tacos, pile it on sandwiches, or throw in a hearty soup, the options are endless. It's flavorful but not in a game-y organ meat kind of way, you know? It actually tastes much like roast beef, so even if you're new to organ meats, you'll feel right at home with this cut.
Ingredients for Cooking Beef Tongue
- Beef tongue: When buying beef tongue, look for one with rich red color at the base of the tongue. While beef tongues vary in size, they should still feel relatively heavy for their size. A heavier beef tongue indicates good muscle development. If it's packaged, inspect the package for any signs of damage, leakage, or excessive ice crystals.
- Onion: Yellow, white, or red onion will work as we're just adding it for flavor.
- Seasonings: A simple blend of seasonings, including sea salt, black peppercorns, and bay leaves, will add amazing flavor yet still keep it mild so it won't overpower other flavors in cooked tongue dishes.
Substitutions and Variations
- Vegetables: Enhance the beef tongue flavor by adding carrots, celery, leeks, or parsnips during cooking.
- Stovetop Instructions: To cook beef tongue on the stovetop, simmer it in a pot with water and all seasonings for 3-4 hours, or until tender (pierce with a fork and if it slides without resistance, it's tender) . Once cooked, remove the tongue and peel off the skin.
- Slow Cooker Instructions: Add all ingredients, cover with water, and cook on low for 8-10 hours until fork-tender and the skin easily separates from the muscle tissue. Adjust cooking time based on the size of the tongue.
Make it Nutrient-Dense
If we consume organ meats for their nutrition, it's best to source them from grass-fed cows. My favorite sources for grass-fed beef are your local farmer's markets. But when that's not accessible, Wild Pastures and US Wellness Meats both regularly carry good quality cow tongue.
How to Clean Beef Tongue
Here's the great thing about cooking beef tongue in the Instant Pot. There's not much cleaning to do. The easiest way to clean beef tongue is to rinse it under running cold water to remove any residue and pat it dry with paper towels.
Then, after it cooks, the skin easily separates from the underlying muscle tissue.
You'll be amazed how incredibly easy it is to clean beef tongue after it has been sufficiently cooked. Don't attempt to remove the skin before that, as it will be frustrating and difficult.
Cooking causes a change in the texture of the beef tongue, allowing the skin and muscle fibers to break down. As a result, this makes the skin more tender and less resistant.
If you find that the skin is still a little stubborn in some parts, it's possible it wasn't cooked long enough, particularly if your beef tongue is on the larger side. If that's the case, you can either use a knife to carefully remove it or pop the tongue back in the pressure cooker and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes.
How to Cook Cow Tongue
The complete printable recipe is below in the recipe card for your convenience. Follow these simple step-by-step instructions for how to cook beef tongue in the pressure cooker for the best results.
Step 1. Add to pot
Add onion, bay leaves, peppercorns, salt, and beef tongue to the Instant Pot, then cover with water.
Step 2. Cook on manual
Place the inner pot in the Instant Pot, seal it, and cook manually for 90 minutes, followed by natural pressure release (NPR).
Step 3. Transfer the tongue
When the safety pin is down, carefully open the lid. Remove the beef tongue using a pair of tongs and transfer to a rimmed quarter baking sheet. Let the cow tongue rest for a few minutes.
Step 4. Remove the skin
Starting at the base of the tongue, carefully peel away the skin using the tongs and work your way toward the tip of the tongue until the tongue is completely peeled and clean. Rinse and pat dry.
Helpful Tips
- Naturally release pressure: Depending on the size of your beef tongue and how much liquid you added, your natural pressure release (NPR) time can be up to 45 minutes. Don't try to rush the process by using quick pressure release (QPR).
- Cooking time: This will depend on the size of the beef tongue. But generally, you want to cook it in the pressure cooker for 30 minutes per pound of beef tongue. I usually cook it for at least 60-90 minutes to ensure it comes out fork-tender and easy to peel.
- Excess fat: Trim visible fat or gristle with a knife or kitchen shears, or incorporate them into your recipe as desired.
Troubleshooting
- Skin doesn’t peel off? When cooked sufficiently, the skin on the beef tongue should easily be released from the meat. Some parts may require the use of a paring knife, but there should be little to no resistance.
- Tough texture? If the beef tongue isn't tender after the suggested cooking time, it may need an additional 15-30 minutes, especially for larger tongues. Ensure you're cooking at the correct pressure and for the right duration.
How to Cut Boiled Tongue
Once you have cooked the beef tongue, consider how you want to use it. Do you want to shred it like roast beef or cut it into cubes or strips for easy browning?
How to shred beef tongue:
For shredded beef, using your fingers or two forks, gently separate the cooked muscle fibers starting at one end of the tongue and work your way across the meat.
Shredding beef tongue is easier when it's still warm.
How to cut beef tongue:
For precise cutting, chill the cooked beef tongue in the refrigerator, then slice it against the grain to your desired thickness. Cut crosswise for diced pieces or leave as strips.
Product Highlight!
Instant Pot 7-in-1 Pressure Cooker
I've had this one since it first came out and it's such a workhorse in my kitchen. It cooks beef tongue perfectly!
💭Meal Prep Suggestion!
Cook beef tongue in an Instant Pot with onion, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Peel the skin, trim fat, and shred or slice it. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Use in tacos, hash, salads, or soups, and reheat in a skillet with butter or add to soups for a quick meal.
Serving Suggestions
How you serve beef tongue is only limited to your imagination. Serve boiled tongue how you would another cut of beef. Add it to burritos, as a protein to salads, or to sheet pan hash browns.
As an appetizer: We love serving this boiled tongue by crispying it up in butter over medium heat. You can see the complete beef tongue recipe here with tips and tricks on how to jazz up this organ meat and take it from good to great.
In tacos: Another favorite way to enjoy beef tongue is in lengua tacos or beef tongue tacos. You can also use it in place of ground beef taco meat in sheet pan nachos.
More cooking beef tongue pairing suggestions:
- Perfectly Crispy Shredded Hash Browns in Air Fryer15 Minutes
- Roasted Red Cabbage Steaks with Garlic35 Minutes
- Air Fryer Roasted Butternut Squash15 Minutes
- Instant Pot Buckwheat27 Minutes
Frequently Asked Questions
When the cooked tongue has completely cooled down, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days. These glass snap containers are perfect for cooked beef tongue. To reheat, melt a little butter or another cooking fat in a stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat and brown until crispy to your liking.
Beef tongue freezes incredibly well. I recommend cutting it into thin tongue slices and layering them in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper separating the layers. When ready to enjoy again, remove one layer of sliced thin tongue by pulling the parchment sheet and thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
This will depend on the size of the beef tongue. But generally, you want to cook it in the pressure cooker for 30 minutes per pound of beef tongue. I usually cook it for at least 60-90 minutes to ensure it comes out fork tender and easy to peel.
You can strain the beef tongue broth and use it as a flavorful base for soups, sauces, or gravies. You can also use it as stock in other recipes, much like Instant Pot chicken bone broth or beef bone broth.
Looking for more related recipes? Here are some ideas:
Did you make this Instant Pot Beef Tongue? Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ recipe rating in the recipe card below and leave a review in the comments. Thank you!💚
Printable Recipe
How to Cook Beef Tongue in Instant Pot
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pounds beef tongue
- 1 yellow onion
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- enough water to cover the beef tongue
Instructions
- Peel the onion and cut it into quarters. Add beef tongue, quartered onions, bay leaves, peppercorns, and salt to the Instant Pot inner pot. Pour enough water to cover the beef tongue and the rest of the ingredients.
- Place the inner pot in the Instant Pot, cover, and set the safety valve to sealing position. Cook on manual for 90 minutes. Then allow natural pressure release until the safety pin is down.
- When safe to open the Instant Pot, carefully remove beef tongue and transfer to a rimmed baking sheet or platter. Let the cow tongue rest for a 5-10 minutes.
- Using a pair of tongs, carefully pull away the skin, starting with the base of the tongue and working your way towards the tip. The skin should release easily from the meat but it may help to use a paring knife if you come across some parts that are difficult.
- Discard the skin from the cleaned beef tongue. You can discard the liquid the tongue was cooked in or use it in recipes to replace broth. When completely cooled, transfer beef tongue to an airtight container.
Notes
- Cooking time: This will depend on the size of the beef tongue. But generally, you want to cook it in the pressure cooker for 30 minutes per pound of beef tongue. I usually cook it for at least 60-90 minutes to ensure it comes out fork-tender and easy to peel.
- Excess fat: Trim visible fat or gristle with a knife or kitchen shears, or incorporate them into your recipe as desired.
- Skin doesn’t peel off? When cooked sufficiently, the skin on the beef tongue should easily be released from the meat. Some parts may require the use of a paring knife, but there should be little to no resistance.
Miz Helen says
This is an outstanding tutorial and presentation for this recipe. Your Tongue appetizer would be very different and delicious.
Anya says
Thanks Miz Helen for your sweet comment.
Emily @ Recipes to Nourish says
I have never had tongue before, but love how your tutorial on how you prepare it.
Anya says
Oh, you gotta try beef tongue! It actually tastes a lot like steak...if you can get past the whole 'tongue' part, lol 🙂
Babykitted says
My husband wants me to try this beef tongue appetizer and I am glad I found this tutorial. I will surprise him this coming Sunday, I can't wait! Thank you!
Sarah Harding says
Wow- your incredible photography makes such an intimidating food look approachable. Well done. I have no doubt it tastes as great as it looks!
Anya says
Thank you Sarah for your kind words. 🙂
Chang Dimarzio says
Thanks a ton! 💕