Pork Tongue

Don't pass on the pork tongue!

It might not be the first thing on your shopping list, but this tender meat is worth a try!

Pork tongue is a delicious, tender muscle, especially after its been cooked low and slow.

Beyond that, our pasture raised pork tongue is full of essential health promoting nutrients and minerals such as Iron, Selenium, and Vitamin B12.

With just little prep work, you can spice up your boring meal routine with an interesting and tasty meal!

Check out this recipe!

Braised Pork Tongue:

Step 1

Trim off the gristle and cartilage from the tongue and cut out the U-shaped hyoid bone at the base. Make a 1-inch-long slice through the center of the base of the tongue.

Step 2

Boil the tongue in water for 15 minutes, skimming the froth from the surface as needed, and drain it.

Step 3

Grasp the tongue by the base with the pointed end pointing away from you. Scrape off the papillae using a narrow knife, such as a boning knife. The tongue should look like a lean, smooth muscle after you scrape it. Submerge the tongue in distilled vinegar and scrub it with your fingers.

Step 4

Fill the bottom of a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot with an even layer of large-dice mirepoix, or about 2 parts onion to 1 part each celery and carrots, each roughly chopped into 1-inch pieces.

Step 5

Lay the pork tongue on top of the mirepoix. Add a can or two of stew tomatoes to the pot. Canned tomatoes serve two purposes: tenderizing and adding flavor. Canned tomatoes have more acid than fresh tomatoes, which helps the moist heat soften the tongue.

Step 6

Add aromatics to the pot. Try a basic aromatic combination of black peppercorns, crushed garlic and bay leaves, then add fresh or dried herbs and spices to taste. Pork tongue has a mild taste, so you can season aggressively.

Step 7

Pour stock, or equal parts stock and dry red wine, in the pot until it covers the tongue. Cover the pot and place it on the stove over high heat.

Step 8

Bring the tongue to a boil and lower the heat so it barely simmers. Simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until it pierces easily with a paring knife. If you have tongue from an older animal, you might have to braise it for 3 or 4 hours. Add stock to the pot as needed so it doesn't run dry.

Step 9

Remove the tongue, aromatics and mirepoix from the pot, or strain the cooking liquid into a saucepan. Bring the cooking liquid to a boil and whisk in equal parts flour and butter, or a slurry of 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and water, to thicken it into a sauce. Season the sauce to taste.

Step 10

Slice the tongue into thin pieces and serve it with the sauce. You can also saute the tongue in oil until golden brown before serving to give it texture.

The thin slices of braised tongue make for a great nutrient dense sandwich meat!

*recipe from oureverydaylife.com

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Honest Disclosure: The pork tongue is packaged in HDPE plastic, which is the most environmentally stable of all plastics. It does not contain BPA, phthalates, heavy metals, harmful fumes, or allergens. But all plastic has the potential to leach chemicals.