Comfort Food, Great Leftovers
Once you’ve eaten a warm pickled tongue sandwich slathered with mustard and/or coleslaw, I think you’ll want to indulge on a regular basis. But unless you live in a town that has an old-fashioned Jewish deli, pickled tongue is hard to come by. Making your own is the way to go. And even if you do have a deli near you, I’m willing to bet
that this version will taste oh-so-much better than the one you can buy. Beef tongue should be well washed before pickling. A beef tongue can be pickled using the recipe for Corned Beef or the one below.
1 tongue makes 2½ pounds; 2 tongues make 4 to 5 pounds
INGREDIENTS:
- ½ recipe Basic Wet Brine, made with Insta Cure No. 1 (if cold-smoking, otherwise optional)
- ¼–½ cup pickling spices, homemade or store-bought
- 1–2, 2- to 3-pound beef tongues, well washed and scrubbed
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Combine the brine and pickling spices in a plastic storage container, and submerge the tongues in it. Cure in the refrigerator for 6 days; after 3 days, remove the tongues, stir the brine, and return the tongues to the brine.
- Remove the tongues from the brine, rinse well, and pat dry. Wrap in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until ready to cook. (Pickled tongue will keep for 2 to 3 days.)
- To cook the pickled tongue, place in a large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. If you wish, add ½ cup pickling spices. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook for 3 to 4 hours, until the tongue is fork-tender. When the tongue is cool enough to handle, peel off the skin. Slice the meat thinly, crosswise, and serve warm, or chill overnight and use cold in sandwiches or salads. You can gently warm sliced tongue in a little water in a covered pan or in the microwave and use for warm tongue sandwiches.
COOK’S NOTES:
You may also dry the tongues well and smoke them,
