Beef Tongue

With the homekill half of a cow that we purchased last year we got a huge tongue.  I've been meaning to cook it up for ages and try the method that my mother in law had told me about.  I finally pulled it out and defrosted it to cook at the weekend.  It was quite easy really, a set and forget kind of recipe.  I was not one bit queasy cooking or peeling this odd peice of meat - but I can see how some would be.

Homemade bread, spread, tongue, pickles with tomatoes, lettuce and cucumber from the garden

Beef Tongue

1 Beef Tongue
Salt
1 Onion, peeled and halved
1 Carrot, scrubbed
2 Bay Leaves
8 Peppercorns
Gelatine Powder

Put tongue in a large pot and cover with water.  Add a good pinch of salt, onion, carrot, bay leaves and peppercorns.  Gently simmer for 4 hours or until tender (a knife will easily push into the thickest part of the tongue when done).  Keeping the cooking liquid, put the tongue into a bowl of cold water and peel away the leathery skin and any fatty pieces (the cold water makes it much easier to peel).  Find a bowl that the tongue will just fit into and squeeze it in.  Strain 2 cups of hot cooking liquid and dissolve into it 4 teaspoons of gelatine (better to have too much gelatine mix than not enough).  Pour gelatine mix over tongue to fill mold, place a plate over the top of the tongue and weigh down with something heavy (jug of water or tin cans).  Allow to set and cool overnight before removing from the mold.

This is great sliced thinly and added to salad or sandwiches.  Or fry up some butter, onion and sage - when the onion is soft add slices of beef tongue, heat through and serve on hot buttered toast - YUM!