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    Home » How to's and DIY's » How To Clean Cow Tongue

    Published: Apr 21, 2017 · Modified: May 26, 2021 by Ajoke

    How To Clean Cow Tongue

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    You must be wondering why I am sharing the cow tongue cleaning procedure with you today of all things? Well, I went to my butchers at the abattoir recently and I saw a pile of tongues on the side.

    cow tongue recipe

    People were coming in their numbers to buy every other thing but the tongue and some offal on the show. It then occurred to me that people don’t buy them because of how tedious it is to clean it.

    Trust me, it can be very tricky cleaning cow tongue but I have found a way of doing it without wasting my gas and precious time.

    Growing up and I am sure many Nigerians/Africans reading this will testify to it, our parents don’t dilly dally in the kitchen and yet they come up with the best of the best. Where am I going here? lol, I can’t cook it for over an hour or two because I want to clean it.

    Cow tongue is very tasty and juicy, you can use it in any meal, many Nigerian soups, sandwiches and it works perfectly on its own as well. No matter how long you decide to cook it for, the taste can never be compromised unlike some other parts of beef.

    Cleaning cow tongue can take between 20 minutes to 4 hours. I choose the first. I haven’t got all day to spend in the kitchen, please.

    Note: Cut it into a steak to make it easier to clean

    raw cow tongue steak on a red chopping board.

    What you need

    Cow tongue (obviously lol)

    Hot Water

    1tsp Salt

    cooked tongue on a plate.

    How to clean cow tongue

    Add cow tongue, salt and hot water to a bowl, place on medium heat and cook for 15 minutes.

    The outer layer would toughen once it's in the water do not fret

    Take it out of the hot water and peel the white thick layer off the tongue.

    the procedure soaking ox tongue to be cooked.

    Now truth be told some of the white tough skin can be stubborn to peel, like in the image below simply get a sharp knife and scrape till clean. Repeat this process until you have exhausted the tongue steak.

    the process of cleaning cow tongue.

    Place the cleaned tongue in a bowl and rinse till clean.

    It is now ready to use but not ready to eat. Cleaned cow tongue can be placed in the freezer for up to 3 months. Use up as desired

    cleaned tongue on a small white plate.

    How to cook cow tongue

    Cut the washed tongue into steaks. This allows it to cook quicker

    Place in a pan, add enough water to cover the tongue. (Now, this is my go-to way to cook beef) I usually season with salt, beef or chicken bouillon cubes and onions.

    If you don't want to use bouillon cube, feel free to use fresh herbs like parsley, chives, spring onions etc. but ensure you add salt and onion. Other options to consider are ginger, garlic, bay leaves and the likes

    Cook the tongue on low-medium heat for another 30 minutes or until meat is tender enough to your liking.

    cow tongue in a pot with chopped onions and chicken bouillon.

    Don't forget to leave some feedback for me when you try this tricky yet easy cow tongue cleaning procedure. #myactivekitchen on Instagram. Thank you for stopping by and see you in my next post.

    cleaned cow tongue steaks on a plate.
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    How To Clean Cow Tongue And How To Cook It

    Today I am sharing with you how to clean cow tongue and how to cook it in simple steps
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time15 mins
    Total Time20 mins
    Course: cooking basics
    Cuisine: African, American
    Keyword: cow tongue, how to clean cow tongue, ox tongue
    Servings: 1 cow tongue
    Author: Ajoke

    Ingredients

    • 1 Cow tongue
    • Hot Water
    • 2 tsp Salt

    Instructions

    How to clean cow tongue

    • Add cow tongue, salt and hot water to a bowl, place on medium heat and cook for 15 minutes. The outer layer would toughen once it's in the water do not fret
    • Take it out of the hot water and peel the white thick layer off the tongue.
    • Now truth be told some of the white tough skin can be stubborn to peel, like in the image below simply get a sharp knife and scrape till clean. Repeat this process until you have exhausted the tongue steak.
      a hand srapping off the white bits on a cow tongue.
    • Place the cleaned tongue in a bowl and rinse till clean.
    • It is now ready to use but not ready to eat. Cleaned cow tongue can be placed in the freezer for up to 3 months. Use up as desired

    How to cook cow tongue

    • Cut the washed tongue into steaks. This allows it to cook quicker.
    • Place in a pan, add enough water to cover the tongue. (Now, this is my go-to way to cook beef) I usually season with salt, beef or chicken bouillon cubes and onions.
    • If you don't want to use bouillon cube, feel free to use fresh herbs like parsley, chives, spring onions etc. but ensure you add salt and onion. Other options to consider are ginger, garlic, bay leaves and the likes
    • Cook the tongue on low-medium heat for another 30 minutes or until meat is tender enough to your liking.

    Notes

    Storage instructions
    • Cleaned cow tongue can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
    • store cooked cow tongue in the fridge for up 3 days in an airtight container and up to 1 month in the freezer.
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. harold d tabit says

      September 19, 2021 at 12:21 pm

      i have 8 cow tongues cooked an cleaned i want to know how to can them or if they can be caned.

      Reply
    2. Jenn Lynn says

      September 12, 2021 at 2:52 am

      What a great post! I learned to cook tongue in a slow cooker with onions, celery, carrots if I have them, salt and pepper. Take it out and peel the skin off. I cut it up and brown it in a skillet with some onions and make a beef gravy with it. I serve it on top of buttery mashed potatoes. I tell people it's beef tips and gravy. People are finicky when they hear "tongue" but it's the best roast you can make. My new recipe I'll try with it is Shepherd's Pie.

      Reply
    3. Lu says

      February 20, 2018 at 3:33 am

      What if i forgot to wash tongue off before o cooked it? Can i still eat it once its done?

      Reply
      • Ajoke says

        March 01, 2018 at 11:22 am

        you can peel the white bits off the tongue or cut it out before eating.

        Reply
    4. Ruthie says

      January 02, 2018 at 12:48 pm

      I’m from the south, Louisiana, my mother cook tongue. I did learn to boil the tongue for easier cleaning, we stuffed it with garlic and seasonings. Make a great rusty gravy over rice. Yum.

      Reply
      • Ajoke says

        January 19, 2018 at 12:36 pm

        that sounds great. I should try it out too.

        Reply
    5. Michael Kwao Tetteh says

      May 02, 2017 at 3:07 pm

      Really good food. pls i needthe recipe for palm nut soup.

      Reply
      • Ajoke says

        May 07, 2017 at 4:10 pm

        Thanks Micheal, kindly search the blog for banga soup.

        Reply

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    Hello, my name is Ajoke, and welcome to my food world,  I love to cook in my lively little kitchen. Join me in the adventure of cooking what we all call warm, hearty, and quick meals...

    More about me →

    Hello, my name is Ajoke, and welcome to my food world,  I love to cook in my lively little kitchen. Join me in the adventure of cooking what we all call warm, hearty, and quick meals...

    More about me →

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