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Meat, Northern, Eastern and Western France

Beef tongue in piquant sauce with steamed potatoes

Beef tongue in piquant sauce is a traditional braised dish, serving 4, ready in 3 hours 10 minutes, rated easy, for €3.20 per person. The key to success is the long slow simmer that tenderizes the tongue, and peeling it while still hot right after cooking.

I'm bringing out a grandma classic, beef tongue in piquant sauce with steamed potatoes. You're going to love how tender it is.

Beef tongue in piquant sauce with steamed potatoes
Total time
3 h 10
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.20
Calories per person
700 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall

Beef tongue has a texture few cuts of beef offer, melting yet slightly firm, almost like a well cooked cheek. The piquant sauce with cornichons, capers, and vinegar wakes up that mild richness with a sharp, tangy edge, without ever turning harsh. Steamed potatoes soak up the sauce and balance the whole plate.

This is a Sunday dish or one for a day with no schedule pressure, since the tongue simmers quietly while you go about your business. Mon Chou brings it back for fans of old fashioned cooking, the kind who like rediscovering on a weeknight a dish people barely make anymore.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Beef tongue 1.2 kg

Fruits and vegetables

  • Carrots 2
  • Onion 1
  • Shallots 3
  • Potatoes 900 g

Pantry

  • Cornichonsoften in the pantry 8
  • Capersoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Wine vinegaroften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Flouroften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Mustardoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Bay leavesoften in the pantry 2
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Butter 30 g

Allergens Gluten, Lactose, Mustard

The step by step recipe

  1. Put the tongue in a large pot of cold water with the carrots, onion, and bay leaves, bring to a boil and skim.

    Start with cold water so the meat stays tender.

  2. Let it simmer gently, then peel the tongue while it's still hot. 2 h 30

    The tip of a knife should slide in without resistance.

  3. Soften the shallots in the butter, dust with flour, add the vinegar and two ladles of broth.

    Stir constantly for a smooth sauce.

  4. Add the chopped cornichons and capers along with the mustard, then let it thicken. 10 min

    Taste before salting, the cornichons are already salty.

  5. Steam the potatoes, slice the tongue and coat it with sauce. 25 min

    Slice the tongue thinly on the bias, it will be more tender.

Our tips to get it right

  • Set aside two ladles of the cooking broth before you drain the water, the sauce needs it and you won't be able to make more later.
  • Chop the cornichons and capers finely so they spread through the whole sauce instead of sitting in big chunks.
  • If the sauce is still too thin after the ten minutes, let it reduce over low heat uncovered rather than adding more flour.

The variations

  • Swap the beef tongue for beef cheek if tongue is hard to find, the braised texture stays close.
  • For a quicker version, use a beef tongue that's already cooked sous vide, you go straight to the sauce and save two hours.
  • Stir in a spoonful of heavy cream at the end of cooking if you prefer a rounder, less tangy sauce for sensitive palates.

What to serve it with

  • Country bread for sopping up sauce
  • A glass of light red wine
  • Green salad for freshness

Storage

The sliced tongue and its sauce keep for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. The dish freezes well for up to 2 months, sauce and meat together. Reheat gently in a pan or over low heat so the meat doesn't dry out.

Questions about this dish

How do you peel beef tongue easily?

Peel the tongue while it's still hot, right after cooking. The skin comes off in a few minutes then, while it resists strongly once the tongue has cooled.

Can you make beef tongue ahead of time?

Yes, you can cook and peel the tongue the day before, then slice it and make the sauce the same day. The dish reheats very well without losing tenderness.

What can replace capers if you don't have any?

You can leave them out or use a bit more chopped cornichons instead. The flavor will be slightly less sharp but the sauce stays balanced.

Is beef tongue good for kids?

It's more of an adult dish, because of the tongue's strong flavor and the sauce's sharp edge. Some curious kids enjoy it, especially served with just a little sauce.

How long does it take to make a beef tongue in piquant sauce with steamed potatoes?

Count 3 h 10 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a beef tongue in piquant sauce with steamed potatoes?

About 700 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a beef tongue in piquant sauce with steamed potatoes cost?

About €3.20 per serving, or €12.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose, mustard. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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