Beef Tongue Near Me: Where to Buy Lengua & How to Make Tacos de Lengua

Searching for beef tongue near me? Lengua is one of the traditional cuts at the Poco Loco Supermercado carnicería. Every location has a full carnicería with butchers who can help you choose one. It’s also one of the easiest cuts to cook well at home. It takes a while, but almost all of that time is simmering on the stove while you do something else. Here’s where to find it, what to look for, and how to turn it into tacos de lengua.

What Is Lengua?

Lengua is the Spanish word for tongue, and in Mexican cooking it almost always means beef tongue. It’s one of the most loved taquería fillings. People trying it for the first time are usually surprised by how good it is. After a long, slow simmer, lengua is very tender, with a rich, beefy flavor that’s closer to pot roast than to anything unusual.

There are two things you have to get right: cook it long enough, and peel it. The outer skin is thick and tough. Underneath is soft, well-marbled meat that crisps up nicely when you sear it.

Where to Buy Beef Tongue Near You

Every Poco Loco location has a full carnicería, and lengua is one of the traditional cuts it carries, along with tripas and cabeza. Our butchers can help you choose a tongue for your recipe and answer questions about how to cook it. For more on what the carnicería offers, see our meat market guide or, en español, Carnicería Cerca de Mí.

What to Look For

• Size: A whole beef tongue usually weighs 2 to 4 pounds. It shrinks after cooking and peeling, so a 3-pound tongue feeds about 4 to 6 people as tacos.
• Appearance: Look for firm meat with an even, pinkish-gray color.
• Fresh or frozen: Beef tongue is often sold frozen, and that’s fine. Thaw it in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days before cooking.

How to Cook Beef Tongue: Tacos de Lengua Recipe

Serves: 4–6 · Prep: 15 minutes · Cook: about 3½–4 hours

Ingredients

For simmering:

• 1 beef tongue (2½–3½ lb)
• ½ white onion
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns

For the tacos:

• 2 tablespoons lard or neutral oil
• Salt to taste
• Warm corn tortillas
• Chopped white onion and cilantro
• Salsa verde and lime wedges

Instructions

1. Rinse the tongue. Rinse it well under cold running water, scrubbing the surface.
2. Simmer. Put the tongue in a large pot with the onion, garlic, bay leaves, salt, and peppercorns. Cover it with water by about 2 inches.
   • Bring to a boil, skim off any foam, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer.
   • Partially cover and cook for 3 to 3½ hours. If the water drops below the tongue, top it up with hot water.
   • It’s done when a knife slides easily into the thickest part.
3. Peel while warm. Move the tongue to a cutting board and let it cool for about 10 minutes, just until you can handle it.
   • Slit the skin along the length, then peel it off. It should come away in large pieces.
   • Don’t wait too long, because the skin gets much harder to remove as it cools.
   • Trim off any gristle and fat from the underside at the thick end.
4. Dice. Cut the peeled tongue into ½-inch cubes.
5. Sear. Heat the lard or oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cubes in a single layer and cook, turning occasionally, until the edges are browned and crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. Season with salt.
6. Serve. Pile the lengua onto warm corn tortillas and top with onion, cilantro, salsa verde, and a squeeze of lime.

Pressure Cooker Method

Put the rinsed tongue and the simmering ingredients in a pressure cooker. Add water to cover, staying under the max fill line. Cook at high pressure for 60 to 90 minutes and let the pressure release naturally. Then peel, dice, and sear as above.

Save the Broth

The simmering liquid is a flavorful beef broth. Strain it and use it within a few days for cooking beans, rice, or soup, or freeze it for later.

How to Serve Tacos de Lengua

The taquería way is simple: corn tortillas, onion, cilantro, and salsa verde. Tart tomatillo salsa balances the richness of the meat, and lime brightens everything. Radish slices on the side add crunch, and a creamy avocado salsa is a good second option.

You don’t have to make everything from scratch. Poco Loco’s tortillas are pressed fresh daily, corn and flour, and our salsas are made fresh in-house every day. Pick up onion, cilantro, limes, and radishes from the produce section on your way out. If you’d rather someone else do the cooking, see Tacos Near Me for our made-to-order tacos.

Lengua works beyond tacos, too:

• Lengua en salsa: Simmer the diced, peeled tongue in salsa verde or salsa roja for about 10 minutes. Serve it with rice and beans.
• Tortas: Pile seared lengua on a soft roll with avocado, onion, and salsa.
• Burritos: Wrap it in a flour tortilla with rice, beans, and salsa.

More From the Carnicería

If you’re working your way through the carnicería, see Best Cuts for Carne Asada for grilling. For everything else on our shelves, see our guide to authentic Mexican ingredients.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I buy beef tongue near me?

Beef tongue, or lengua, is one of the traditional cuts at the Poco Loco Supermercado carnicería. Every location has a full carnicería, and our butchers can help you choose the right one for your recipe.

What does beef tongue taste like?

Cooked properly, beef tongue tastes like rich, beefy pot roast with a soft, tender texture. It has more fat than most cuts, which keeps it juicy.

Do you have to peel beef tongue?

Yes. The outer skin is thick and tough, so peel it off after simmering. It comes off easily while the tongue is still warm and gets harder to remove once it cools.

How long does it take to cook beef tongue?

Simmer it for 3 to 3½ hours, until a knife slides easily into the thickest part. In a pressure cooker, it takes about 60 to 90 minutes at high pressure.

How much beef tongue do I need for tacos?

A whole tongue usually weighs 2 to 4 pounds and shrinks after simmering and peeling. A 3-pound tongue feeds about 4 to 6 people as tacos.

What salsa goes with tacos de lengua?

Salsa verde is the classic choice because its tangy tomatillo flavor balances the richness of the meat. A creamy avocado salsa works well too.

Find Lengua at Your Nearest Poco Loco

Poco Loco has stores across Central and South Texas, including Austin, San Antonio, Waco, San Marcos, and Bryan. Find your nearest store and check this week’s Weekly Ad for current specials.