Boiled Beef Tongue

Name: Boiled Beef Tongue
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 1 Beef tongue

The best, incredibly tasty and wholesome festive dish! To make boiled beef tongue soft and tender, cook it properly and salt it at the right time. Make it ahead so you have an appetizer or a salad/sandwich ingredient ready for the holidays.

4.4

(13)

Updated : 15 January, 2026

Easy

About 20 min.

Ingredients

1

Beef tongue

1

Onion

10

Peppercorns

2

Laurel leaf

to taste

Salt

Table

Table of volume measurements:

teaspoon - 5 ml
dessert spoon - 10 ml
tablespoon - 20 ml
glass - 200 ml

Preparation

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Step 1

How to boil tongue: Prepare the ingredients. If needed, thaw the tongue in advance. Trim off excess fat. Then rinse it well under cold running water.

Step 2

Put the tongue into a pot and cover it with cold water. Place the pot over heat and bring to a rolling boil. Then carefully drain the water. This water absorbs impurities and should not be used.

Step 3

Pour over fresh water, but already boiling hot. I boiled the water in a kettle. You can remove the tongue for a moment and bring water to a boil in the same pot. It’s important that the water is hot - this helps the tongue stay soft and tender.

Step 4

Bring it back to a boil and add a peeled whole onion to the broth. You may also add a whole carrot and a piece of celery root.

Step 5

Simmer the tongue at a gentle boil over low heat for 2 to 4 hours. Cooking time depends on the tongue’s size and the animal’s age. I cooked my 800 g (about 1.75 lb) tongue for 3 hours. Check for doneness from time to time.

Step 6

30 minutes before the end, salt the tongue and add ground pepper and a bay leaf. It’s important to salt near the end, otherwise the tongue can turn out tough. You can do this about 2 to 2.5 hours after you start cooking.

Step 7

When the cooking time is up, place the tongue into cold water. I fill a basin in the sink and keep the tongue under running water for a while so I don’t burn myself later.

Step 8