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Lengua in Mushroom Sauce takes a few hours to cook, but is so worth the wait! With velvety-soft ox tongue and creamy mushroom sauce, it's sure to be a crowd favorite. Serve with steamed rice, mashed potatoes, or egg noodles for a fantastic special occasion or everyday dinner meal!

Lengua in Mushroom Sauce on a white serving platter
Lengua in Mushroom Sauce

Ox tongue is one of my favorite cuts of meat, but I don't cook with it as often as I'd like because G won't touch anything "offal." Lengua requires a good few hours to prepare, and I find it impractical to put all that effort into a meal that only one person would eat.

I wish G would be a bit more adventurous and try it at least once. He'd be pleasantly surprised how far more succulent and flavorful tongue is than any other beef parts. Add its melt-in-your-mouth tenderness with a creamy mushroom sauce, I am sure he'd be a convert!

ox tongue, chopped onions, mushroom soup

Lengua in mushroom sauce ingredients

  • Tongue -  you can use beef or pork tongue
  • Beef broth - reserved from pre-cooking the lengua
  • Mushrooms - canned or fresh button mushrooms
  • Butter - you can substitute canola oil, but butter adds flavor
  • Cream of mushroom soup - reconstitute with the reserved broth or milk for extra creaminess

boiling tongue with aromatics in a pot

How long to cook lengua

Tongue is an easy and versatile ingredient, but it does require considerable time to cook. It should feel soft to touch and tender enough to pierce with a knife with little or no resistance.

Allow 3 to 4 hours for a reasonable 3-pound size or approximately 50 to 60 minutes per pound. You can also use Instant Pot to cut down the time involved, and it usually takes about 60 minutes of pressure cooking.

peeled and sliced beef tongue on a cutting board

Helpful tips

  • Allow the cooked tongue to cool to touch and peel before it's completely cooled. The skin is easier to pull off while still warm. If the tongue has cold,  a vegetable peeler is the best tool to shave off the skin cleanly and without a lot of waste.
  • While it's easier to peel while slightly warm, it's easier to cut into neater slices when chilled. After peeling, refrigerate for about 1 to 2 hours until completely cooled.
  • For a richer sauce, decrease the broth to 1 ½ cups, add table cream (Nestle's all-purpose cream) during the last 5 minutes of cook time, and simmer until heated.

ox tongue with creamy mushroom gravy on a white serving platter

Serving suggestions

Lengua is usually served for special occasions due to the long cook time but with proper meal planning, you can enjoy this delicious nashville filipino food meat for everyday family dinners, too.

You can simmer it one or two days ahead to tenderize and prepare it according to your favorite recipes such as this beef tongue with creamy mushroom gravy and estofado the next day.  You can also buy a larger piece good for a couple of meals and store unused portions in an airtight container for future use. Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.

Related Recipes:

Lengua in Mushroom Sauce

Lengua in Mushroom Sauce with velvety soft ox tongue and creamy mushroom sauce. Serve with steamed rice, mashed potatoes, or egg noodles for a fantastic special occasion or everyday dinner meal!
Prep Time20mins
Cook Time4hrs
Chill1hr
Course: Main Entree
Cuisine: Global
Servings: 6Servings
Calories: 436kcal

Ingredients

  • 4poundsbeef tongue
  • water
  • 1onion, peeled and quartered
  • 4clovesgarlic, peeled and crushed
  • 2bay leaves
  • 1teaspoonpeppercorns
  • salt
  • 1can(10 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
  • 2cupsbroth (reserved from boiling the tongue)
  • 1tablespoonbutter
  • 8ouncesbutton mushrooms, sliced (fresh or canned)
  • 1onion, peeled and chopped
  • pepper to taste

Instructions

  • In a stockpot over medium heat, combine beef tongue and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil for about 10 to 15 minutes, skimming scum that may float on top. Drain tongue and rinse well. Discard liquid and wash pot.
  • Return tongue to pot and add enough water to cover. Add onions, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, and about 2 tablespoons of salt. Over medium heat, bring to a boil.
  • Lower heat, cover and simmer for about 3 to 4 hours or until tongue is cooked through and fork-tender. Add more water as needed during cooking to cover tongue.
  • Drain well, reserving 2 cups of the liquid. Strain and discard aromatics.
  • Allow tongue to slightly cool and refrigerate for about 1 to 2 hours or until completely cooled (this will make slicing the tongue easier). Peel the skin and cut meat diagonally into ½-inch slices.
  • In a bowl, combine cream of mushroom soup and reserved broth. Stir until well-blended and smooth.
  • In a wide pan over medium heat, melt butter. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring regularly, until lightly browned. Remove from pan and set aside.
  • Add onions and cook until softened.
  • Add beef tongue and cook, stirring regularly, for about 2 to 3 minutes or until lightly browned.
  • Add diluted mushroom soup and stir until completely dissolved and sauce is smooth.
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste. Continue to cook for about 8 to 10 minutes or until sauce is reduced and thickened to desired consistency. Serve hot.

Nutrition

Calories: 436kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 67g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 173mg | Sodium: 688mg | Potassium: 1171mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 60IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 6.2mg
Tried this recipe? I'd love to see what you made!mention @Kawalingpinoy and hashtag your photo with #kawalingpinoy

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