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!
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!
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
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 an Instant Pot to cut down the time involved, and it usually takes about 60 minutes of pressure cooking.
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 is 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 1/2 cups, add table cream (Nestle’s all-purpose cream) during the last 5 minutes of cook time, and simmer until heated.
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 meat for everyday family lunches or 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.
- Beef in Creamy Mushroom Gravy
- Burger Steak
- Chicken a la King
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @kawalingpinoy on Facebook and Instagram!
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 Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 4 hrs
Chill: 1 hr
Course: Main Entree
6 Servings
Ingredients
- 4 pounds beef tongue
- water
- 1 onion, peeled and quartered
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns
- salt
- 1 can (10 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 2 cups broth (reserved from boiling the tongue)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced (fresh or canned)
- 1 onion, peeled and chopped
- pepper to taste
Instructions
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Drain well, reserving 2 cups of the liquid. Strain and discard aromatics.
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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 1/2-inch slices.
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In a bowl, combine cream of mushroom soup and reserved broth. Stir until well-blended and smooth.
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In a wide pan over medium heat, melt butter. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring regularly, until lightly browned. Remove from pan and set aside.
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Add onions and cook until softened.
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Add beef tongue and cook, stirring regularly, for about 2 to 3 minutes or until lightly browned.
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Add diluted mushroom soup and stir until completely dissolved and sauce is smooth.
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Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add mushrooms.
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Continue to cook for about 8 to 10 minutes or until sauce is reduced and thickened to desired consistency. Serve hot.
Notes
- 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 is 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 1/2 cups, add table cream (Nestle’s all-purpose cream) during the last 5 minutes of cook time, and simmer until heated.
Nutrition Information
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
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
About Lalaine Manalo
Welcome to Kawaling Pinoy. Here you’ll find hundreds of delicious Filipino and Asian recipes. Make sure to browse around and pick a favorite dish or two. Happy cooking! Read More