Authentic Mexican taqueria style pork tongue tacos, featuring aromatic simmered meat that becomes meltingly tender, peeled while hot, and then crisped in lard before being served on warm corn tortillas with raw onion, cilantro and salsa verde.
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg fresh pork tongue
- 2 l water
- 2 pieces fresh white onion
- 6 cloves fresh garlic clove
- 2 leaves dried bay leaf
- 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 tbsp coarse sea salt
- 1 tbsp pure pork lard
- 16 pieces nixtamalized white corn tortillas
- 1 bunch bunch fresh cilantro
- 3 pieces fresh lime
- 200 g Mexican salsa verde
Method
- Rinse the pork tongues thoroughly under cold running water to remove any surface impurities.
- Place the whole tongues in a large heavy pot, pour in enough cold water to cover them generously, then add half of the roughly chopped white onion, the smashed unpeeled garlic cloves, bay leaves, Mexican oregano, black peppercorns and coarse sea salt.
- Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, regularly skimming off the gray foam that rises to the surface with a slotted spoon.
- Once the liquid is boiling vigorously and the surface is clean, cover the pot tightly, reduce the heat to very low and let simmer gently for about two hours, until the tip of a knife slides into the thickest part without any resistance.
- Carefully transfer the tongues to a cutting board using kitchen tongs and strain the cooking broth through a fine mesh sieve to reserve a hot ladleful.
- While the tongues are still very hot and steaming, carefully score the whitish outer membrane with a paring knife, then peel it off in one continuous motion with your fingers, pulling from the tip to the root.
- Trim away the fibrous cartilage at the base of each tongue, then cut the meltingly soft meat into even half-inch dice.
- Heat the lard in a cast iron skillet or on a very hot griddle over high heat until it smokes slightly.
- Toss the diced tongue into the smoking hot fat, moisten with a small ladle of the reserved cooking broth, then saute vigorously for four to five minutes while stirring constantly, until the liquid evaporates and the meat develops beautiful crispy, golden brown edges.
- While the meat browns, finely mince the remaining white onion, chop the fresh cilantro along with its tender stems, and cut the limes into neat wedges.
- Heat a dry skillet over medium-high heat and warm the white corn tortillas for about thirty seconds on each side until they become pliable, puff up slightly and release a wonderful toasted corn aroma.
- Double up the warm tortillas on plates, place a generous handful of crispy tongue in the center, sprinkle with raw white onion and fresh cilantro, drizzle with a touch of salsa verde and serve immediately with lime wedges ready for squeezing.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 1082.7 kcal
- Protein
- 66.5 g
- Carbohydrate
- 96.19 g
- Fat
- 50.55 g
- Fibre
- 9.46 g
- Calcium
- 120.25 mg
- Iron
- 10.96 mg
- Magnesium
- 114.35 mg
