Need a fast answer - What's the best way to peel tongue...

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Otter

Sous Chef
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Need a fast answer - leaving for the butcher shop in about half an hour to pick up oxtail, roasts, etc. I love tongue, and the shop has good tongue, but my mother doesn't plan on buying much becasue she has difficulty peeling it. Anyone have tips for peeling tongue?
 
:shock:

Otter - my answer, apparently like everyone else's is um - no. I feel like there is a really good punchline that is trying really hard to surface in my brain but it's just not happening. I didn't even know you had to peel the things. See, I can't even say what it is!!!!! I'd probably eat it though and love it.
 
kitchenelf said:
:shock:

Otter - my answer, apparently like everyone else's is um - no. I feel like there is a really good punchline that is trying really hard to surface in my brain but it's just not happening. I didn't even know you had to peel the things. See, I can't even say what it is!!!!! I'd probably eat it though and love it.
I'm going to try the next time she prepares it - I have much sharper knives. It's really great when pressure cooked.
 
marmalady said:
I remember my grandmother boiling it first, then peeling it.

I remember seeing Mario do it like that, too. I've never cooked it, just had it in a deli once.
 
Why is it that every time I see this thread I get a funny feeling in my mouth? It's kinda like I'm making sure my tounge is still attached. :ermm:


I've never had tounge but would be willing to try it as long as I'm not told what it is until after I eat it.
 
Old style delis sold it as a coldcut. Sliced thin on a roll with mustard it was quite tasty. You'd never know what it was.

I've never had it as a hot dish.
 
Paul walks around with his stuck out more now that he is getting older..I threaten to cut it off..
All his family does that. I think it is a family trait.

I pressure cooked one (not his..) one time Many many years ago for him..notice I said one?
Marge
 
Tongue is excellent, and once it's peeled you'd be hard pressed to tell it from regular beef. I can't recall for sure, as it's been awhile since I've had any, but it seems you skin it after it's cooked.
 
Rob Babcock said:
Tongue is excellent, and once it's peeled you'd be hard pressed to tell it from regular beef. I can't recall for sure, as it's been awhile since I've had any, but it seems you skin it after it's cooked.
Someone recommended that in the past. She found it more difficult to do after cooking than before cooking. I have a really good flexible boning knife that I'm going to try on it.
 
I did a google search on this topic.

While I found not detailed instructions beyond, peel it as you would peel an orange, all sources were in agreement that you should peel after boiling and just before serving.
 
Andy M. said:
I did a google search on this topic.

While I found not detailed instructions beyond, peel it as you would peel an orange, all sources were in agreement that you should peel after boiling and just before serving.

I have a childhood memory of my grandmother's kitchen. In it on the counter sat a platter of cooked tongue, and my grandmother was peeling it.

I must have been about 6 or 7 years old, and I remember when she sliced it there were some bones in the middle.

I must have eaten it and liked it, cause I don't remember anything else. :-p
 
My mother says it is substantially more difficult to peel after cooking than it is before. She pressure cooks it - I wonder if that is why. She bought enough tongue for me to try it both ways. I've never seen her do the skinning, but I looked at the knife yesterday and it my not be sharp enough or flexible enough. If the knife is the problem I'll buy her a new knife.
 
Chocolatechef - you don't remember anything after you tried it due to shock :LOL:

Otter - as many things as I love to cook and don't mind buying still alive and killing to eat my knees get weak about tongue - and like crewsk - I move mine around to make sure it's still in there :rolleyes:

Sounds like it might be your mother's knife. Let me ask this also. Is it anything like beans - if you add salt to the water while cooking them the outside will NEVER soften up. Do you think that toughens the tongue too? (see, I just checked my tongue again!!)
 
kitchenelf said:
Chocolatechef - you don't remember anything after you tried it due to shock :LOL:

Nah, :LOL: I remember well the fishbone that got stuck in the roof of my mouth when I was less than 5 years old! I remember screaming for days......and I never ate fish again!

And I remember my cousin telling me my grandparents had made elephant stew [it was beef stew] when I was 8 cause he was scared I would eat too much and he wanted it all. I didn't eat it at all, and I had a terrific hungry headache.

It must have been good, cause my grandmother was one of the world's best cooks/bakers.

Anything my grandma made was perfect! :cool:
 
kitchenelf said:
Otter - as many things as I love to cook and don't mind buying still alive and killing to eat my knees get weak about tongue - and like crewsk - I move mine around to make sure it's still in there :rolleyes: Sounds like it might be your mother's knife. Let me ask this also. Is it anything like beans - if you add salt to the water while cooking them the outside will NEVER soften up. Do you think that toughens the tongue too? (see, I just checked my tongue again!!)
I don't know anyone who ate tongue that didn't like it (at least until they found out what it was!). It has a wonderful flavor and great texture. I'm going to try my own knife before and after cooking. If that doesn't fly I'll try the boiling/scraping that was recommended. Also will check with my mother on whether or not she is using salt.
 
...I checked again to see make sure my tongue was still there - :blush:

The salt thing may be far-fetched but you don't know 'til lyou ask!
 
:ROFLMAO: I can't even begin to say what all went through my thought process when I read the main post............I'm going to be a good girl and hold my tongue.....no pun intended :)
 
kitchenelf said:
...I checked again to see make sure my tongue was still there - :blush:

The salt thing may be far-fetched but you don't know 'til lyou ask!
I mowed her lawn for her today and she said "no salt." I took a closer look at her knife and I'm sure that's the culprit.
 
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