Due to its low fat content and low calorie content, pork tongue belongs to dietary products. It is considered a delicacy; in restaurants, you will have to pay a considerable amount for the delicate and soft taste of dishes prepared from the tongue.
Signs of language quality
Fresh or pickled tongue is offered on the shelves of shops and markets. The purple color of the product indicates its freshness and high iron content. The structure of the offal should be elastic, when you press on it with your finger, the trace instantly disappears.
Gray color, the release of a cloudy liquid when cut - signs of re-freezing. An unpleasant smell in the product indicates that it has deteriorated. It should be stored in the freezer, and after preparation - in the refrigerator, but not more than 2-4 days. With a long stay in the freezer, the product loses its useful and taste qualities.
Secrets of cleaning and boiling the tongue
It is almost impossible to cleanse a raw tongue. It is slippery, jumps out of hands and does not lend itself to the action of a knife at all. Boil the offal before removing the skin. Place it in cold water 1-2 hours before cooking. After the time has elapsed, put a pot of water on maximum heat. When it boils, gently dip your washed tongue into the liquid. The water must completely cover the product. From the moment of boiling, cook for 40-50 minutes on low heat, under a covered lid. Then cool your tongue under water so your hands can hold it.
Keep in mind that if it cools completely, the skin will not come off well. Holding the offal at the base, remove the film towards the end. It usually goes away instantly. If the skin is poorly removed, it means that the meat was not cooked.
Put the cleaned tongue in a saucepan, cover with water and add salt. From the moment of boiling, cook for 40 minutes over low heat until soft. The finished offal in the middle is pink in color, it lends itself well to slicing.
To cook your tongue deliciously, follow a few rules. Before cooking, cleanse the tongue from blood, various nodes, muscle tissue. Rub it with a slice of lemon. The citrus fruit will enhance the flavor of the meat.
When boiling the product without the skin for the second time, add bay leaf, a few peas of black pepper, a small head of onion and a clove of garlic to the water. Remove the foam from the surface periodically during cooking.
Check the readiness of the tongue by piercing it with a fork. If it pierces easily, a clear juice appears, remove from heat. Skin that in some places does not lend itself to the actions of the hand, clean off with a sharp knife.
The secret to making a flavorful pork tongue
Boil the tongue in salted water with a few bay leaves and peppercorns. Remove the skin and cut with a sharp knife into thin diagonal slices. Place the pieces of meat in a greased dish, place the thyme sprigs and a few pieces of butter on top. Preheat oven to 150º and bake for 15 minutes. The secret of the ready-made dish is that the tongue becomes juicy and aromatic due to oil and thyme.
