A new and better version of a recipe posted on Christmas Day in 2009 which, in turn, was a remake of a 2006 recipe.
In the 2009 version, the sauce was made with a roux, corn water, cream and the broth in which the ox tongue was cooked. It was pretty good, it was a breeze to make too, but then I discovered that by ditching the broth and substituting milk, and by adding grated cheese, the sauce becomes richer and creamier.
We just had this for lunch today and we all loved it.
Ingredients
- 1 ox tongue about 1.5 kilograms
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns
- 2 stalks celery
- 1 carrot
- 1 onion halved
- 4 cloves garlic
For the sauce
- 1/3 cup butter
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- the liquid from a can of corn kernels
- 1 cup cream
- 2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used Gouda but feel free to substitute other kinds of cheese)
- salt
- pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
To assemble
- mashed potatoes
- corn kernels (I used canned but fresh would be nicer), heated with 1 tablespoon of butter and a pinch of salt
Instructions
- Cook the ox tongue in water together with the salt, peppercorns, celery stalks, carrot, onion and garlic. In a slow cooker, it took ten hours on auto setting. You don’t really need a slow cooker for this, however, although it is a huge convenience. You can use any thick bottomed pan, cook over a slow simmer after the liquid boils — it will take four to five hours.
- Lift the ox tongue from the liquid, transfer to a plate, cover loosely with foil and cool completely. If there is time, chill in the fridge for a few hours. This will make slicing easier and prevent the meet from falling apart.
- After the ox tongue has cooled, peel off the skin (it should pull off easily if the tongue has been cooked thoroughly). Slice the ox tongue. How thinly or how thickly depends on you. Set aside.
- Make the sauce.
- Melt the butter in a sauce pan. Add the flour, all at once, stirring vigorously to smoothen out any lumps. Cook over medium heat for about five to seven minutes or until the edges of the mixture start to brown.
- Meanwhile, stir together the corn water and milk. Pour very slowly into the butter-flour mixture, stirring as you pour. Cook, stirring, until thickened and bubbly. Pour in the cream. Add the cheese. Stir until the cheese melts. If the sauce appears too thick for you (I like it thick), pour in more milk and cook a bit longer to blend. Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper, as needed. Stir in the parsley. Optionally (but highly recommended), stir in a couple of tablespoonfuls of butter.
- To assemble, arrange a few slices of ox tongue on a plate. On the side, place scoops of mashed potatoes and buttered corn. Pour sauce over the meat and sidings.
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Hello and welcome! I'm a retired lawyer and columnist, wife for 28 years, mom of two, and a passionate cook. What is this blog about? Recipes for dishes 
Crisp tofu in tomato chili sauce
This looks absolutely lovely :) My grandma used to make tongue all the time.
Everyone in my family loves lengua. It’s really just the amount of time needed to make it tender that’s a real bummer. :razz:
my daughter loves lengua though i don’t think i have the skill to cook it the way she wants it. she loves focaccia too. we buy focaccia bread during (sidcor) market one sunday marketing at the lung center of the phils.
we get grilled tuna and maya-maya ulo as well for our sinigang.
ooohh, fish head for sinigang is soooo good. :)
I love lengua though haven’t tasted it with corn before. Will try it at home.
Please email me any kind of new and old recipes you have. Thanks:smile:
Hi Connie! I tried out your Baked Macaroni recipe for Noche Buena and it turned out great! The hubby and I loved the cream-cheesy topping! Now, I’ve been trying to look for a recipe for lengua – a cross between the original estofado recipe and something with a red wine-y semi-sweet sauce. I remember eating that kind of dish at Sulo Hotel back when I was in grade school. If you have anything similar, please do share. I’m thinking of experimenting, but I’m a little afraid to waste my lovely lengua :) I have two and I am getting ready to use your Lengua with Mushroom Sauce recipe right now … for Christmas lunch!! Yum! Thanks! I appreciate your fab site!
Hi! this is my family’s most favorite recipe. I’m glad you published how to cook it. I’m new at cooking and i want to try out new stuff. This will definitely be my next endevour. I just wanna ask if you can translate peppercorn and bay leaf in tagalog coz’ i think i’ll have a hard time buying it if i use this term. thanks. God Bless.
peppercorn and bay leaf = laurel na may pamintang buo? yung kalimitang ginagamit sa adobo?
is it right ms. connie?
Yes, that’s it! :)
Oooohhh! I love lengua! I think I’m gonna try this. Miss Connie, I love your site! :D
Hi Connie! I’ve been an ardent follower of your recipes/websites for such a long time. You inspire me to be creative and try new recipes that I can serve to my family. I really love eating Ox tongue but can’t seem to have the guts to cook it. I will definitely try this recipe for our Media Noche this coming 31st. Happy Holidays!
Hi Ms Connie,
Can i use pressure cooker for the ox tongue? If yes, how many minutes? thanks.
I wish you’d read through the entire recipe. The answer to your question is already there.
hi! you mentioned pressure cooking ox tongue for about 2 hours and fifteen minutes. i have read from other sites doing it for about 30 minutes. i have not yet tried any. what could you say regarding this?
Ox tongue needs at least 4 hours of regular cooking time. Pressure cooking means 1/2 of that time.
Hi connie, where do you lengua?
What do you mean…
Haha! I guess jean meant “Where do you BUY lengua?” means funny when you forgot just a word… ;)
Lengua with bread was just how Hizon’s used to serve it way, way back…
The four hours cooking time? Worth every second of this truly ‘food of the gods’ dish!
Thanks so much for sharing, Connie!
If ox tongue weren’t so expensive, my daughter would love to have it every other day. :-P
Hi Ms. Connie! :-) your dishes make me drool! :-) I am a lazy cook but after seeing your blog, you inspire me to become a great chef! :-) hehe! :-) thank you so much for sharing your recipes! :-) God bless! :-)
Can i use a different meat, instead of ox tongue, cause my children do not eat lengua…if so what would be a good cut of meat? chuck, sirloin etc? please advise thank you
You can use beef or pork, roast whole slabs, slice…
thank you Connie…i will make this for Mother’s day..happy mother’s day to you also. Love your website..please don’t ever stop giving us good recipes
The day I stop posting recipes will be the day we stop eating hehehehe It’ll never happen. :D
Love Lengua…… :) Thanks for the tip Connie..
hi connie,just wanna ask what kind of cream did you use for this recipe?..
i’m one of your avid follower since 2009 and who always falls in love with your recipes..:) your recipe tastes like diamonds!always a winnner!
thanks a lot for sharing your cooking talent with us and may the good Lord bless your heart and your family always..:0)
Hi Anna :)
Please click this link — that will be more helpful than a simple answer from me. :)
Thanks a lot Connie…:))
Your site is really a great help..More power and God bless..:0)