Chinese Braised Beef Tongue

🥩 Chinese Braised Beef Tongue 

Braised Beef Tongue  is a classic Chinese banquet dish, often served in traditional feasts. The beef tongue is first simmered until tender, then braised with a savory sauce, resulting in rich flavor and a melt-in-your-mouth texture.

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🛒 Ingredients

• Beef tongue: 1 whole (about 1–1.5 kg)

• Ginger: 4–5 slices

• Scallions: 2 stalks

• Star anise: 2 pieces

• Bay leaves: 2 pieces

• Cooking wine (Shaoxing wine): 3 tbsp

• Light soy sauce: 4 tbsp

• Dark soy sauce: 2 tbsp (for color)

• Rock sugar (or brown sugar): 20 g

• Salt: to taste

• Chicken stock or water: enough to cover the tongue

• Optional garnish: cilantro, blanched green vegetables

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👩‍🍳 Instructions

Step 1. Clean and Pre-boil the Tongue

1. Rinse the beef tongue under cold water, scrubbing off any residue.

2. Place it in a pot of water with ginger and scallions.

3. Add 2 tbsp cooking wine, bring to a boil, and simmer for 10 minutes to remove impurities.

4. Remove the tongue, rinse with clean water, and scrape off the outer skin while warm.

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Step 2. Simmer Until Tender

1. Put the cleaned tongue back into a clean pot.

2. Add fresh water (or stock), ginger, scallions, star anise, bay leaves, 1 tbsp cooking wine, and rock sugar.

3. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 1.5–2 hours, until the tongue is soft but not falling apart.

4. Remove and let it cool slightly before slicing.

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Step 3. Prepare the Braising Sauce

1. In a wok, heat a little oil.

2. Add ginger slices and sugar, stir until caramelized.

3. Pour in light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and about 1 cup of stock from boiling the tongue.

4. Bring to a boil to form a glossy braising sauce.

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Step 4. Slice and Braise

1. Slice the beef tongue into thick slices (0.5–1 cm).

2. Arrange the slices neatly in a shallow pot or pan.

3. Pour the braising sauce over the slices, cover, and simmer gently for 10–15 minutes until the flavors absorb.

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Step 5. Serve

• Arrange the beef tongue slices on a serving plate.

• Pour the sauce over the top.

• Garnish with cilantro or serve with blanched vegetables on the side.

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🌟 Tips

• Removing the skin while the tongue is still warm makes peeling easier.

• Using stock instead of water adds depth to the flavor.

• This dish pairs well with steamed rice or can be part of a banquet spread.