Tongue tied

I decided a few months back when we ordered/selected the cuts of beef to include the tongue.  In the past few years I have had tongue tacos and more recently I had corned/pickled beef tongue as an appetizer that was really good.  I decided to corn my beef tongue so I can make a Reuben (to use the sauerkraut that I made last month!!)and replicate the appetizer I had at Miller's Guild in Seattle, WA.

It appears to be very similar to pickling; some of the spices and the use of vinegar are the same.  The act of corning something means to salt cure it; large grains of rock salt are called corns.  The debate lies on whether to use "nitrates" to cure/protect from bad bacteria.  I personally would always choose to be nitrate free; however, I going to use a curing salt which has nitrates for this first time.

My ingredients:

Pickling spice 
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon whole mustard seeds
1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
1 tablespoon whole cloves
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon whole all spice berries
1 teaspoon whole juniper berries-I add this to my pickling spice.

2 teaspoons ground ginger
5 crushed bay leaves

You can also purchase pickling spice which is a lot cheaper and easier.

Tongue and Brine

4 quarts of water
1 cup sugar-brown or natural organic
2 cups salt-I used canning but sea salt would also be good.
1 tablespoon curing salt (pink) Many recipes called for salt peter but it is very hard to find b/c it is also used in fireworks and explosives:- >
1/4 cup pickling spice
2 large garlic cloves crushed
1 beef tongue-preferably organic

The Process 

Rinse tongue under cold water and dry.  Trim connective tissue and fat on the bottom/muscle at base.

Out of package and rinsed.

Cleaned of connective tissue and fat.

Combine water and sugar on high heat; add salt after mixture boils.  When salt dissolves add curing salt, pickling spice and garlic.  Remove from heat when salt is dissolved and make sure it is cold before placing the tongue into it.  Place tongue in brine and weigh it down with anything that will hold it down like a plate or a pestle.  Let tongue sit in brine for 7-10 days; flip it every day.  I used a lexan

In brine with pestle to hold down.

I am currently on day 7 so I will probably cook it in a day or so.  I will update after I cook it.  I plan on making Paella tomorrow and since I have not made it I will blog about it!  I plan on starting my Cross-fit month on Monday, October 6th so stay tuned:-}