StewsMediumFree

Beef Tongue Stew in Sauce

Name: Beef Tongue Stew in Sauce
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 150 min
Total time: 180 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1500 g Beef tongue; 2 leaves Bay leaves; 5 Tomato (charred); 1 White onion; 2 tbsp Capers; 1 Ancho chilli (soaked); 80 g Green olives (pitted); 4 cloves Garlic

180 min (30 prep + 150 cook) Medium 6 servings Nacional

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 27 Mar 2026 · Updated: 29 Mar 2026

Tender beef tongue in tomato sauce with olives, capers and spices, traditional Mexican stew.

About this recipe

Beef tongue stew is a traditional Mexican dish that reflects the Spanish influence on colonial gastronomy: beef tongue slowly cooked until very tender, served in a tomato sauce with olives, capers, raisins and mild chillies. It is a complex sweet-and-sour combination, a direct inheritance from Andalusian cuisine that arrived in Mexico in the 16th century and fused with local ingredients. Served with rice and beans, it is a celebratory dish for many families in central Mexico.

History & Origin

Tongue in estofado is one of the dishes that best illustrates the culinary syncretism of colonial Mexico. Estofado is a Spanish slow-stewing technique with sweet and sharp spices, olives and capers, derived from the Arab-Andalusian cooking that Spain brought to the New World. Indigenous and mestizo cooks adopted this technique adding mild chillies and local herbs, creating an entirely new dish. Beef tongue, a cut the Spanish prized greatly, became a festive ingredient in Mexico, reserved for weddings, christenings and important celebrations. In Puebla, Oaxaca and Mexico City, beef tongue stew with olives and raisins is still today a Sunday dish that few families can resist preparing.

Estimated cost

£15.00

Total cost

£2.50

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

390

Calories

34g

Protein

14g

Carbohydrates

22g

Fat

Fibre

620mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Place the tongue in a pot with enough cold water to cover. Add onion, garlic, bay leaves and salt, and boil over medium heat for 2–2.5 hours until completely tender when pierced with a fork. Leave to cool in the stock.
💡 Cooking the tongue in the same stock is important - save 2 cups of that stock for the sauce.
2
When the tongue is cool, peel it: make a shallow cut in the thick skin and remove it completely. Slice into 1.5 cm rounds. Set aside.
3
For the sauce: char the tomatoes, onion and garlic. Blend with the reserved stock, the soaked ancho chilli and spices. Fry the sauce in a casserole with oil for 8 minutes over medium-high heat until it darkens and thickens.
4
Add the olives, capers and raisins to the sauce. Add the tongue slices and cook over low heat for 20 minutes to absorb the flavours. Adjust salt and serve.
💡 The raisins can be omitted if you dislike the sweet-savoury combination, but they are an essential part of the traditional estofado.