| Prep: 30 mins | Cook: 4 hours | Difficulty: Medium | Serves: 6 |
| kcal | fat | saturates | carbs |
| 350 | 12g | 6g | 27g |
| sugars | fibre | protein | salt |
| 22g | 4g | 30g | 1.2g |
Why I Love Colombian Tongue in Guava Sauce
As a chef with Italian heritage, there are few things I enjoy more than spicing up traditional dishes from around the world with a personal touch. So when I stumbled upon a recipe for Tongue in Guava Sauce, a traditional Colombian dish, I knew I had to give it a try. My grandparents taught me to appreciate the importance of each ingredient in every dish, and this recipe is no exception. The blend of beef tongue and guava provides an outstanding flavor profile that brings back memories of my childhood family gatherings, this time with a Colombian twist.
Inspired By The Best
In my culinary trips around the world, I’ve always appreciated the works of Jinny Torres, a talented Colombian chef renowned for her ability to revamp traditional Colombian recipes. While this dish isn’t directly from her cookbook, her approach inspires me to move beyond my comfort zone of Italian-American cooking. The adventurous spirit of trying something unique like Tongue in Guava Sauce is something I have gained from admiring chef Torres’s work.
The Unique Blend of Flavors
What initially drew me to the Tongue in Guava Sauce recipe was the intricate blend of flavors. The beef tongue, simmered to perfection with onions, garlic, and bay leaves, translates into a taste that hits home, not unlike the familiar aroma of my grandparents’ spaghetti sauce simmering away in the kitchen. But the surprise kick is the guava sauce, a sweet and tangy revelation that adds a whole new level to the dish. It balances the hearty protein with an impressive blend of sweet guava, tangy vinegar, and zesty orange juice.
This dish has some similarities to a few other hearty, flavorful meals found in Colombian cuisine. For instance, it has echoes of Lengua de Res, another dish that features beef tongue, but with a different sauce. And for a complete dining experience, you might consider pairing the Tongue in Guava Sauce with a side of Arepas, a popular Colombian cornmeal cake that complements the dish beautifully.
So, if you’re an adventurous foodie looking to explore the world one dish at a time, I recommend going for this Tongue in Guava Sauce. It’s a celebration of diverse culinary traditions coming together, reminiscent of the way my Italian-American cuisine was influenced by an array of global flavors. Happy Cooking!
What You’ll Need
- 2lb beef tongue
- 8 cups of water
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- For the guava sauce:
- 4 guava fruits, chopped
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (dissolved in a little bit of water)
Method
Step One
Place the beef tongue in a large pot, pour the 8 cups of water making sure the meat is completely covered. Add the finely chopped onions, crushed garlic cloves, bay leaves, salt and black pepper.
Step Two
Cook at low heat for about 3 hours or until the tongue is tender and fully cooked. Remove any foam that forms on the surface of the water while cooking.
Step Three
Once the tongue is cooked, remove from the pot and let it cool. Peel the outer skin of the tongue. Cut the tongue into slices.
Step Four
In a pan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Saute the sliced beef tongue until browned. Set aside.
Step Five
In the same pan, add the chopped guava fruits, white vinegar, brown sugar, chili powder, and orange juice. Simmer the mixture on low heat until the guava fruits are soft and the juice has thickened.
Step Six
Add the cornstarch dissolved in water to the guava sauce and stir continuously to prevent lumps, until the sauce thickens.
Step Seven
Return the sauteed beef tongue to the pan and coat with the guava sauce. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes to let the beef absorb the sauce.
Step Eight
Once done, serve your Tongue in Guava Sauce hot. Enjoy!
