beestong
Beestong (Ox Tongue): How It's Cooked and Why It's Worth Trying
Ox tongue, or beestong in Afrikaans, has a reputation for being an "adventurous" food. Once people taste a properly cooked one, they usually wonder why they waited so long. Here's what beestong is, how it's prepared and why it's one of the most tender meats you can order.
What is beestong?
Bees means cattle and tong means tongue, so beestong is beef or ox tongue. It is eaten in many food cultures: Mexican tacos de lengua, Jewish deli-style salted tongue, and Japanese grilled gyutan are all famous. In South Africa it has long been a favourite in Afrikaans home cooking and in township eating houses alike.
Why tongue is so tender
The tongue is one large muscle with a fine grain and a good amount of fat running through it. When it is cooked slowly, it becomes silky and soft, almost like the most tender pot roast you've had, with a rich, beefy flavour that is milder than people expect.
How ox tongue is cooked
- Cleaning. The tongue is scrubbed and rinsed well.
- Long simmer. It is simmered whole for several hours with onion, garlic and spices until a knife slides in easily.
- Peeling. The thick outer skin is peeled off while the tongue is still warm. This is the step that turns it from something that looks unusual into something that looks like any other tender piece of beef.
- Slicing and saucing. The tongue is sliced and finished in a rich, savoury stew or gravy.
What does it taste like?
Beestong tastes like very tender beef with a slightly richer, smoother texture. There are no bones, no gristle and no chewy bits. If you are nervous about offal, tongue is one of the easiest places to start.
How to enjoy it
- With pap and gravy, the way we serve it at Phala's.
- On a mixed plate. Try it next to oxtail or marapo on a 2 mixed meat plate to compare beef cuts.
Order beestong from Phala's
Our ox tongue with pap is served daily at 6233 Block S, Mabopane, and delivered around Mabopane and Soshanguve. Want to learn about other dishes? Read our guides to mala mogodu and the rest of our Kitchen Stories.