Cooked Beef Tongue (Вареный говяжий язык)
A centrepiece of the post-Soviet cold platter — meaty, tender, and quietly luxurious.
EU CHARCUTERIE · WHOLE CUT · ~600 g
What it is
A whole beef tongue — long-simmered in salted water with bay leaf and pepper, peeled, pressed and ready to slice. Few cuts of meat are as quietly loved on the post-Soviet table: tender, fine-grained, slightly sweet from its own juices, with a richness that doesn't need much dressing up. High in protein and iron, low in carbohydrate, and at its best served cold.
This is a deli item sold by approximate weight — the actual piece will be close to 600 g (give or take a slice). Final price is calculated from the real weight at the till.
How to enjoy
- Sliced cold: cut thin across the grain (not along) and arrange on a board with grated fresh horseradish, Dijon mustard or a tart cranberry sauce.
- On rye bread: dark sourdough, butter, a folded slice of tongue, a smear of horseradish, a sprig of dill — the classic open sandwich.
- In the classic salad: cube the tongue and toss with green peas, finely chopped pickled cucumber, hard-boiled egg, parsley and a spoon of mayonnaise — салат с языком.
- On a meat platter: a centrepiece for a Russian-style мясная нарезка, alongside salami, ham and smoked sausage.
Composition
Beef tongue, water, salt, sugar, spices (typically black pepper, bay leaf, allspice), curing salt (sodium nitrite — E250).
Recipe varies between butchers — please check the actual pack on collection for the exact composition and any added ingredients.
Nutrition (per 100 g, typical)
| Energy | ~960 kJ / 230 kcal |
| Fat | 17.0 g |
| of which saturates | 6.0 g |
| Carbohydrate | 0 g |
| Protein | 18.0 g |
| Salt | ~1.8 g |
Typical values for cooked beef tongue — actual figures on the pack are definitive.
Allergens & storage
Allergens: a plain cooked beef tongue typically contains none of the 14 statutory allergens, but cure mixes can include traces of mustard, soy or milk powder. Please check the pack label on collection.
Keep refrigerated at 0–4 °C and consume by the date printed on the pack (typically a few days from cooking). Once cut, wrap tightly and use within 2–3 days. Not suitable for freezing once cooked.
Approximate weight: ±600 g — final price calculated from the actual weight.
An old, dignified meat — quietly the best thing on the platter.
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