Sous Vide Grass-Fed Beef Tongue and Cheeks

Name: Sous Vide Grass-Fed Beef Tongue and Cheeks
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2880 min
Total time: 2910 min
Yield: 10
Ingredients: 1 whole grass-fed beef tongue; 3 pounds grass-fed beef cheeks; 2 to 3 tablespoons chili dry rub or spice blend; Kosher salt, to taste; Freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 4 tablespoons grass-fed butter or ghee; 2 tablespoons bacon grease; Fleur de sel (finishing salt) for garnish

Recipe GLPR0673cee209b187

Main Course

2910 min

493 cal

Servings: 10

Stovetop

SNAP eligible

A sophisticated sous vide preparation of grass-fed beef tongue and cheeks, cooked for 48 hours at low temperature to achieve ultimate tenderness, then finished with a quick sear. The tongue is thinly sliced and topped with fleur de sel, while the cheeks are shredded and seasoned. This nutrient-dense dish showcases the depth of flavor from quality grassland beef.

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Ingredients

1 whole grass-fed beef tongue

3 pounds grass-fed beef cheeks

2 to 3 tablespoons chili dry rub or spice blend

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4 tablespoons grass-fed butter or ghee

2 tablespoons bacon grease

Fleur de sel (finishing salt) for garnish

Directions

Generously coat both the beef tongue and beef cheeks with the dry rub spice blend, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper, ensuring even coverage on all sides.
Place the seasoned tongue in one vacuum-seal bag and the seasoned cheeks in another, dividing the butter or ghee evenly between the two bags (about 2 tablespoons per bag). Remove as much air as possible using a vacuum sealer, then seal tightly.
Set your immersion circulator to 158°F and fill your water bath container accordingly. Once the water reaches temperature, carefully submerge both sealed bags and cook for 48 hours, maintaining the temperature throughout.
After 48 hours, carefully remove the bags from the water bath and allow them to cool slightly on a cutting board. Pat the meat completely dry with paper towels.
Using a sharp knife, carefully peel away the outer membrane and skin from the beef tongue, then trim away any remaining taste buds and connective tissue until the tongue surface is smooth and clean.
Slice the cleaned beef tongue crosswise into ½-inch thick slices.
Heat the bacon grease in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches if needed, sear the tongue slices for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until a golden crust forms. Transfer to a serving plate.
In the same cast-iron skillet, sear the beef cheeks for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until golden brown on the exterior. Transfer to a separate plate and immediately shred the meat using two forks until it reaches a coarse, pulled consistency.
Top the sliced tongue with a pinch of fleur de sel. Season the shredded beef cheeks with additional kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve immediately while still warm.

Comments

Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff3.75

Beef tongue and cheeks are specialty cuts that will require a dedicated trip to a butcher counter rather than standard grocery store meat cases—Harris Teeter and Food Lion carry them occasionally but Publix is more reliable in the Charlotte area, and grass-fed varieties may need advance notice. The stated time of 2910 minutes (48.5 hours) is honest for sous vide cooking, but the real weeknight burden is the 24–48-hour advance planning and equipment requirement, making this a weekend project rather than a spontaneous dinner. The cost per serving is reasonable for premium meat and serves 10, so it splits the butcher expense and long cooking time across many people. This dish suits careful planners who own or can access a sous vide circulator and value offal cooking; it reheats well and is naturally hands-off once in the bath, but it demands starting two days ahead.