The other day I stopped by a mainstream chain to price beef tounge.
It was more expensive than I expected so I passed.

Finding myself wandering thru an oriental market, I saw beef tounge at
a much lower price, so I brought it home and pressure cooked it.

Although tasty, we were spitting out more gristle than I expected.

Are there various grades of tongue quality? - Mike

Michael Horowitz wrote:
> The other day I stopped by a �mainstream chain to price beef tounge.
> It was more expensive than I expected so I passed.
>
> Finding myself wandering thru an oriental market, I saw beef tounge at
> a much lower price, so I brought it home and pressure cooked it.
>
> Although tasty, we were spitting out more gristle than I expected.

That was because of how it was trimmed by the butcher... it was a
lower cost but you paid for a lot of waste.

> Are there various grades of tongue quality? �- Mike

Depends on the age of the animal, the older the beast the less
expensive... calves tongue typically costs the most. There is no USDA
grade on offal/variety meats.

variety meats
Called offal in Great Britain, variety meats are animal innards and
extremities that can be used in cooking. They include BRAINS, feet and
ankles (see PIG'S FEET), HEART, KIDNEYS, LIVER, SWEETBREADS, TONGUE
and TRIPE. Some of the more obscure variety-meat trimmings are used
for SAUSAGE.

� Copyright Barron's Educational Services, Inc. 1995 based on THE FOOD
LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.

Michael Horowitz wrote:
> The other day I stopped by a mainstream chain to price beef tounge.
> It was more expensive than I expected so I passed.
>
> Finding myself wandering thru an oriental market, I saw beef tounge at
> a much lower price, so I brought it home and pressure cooked it.
>
> Although tasty, we were spitting out more gristle than I expected.
>
> Are there various grades of tongue quality? - Mike


You got an old one, I think....maybe dinosaur.

gloria p

Michael Horowitz > wrote:

> Although tasty, we were spitting out more gristle than I expected.
>
> Are there various grades of tongue quality? - Mike

I am not aware of any tongue grading (not in the culinary sense,
anyway). The USDA does not even consider tongue to be meat, for the
purpose of labelling or grading, it seems. As to the gristle, tongue
itself is pure muscle and any gristle must have come from the untrimmed
throat parts. Next time, pay attention to this and trim them yourself,
as it is easy.

Victor

Michael Horowitz wrote:
>
> The other day I stopped by a mainstream chain to price beef tounge.
> It was more expensive than I expected so I passed.
>
> Finding myself wandering thru an oriental market, I saw beef tounge at
> a much lower price, so I brought it home and pressure cooked it.
>
> Although tasty, we were spitting out more gristle than I expected.
>
> Are there various grades of tongue quality? - Mike

Not really. The gristle came from a badly-trimmed tongue; the root is
gristly. Inspect the next one and cut off the root end.