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Braised Venison Tongue

braised venison tongue with horseradish on a cracker
Photo by Holly A. Heyser

I came up with this braised venison tongue  dish when I was serving several dozen people — but only had one venison tongue to go around. (Yes, I had lots of other things, but I wanted everyone to get a taste)

Tongue — of anything — needs slow cooking to make it tender, plus you need to peel the skin off the outer layer to get at the savory, dense meat underneath.

You could use lamb tongue and it’d work great, or even a calf’s tongue. Beef tongue might be a bit too large for this recipe.

It’s super-easy dish. Drop the tongue in some broth with a couple bay leaves, a few juniper berries and one dried chile. Let this simmer for several hours, peel and put back in the broth until you are ready to serve.

Slice thin, coat with a little olive oil, then serve your braised venison tongue atop some homemade horseradish cream on a cracker. Simple and delicious — so good even tongue-haters will like it.

braised venison tongue with horseradish
Print Recipe
5 from 5 votes

Braised Deer Tongue

This recipe is meant for smaller tongues from deer, sheep, goat or pork. Thinly sliced with horseradish cream, they make a nice appetizer. 
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time2 hrs
Total Time2 hrs 15 mins
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: German
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 93kcal
Author: Hank Shaw

Ingredients

  • 2 to 4 deer lamb or pork tongues
  • 1 quart beef or venison stock
  • 6-10 juniper berries (optional)
  • 1 dried chile, broken in half
  • 2-3 bay leaves
  • 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish, or a 4-inch piece of horseradish grated into a bowl with 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon water and a large pinch of salt.
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon or brown mustard
  • 2 tablespoons chopped chives
  • Salt
  • Olive oil
  • Crackers

Instructions

  • Put the broth, juniper, bay, chile and the tongue into a pot and simmer gently for 2 hours.
  • Meanwhile, make the horseradish sauce. Mix the horseradish, mustard, sour cream and chives together well. Taste for salt and add some if needed. If you want it more horseradish-y, add more. Set aside in the fridge until the tongue is ready.
  • After about 2 hours, take the tongue out and let it cool a few minutes. Peel the skin off with your fingers or a paring knife and put the tongue back into the stock. Simmer for another hour, or until the tongue is easily pierced with the point of a knife.
  • Take the tongue out and slice it thin. While it is still warm, coat the slices with olive oil and set aside to cool.
  • When it's cool, spoon a dab of the horseradish sauce on a cracker and top with a slice ot tongue. Serve cool or at room temperature.

Nutrition

Calories: 93kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 539mg | Potassium: 511mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 248IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @HuntGatherCook or tag #HankShaw!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Avatar for Veronica YowellVeronica Yowell says

    May 12, 2022 at 11:14 am

    I really relish eating tongue. My Mom would slow cook beef tongue and soak it in sweet pickle juice, yummy. When my husband and I hunt, I insist on saving the tongue. I usually cook it in my crockpot until tender with seasonings. Then enjoy!
    V.Y.

    Reply
  2. Avatar for Angell DeerAngell Deer says

    December 31, 2021 at 1:41 pm

    Loved this recipe. It turned out so delicious! Added a little fermented sourkraugh with the horseradish.

    Reply
  3. Avatar for Frans FaitFrans Fait says

    September 18, 2018 at 9:10 am

    Hi Hank
    I’m trying this using water rather than beef stock. Would you recommend adding salt to the juniper berry, bay leaf & chili stock? Any other recommendations if a water based stock?

    Frans Erik

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      September 18, 2018 at 10:58 am

      Frans: Yes, you will need to salt the water.

      Reply
  4. Avatar for John MostyJohn Mosty says

    November 8, 2016 at 2:18 pm

    Had a tough time peeling the tongue, should I have let it simmer longer to soften more?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      November 9, 2016 at 7:55 am

      John: Yes. It peels easily when the meat is tender.

      Reply
  5. Avatar for Sid BaileySid Bailey says

    October 5, 2015 at 6:40 pm

    Cooked some squirrel (parts & whole) sous vide –167° x 24hrs.
    Any recc’s/thoughts ? Thanks, Sid

    Reply

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Hank Shaw holding a rod and reel in the American River

Hi, my name is Hank Shaw; I’m a James Beard Award-winning author and chef. I started this site back in 2007 to help you get the most out of all things wild: fish, game, edible wild plants and mushrooms. I also write cookbooks, have a website dedicated to the intersection of food and nature, and do a podcast, too. If it’s wild, you’ll find it here. Hope you enjoy the site!

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