Tongue Pastrami
10 servings
30 minutes
Pastrami from tongue is a true masterpiece of Romanian cuisine, combining the tenderness of veal tongue with a deep aroma of spices. Historically, pastrami originated in Eastern European and Balkan traditions of preparing meat delicacies, where salting and smoking served as a way to preserve products. This dish captivates with its rich flavor: sweet notes of honey and sugar balance the spiciness of coriander, pepper, and cinnamon, while smoking on alder chips adds a soft woody smoke. The finished tongue impresses with its silky texture and richness of taste, perfectly complementing a meat platter or becoming the star of a sandwich with mustard and rye bread. This exquisite treat is for true connoisseurs of gastronomic mastery.
1
Prepare all the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
2
Heat coriander, pepper, cloves, cinnamon, and bay leaves in the oven for 5-10 minutes to release the aromas.
- Cinnamon sticks: 1 piece
- Cloves: 2 pieces
- Black peppercorns: 10 pieces
- Coriander seeds: 5 piece
- Bay leaf: 3 pieces
3
Transfer these spices to water, add sugar, salt, honey, and garlic powder, and mix until the sugar dissolves.
- Water: 2 l
- Sugar: 20 g
- Salt: 30 g
- Honey: 50 g
- Garlic powder: 5 g
4
Put the tongue in water and refrigerate for 4 days.
- Beef tongue: 1 piece
5
Place the tongue in a vacuum bag and cook in a sous-vide at 72 degrees for 24 hours.
6
It's easier to clean a hot tongue: cleaning a cold tongue will be much harder.
7
Then smoke the tongue on alder chips for 45 minutes.
- Alder smoking chips (sawdust): 100 g
8
Use the ready pastrami as any meat delicacy: serve on a meat plate or make a sandwich.
