To Dress Beef Tongues

Ingredients

• 2–3 carrots
• 1 large bunch savoury herbs
• beef tongues, fresh from pickle or smoked and dried
• cold water
• tepid water

Instructions

1. Assess the curing state of the tongue: if fresh from pickle and not over-salted, no soaking is needed; if smoked and dried, plan to soak it.
2. If the tongue has been smoked and dried, soak it for two to three hours in cold water, then as much longer in tepid water.
3. If the tongue is extremely dry, soak it for ten to twelve hours total to soften it properly.
4. Bring the tongue very slowly to boil in fresh water.
5. Once boiling, skim off the scum from the surface.
6. Add the carrots and savoury herbs to the pot.
7. Simmer until the tongue is extremely tender and the skin peels away easily.
8. Allow three and a half to four hours' boiling for a highly dried tongue of moderate size; about an hour less for an unsmoked one; and less still for one not salted at all.