Instructions

1. Clean the tongue by scrubbing it first with a kitchen brush. Place it in a pot of cold water and let it soak for a few hours, changing the water every half hour of so.

2. Remove the tongue from the water and pat dry with paper towels. Tie the tip of the tongue to the body of tongue with string.

3. Place the tongue in a large microwave-safe casserole dish, with enough water to cover the tongue by 2 inches.

4. Add salt, pepper, bay leaves, garlic and chopped onion, carrots and celery to the water. You can use other spices as desired, such as rosemary, thyme, sage, cloves or Worcestershire. Stir all ingredients to blend.

5. Cover the casserole with the casserole lid.

6. Microwave on high for 15 minutes. Turn the tongue over and recover.

7. Microwave on a low setting and simmer for 65 to 70 minutes or until meat is fork tender.

8. Let the casserole dish stand, covered, for another 5 minutes.

9. Remove the tongue and run it under cold water to cool. Then place the tongue on a cutting board or large platter, and immediately remove the outer skin membrane with a knife or kitchen shears. It should peel away fairly easily. Trim off any excess fat, gristle and bones from the base of the tongue.

10. Cut the tongue into thin slices lengthwise. Serve with some of the cooking liquid and the vegetables.