You can get fresh beef tongue and most large supermarkets, but if you can find a smoked tongue, or be willing to smoke one yourself, you will get even more flavour.
Tongue has a mild yet distinctive flavour and is not very high in fat. The sweet-and-sour sauce blends well with the tongue and tenderizes it. Please allow several hours cooking time as slow cooking is required.
1 beef tongue (usually 2-3 pounds)
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
4 Turkish bay leaves
1/4 cup fresh ginger, finely chopped
2-oz pickling spice
1 quart cider vinegar
1/2 cup red wine
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
Add all ingredients except tongue to large pot and mix well to blend. Taste, and adjust sweetness/sourness as desired. Rinse tongue well and add to pot. Add more wine to cover tongue if necessary. Cover pot, bring to boil, reduce heat to simmer, and cook for 2 hours or until fork tender.
When done, remove tongue and rinse off spices. Place on cutting board and allow to cool until you can handle it. Using a sharp knife, trim off visible fat. Make shallow incisions along the top, bottom, and sides. Then, strip off the skin and discard. Slice tongue cross-wise into thin slices. Serve with sauerkraut and boiled potatoes.