Recipes: Grilled Beef Tongue And Sweetbread Skewers

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – WCCO is grilling up some goodies, just in time for Father's Day.

Boxer-turned-butcher Raul Garcia is letting fans of grilling in on some butchers' secrets. A passionate advocate for meat literacy, Garcia wants people to enjoy the animal from nose to tail and discover what great eating lies beyond the ribeye.

Garcia visited WCCO Mid-Morning, where he cooked up his recipe for beef tongue and grilled sweetbread skewers.

Beef Tongue with Chimichurri Sauce

Ingredients:
2-3 lb. beef tongue
Salt & pepper to taste

Chimichuri Sauce 
1 cup fresh parsley
4 cloves garlic
2 Tbps. fresh oregano
1/2 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. red or white vinegar
1 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Directions:

Peel the outer layer of the tongue and remove the cartilage; set aside. Cut the tongue in half width-wise, setting aside the front of the tongue. Cut the back half of the tongue into steaks, cutting from the back end lengthwise toward the middle. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Grill the steaks on high heat for three min, turn, grill for an additional three minutes. Remove from the center (direct heat) of the grill and finish with indirect heat (cooler area of the grill) to desired temperature. While steaks are finishing, mix the chimichurri and place into small ramekins (1 per person).

Plate the steaks individually with ramekins of chimichurri for dipping.

Serves 4.

Note: the front half of the tongue can be boiled for a separate meal. Finely cut the outer layer into small pieces and fry for nibbling.

Grilled Sweetbread Skewers

Ingredients:
2 lb. sweetbread

Salsa Verde Ingredients:
2 Tbps. shallots
1 cup parsley
2 Tbsp. chives
2 Tbsp. basil
2 Tbsp. mint
1 cup olive oil
Fresh lime

Directions:

Cut sweetbread into approximately 1 inch cubs.  Clean.  Prepare the salsa verde: finely chop and mix all ingredients. Marinade sweetbread in salsa verde in zippered bag for 12 hrs, or up to 24 hrs if a  stronger flavor is desired.

Place sweetbread onto skewers. Sear on high (direct) grill heat two to three min; turn and repeat. Move to indirect heat (on the grill) for 15-20 min until the texture is firm and easy to cut and a brown color is achieved. Place skewers on serving platter; squeeze fresh lime over the