Beef tongue originated back when Paleolithic hunters liked the parts of animals that contained the most fat. These portions included organs, brains, feet, and of course – tongues. Approximately 75% of the calories in beef tongue come from fat. Now, tongue is commonly seen in Mexican cuisine. It can also be found as part of Romanian, German, Portuguese, Persian, Philippine, Albanian, English, Russian, and Japanese cuisines, or on the Jewish holiday of Sukkot – the Feast of Tabernacles..

Beef tongue (also known as neat's tongue or ox tongue) is a cut of beef made of the tongue of a cow. It can be boiled, pickled, roasted or braised in sauce. It is found in many national cuisines, used for taco fillings in Mexico, and for open-faced sandwiches in the United States. In France and Belgium it is served with Madeira sauce, while chrain is the preferred accompaniment in Ashkenazi and Eastern European cuisines. Germans make white roux with vinegar and capers, or horseradish cream, also popular in Polish cuisine. Beef tongue is very high in fat, contributing up to 72% of its caloric content.[1][2] Some countries, including Canada and specifically the province of Alberta, export large quantities of beef tongue..