Pickled Tongue or Beef Recipe

1 4-pound beef tongue or brisket of beef
1/4 cup large-grained kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 bay leaves, crumbled
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon paprika
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon saltpeter (optional)*
1/2 cup warm water

1. Wash and remove most of the fat from the tongue or brisket. Mix together all of the spices and the garlic and rub well into the tongue or brisket.

2. Dissolve the saltpeter in the warm water and pour over the meat. Place in a large, nonmetal container. Weight the meat down with a stone or brick and cover it with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. (You can also place the ingredients in a plastic bag and weight it down.) Refrigerate for 10 days to 2 weeks. Turn the meat every 2 to 3 days.

3. Place the meat in a large pot of cold water. Bring to a boil and throw away the water. Repeat this step 3 times.

4. Cover with cold water again, bring to a boil, and cook over low heat, covered, for about 2 hours or until tender. If cooking tongue, peel off the skin while still warm. Cool, slice thin, and place on a platter. Serve with mustard or horseradish.