Side by side
Tongue
Beef tongue · lengua · タン
A muscle the animal works every day of its life, so the grain is dense and the fat is laced through rather than layered on top. Peel the skin and the meat underneath is surprisingly fine; the root carries more fat than the tip, so the same tongue tastes different front to back. Thin-sliced and grilled it stays springy; simmered whole it turns soft.
Look for a pink cross-section with tight grain. A grey cast means it has been sitting.
Small intestine
Gopchang · tripas · コプチャン
Small intestine. The milky fat packed inside is called gop in Korean, and the cut takes its name from it. That fat melting on the grill is the whole point — scraped-clean intestine is an empty name. Narrower and less oily than the large intestine beside it.
Plump pieces stuffed with fat. Thin and translucent means the gop is already gone.
Which one to buy
- Better forTongue : Small intestine
- GrillingAbout the same92 : 95
- Boiled & slicedTongue80 : —
- BraisingTongue60 : —
- Hot potSmall intestine— : 86
- Stir-frySmall intestine— : 80
Other comparisons
All cuts
Beef Primals
Chicken Portions
Bluefin Tuna Cuts
Temperatures are guidance for whole-muscle cuts. Ground meat and poultry need 71°C / 160°F throughout.