Beef tongue is literally the tongue of a cattle. The human consumption of beef tongue ates back to the days of Paleolithic hunters, who preferred the fatty portions of the carcass including tongues, as well as organs, brains, feet and marrow. Beef tongue is very high in fat however, at almost 75% of its calories derived. Some countries, such as Canada, and specifically the province of Alberta who have a large beef export industry, export large quantities of beef tongue.