Tripe might be one of those dishes that, in theory, doesn’t sound very good. Maybe you haven’t even had the opportunity to taste this dish, as it’s not popularized in the US.
We think it’s a shame because tripe dishes can take you on some pretty unexpected culinary journeys. After all, tripe comes from a long tradition of using all of the parts of an animal, even those that don’t seem to be all that usable at first sight.
If you want to learn how to prepare delicious tripe, stick around. In this article, we will talk about what exactly tripe is, give you one fantastic tripe recipe and answer some common tripe questions.
Ready to discover the world of tripe delicacies?
What Is Tripe?
In layman’s terms, tripe is the edible lining of an animal’s stomach.
Usually, the tripe is made out of a cow’s stomach lining, but we can encounter pig tripe, goat tripe, lamb tripe, or sheep tripe dishes as well. Beef tripe can vary depending on which of the stomach lining of an animal was used to prepare it.
Blanket tripe, made from the first stomach, is considered the least favorable of all types of tripe. More likely, you will find it in your dog’s bowl than on your plate.
Honeycomb tripe is much more people-friendly, as it is made from the second stomach. It has a more meaty taste and can be easily incorporated into many delicious recipes. This is why it’s the most common tripe type used in our meals.
Omasum tripe is usually meant for making sausages, as it has the optimal flavor, and its texture doesn’t play that big of a role in this type of meat product.
The last one, abomasums tripe, is used in those recipes where tripe is the main event, primarily due to its great flavor.
But what exactly does tripe taste like?
What Does Tripe Taste Like?
It’s an important question to answer because on paper, tripe doesn’t seem to be too delicious. And if you spent a few hours on the dish, you want to have some kind of hope that it was all worth it in the end.
When it comes to tripe, it has a pretty mild flavor on its own.
It’s also important to mention that it has a chewy texture, which might be off-putting to some. However, properly cooked beef tripe is nowhere close to being flavorless.
The whole secret of tripe dishes is hidden in the ingredients that are used to accompany the tripe. They emphasize the flavor notes of the meat, giving it its character and its flavor profile.
The fact that tripe doesn’t have a lot to offer on its own can be used to your benefit. You can create some amazing combinations, with the meat being the perfect base for more distinctive flavors.
For this reason, tripe is the base of various dishes, like tripe sausage, tripe soup, and all sorts of stews. Many cultures around the world tap into the richness of options tripe offers, finding different flavors in this simple meat.
How to Cook Tripe
Cooking tripe takes some knowledge and dedication, but anyone can make a fantastic tripe dish. The most important thing is the right attitude.Follow our recipe to prepare delicious beef tripe, perfect for wintertime!
Depending on the state of the meat you bought, you will need to do a few things to prepare it for cooking. Some butchers will soak the tripe in brine, bleach it and boil it.
In such an instance, you want to make sure all the impurities from the meat have been removed. To do so, you should scrub your meat in a mixture of vinegar and rock salt. Then you should soak it in the cold water, rinse it and cut it into smaller pieces.
Remember to remove any excess parts you won't need before this step.
After you're done, you can move on to the next stage: cooking the tripe.
Cook the Tripe
The cooking stage is probably the most time-consuming part of preparing the dish, but it's also pretty undemanding.
Put your tripe in the pan and cover it with cold salty water. Let it reach the boiling point. You should boil the meat for at least an hour or two. You will know that the meat is ready once you can easily pierce it with a fork.
Don't worry about overcooking the tripe. It's almost impossible to do.
Prepare the other ingredients
While the tripe is boiling, you can prepare the rest of the ingredients. Start with the vegetables. Cut the onions into small pieces, do the same with peppers and grind the garlic. Sauté vegetables in the oil for about 5 minutes.
Mix all the ingredients
Once the tripe is boiled, you can mix all the ingredients. Add the meat to the pan with the veggies while keeping it on medium-high heat.
Add the wine and reduce it. Once that is done, add the tomato sauce and let the tripe simmer for about half an hour.
The last thing left to do is add all the spices and herbs and put the cheese on top.
Such a dish is tender, delicious, and ready to be consumed.
Although it might seem like there aren’t many benefits to eating tripe, this meat is one of the healthiest options out there. It doesn’t have many calories while being a great source of minerals such as calcium and iron.
You can also find vitamin B12 and protein in the tripe. And while eating too much meat is not the best practice for your overall health, tripe is probably one of the best meats to include in your diet.
Different Tripe Recipes
Tripe is a well-known ingredient in the cuisines of many countries and cultures. You can explore different recipes and find some unexpected treasures, making your tripe dish a true masterpiece.
For example, an Italian tripe dish is the basis of the recipe featured in this article. This tripe dish includes the usage of tomato sauce, a very prominent ingredient in Italian cuisine. You can learn more about tomato sauce from our article on The Difference Between Tomato Sauce and Tomato Paste.
On the other hand, if you want to try something different, you could choose a Mexican tripe soup, prepared with tomatoes, hominy, and Mexican oregano.
In the United States, a tripe dish made with buttermilk butter is quite popular, whereas in Latin America, we can find a tripe stew called mondongo.
The whole world knows and appreciates tripe. You can benefit from the variety of interpretations people have come up with when it comes to this dish to truly discover its magic.
Fall in Love With Tripe
It’s easy to love pizza, steak, or onion soup. Tripe, in a lot of ways, is a more challenging offering but in our opinion, it’s very much worth a try. Our ancestors knew the potential hidden in this dish, and now it’s your turn to discover it.
Granted, we know that tripe won’t become many people’s favorite, and it may take some time before you’ll learn how to prepare it. But if you’re not someone who likes to take shortcuts, you will have lots of fun taking on such a challenge.
At The Kitchen Community, we commend anyone who wants to learn new things and go where not so many people went before. If you wish to find more unique recipes, check out our page to get inspired. And if you’re interested in more dishes from all around the world, head to our International Food section.
And remember – when it comes to tripe, don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.
Cassie brings decades of experience to the Kitchen Community. She is a noted chef and avid gardener. Her new book "Healthy Eating Through the Garden" will be released shortly. When not writing or speaking about food and gardens Cassie can be found puttering around farmer's markets and greenhouses looking for the next great idea.
