Skip to main content

It’s time to stop being intimidated by beef tripe – here’s how to clean and cook it

Tips from Chef Michael Simmons outline how to do it at home

Beef tripe cow stomach
Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you consider yourself somewhat of a culinarian, a foodie, or an at-home master chef, then learning how to clean beef tripe and then cook it to perfection should be your next culinary challenge. Sure, organ meats can be intimidating at first, especially if you’re not used to the sight or texture of these delicacies.

But if you ask us, one of the most overlooked offal cuts is tripe, which is typically made from the first three chambers of a cow’s stomach (though tripe can also be made from other animals). What a piece of tripe is named depends on the chamber it comes from.

Calf raised for dairy
WireStock / Alamy

Types of tripe

“Honeycomb tripe [which comes from the second chamber] is named for its honeycomb appearance and bible tripe [which comes from the third chamber] looks like the many folded-over pages of a book,” said Mike Simmons, the former chef and partner of Cafe Marie-Jeanne in Chicago (now closed). The third cut is called blanket tripe, which is smooth in appearance and comes from the first chamber of the cow’s stomach.

Most quality butcher shops and counters will carry tripe. And if you have a good relationship with your butcher, you can likely call ahead and ask if they’ll order some and set it aside for you. “Usually it’s already cleaned but if it’s not, no worries — it’s easy,” Simmons told us. All it takes is four simple steps to thoroughly clean tripe, which Simmons laid out for us here.

How to clean tripe

There are a few steps to cleaning this meat. Here they are:

  • Place the tripe in a large pot of salted water — make sure it’s completely submerged.
  • Slowly bring it to a boil and allow it to boil for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the tripe from the water and place it on a cutting board.
  • With a sharp knife, scrape gently and remove any bits that aren’t white and don’t look appealing.
  • Give the tripe one final rinse and double-check to make sure there’s nothing unsavory clinging to the many pockets, folds, nooks, and crannies, and you’re good to go.

If you’ve gotten this far, the hard part is over! Now, all that’s left to do is cook the tripe and then enjoy the delicious fruit of your labor. “I like to braise the tripe in a very flavorful and robust liquid, like veal stock, which complements the flavor of the tripe,” Simmons said. Here, he shares a simple recipe for Braised Tripe that makes for a hearty and delicious meal any time of the year.

Braised tripe
Caroline Hatchett / Star Chefs

Braised tripe recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 large onion, cut into chunks
  • 1 large carrot, cut into chunks
  • 1 1/2 stalks celery, cut into chunks
  • Half a stalk of green garlic, cut into chunks
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup dried morel mushrooms
  • 8-ounce can stewed peeled tomatoes
  • 3 smashed cloves of garlic
  • 8 cups chicken or veal stock
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 1/2 cup brandy
  • 1 pound tripe
  • 1 pig foot
  • 1 cup fresh cleaned chickpeas
  • 1 cup cleaned morel mushrooms
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • Sherry vinegar
  • Tabasco sauce
  • Butter
  • Crusty bread, to serve

Method

  1. Start with a pot large enough to hold the entire operation, at least 4 quarts.
  2. Heat a bit of butter or oil in the pot until hot and add onion, celery, green garlic, and carrot, and caramelize.
  3. When the veggies are nice and dark, add tomatoes, bay leaf, and peppercorns and cook for a few minutes longer.
  4. De-glaze the pot with red wine, and reduce until half the liquid is gone, roughly 10-15 minutes.
  5. Add stock and slowly bring to a boil. Once boiling, add pig foot, tripe, Dijon mustard, and dried mushrooms.
  6. Cover and reduce heat to a slow simmer for 2.5 to 3 hours (tripe should yield to the teeth and be soft and rich in flavor).
  7. Strain and reserve the liquid.
  8. Cut the tripe into 2-by-2-inch pieces and remove tender meat and skin from the pig foot.
  9. Put the liquid back into the pot and then add fresh chickpeas and cook until soft, roughly 10-20 minutes. Add tripe and pig foot meat back into the broth, add morel mushrooms, and cook for one more minute.
  10. Ladle into large bowls and douse with good sherry vinegar, Tabasco, and more butter, and then serve with crusty bread.
tripe soup
Adobe Stock

Other ways to prepare tripe and what to eat with it

There are several ways to prepare beef tripe. Here are some ideas for preparing it and what to eat with it.

  • Soups and stews: Tripe is a popular ingredient in soups and stews, as it adds a rich flavor and chewy texture. Some tripe soups include menudo, a Mexican soup made with tripe, hominy, and chili peppers, and it’s traditionally served with chopped onions, cilantro, lime wedges, and hot tortillas. Add it to mondongo, a Dominican soup made with tripe, vegetables, and spices, and serve it with avocado, rice, and hot sauce.
  • Braised tripe (the above recipe): Other ideas for braised tripe include using a tomato sauce, white wine sauce, or a broth. Serve braised tripe with mashed potatoes, rice, or polenta.
  • Fried tripe: Fried tripe is a dish found in some cultures, such as the Southern U.S. In that area, people often coat tripe in a batter or breading and then fry it until crispy. Serve fried tripe with a dipping sauce, such as tartar sauce or hot sauce.
  • Tripe salad: You can chop or shred beef tripe and add it to salads with other vegetables, such as onions, tomatoes, and peppers. The options are endless.
  • Stuffed tripe: Many people enjoy tripe stuffed with a variety of fillings, such as rice, other meat, and vegetables. This is a great way to use up leftover tripe or to create a unique and flavorful dish. Stuffed tripe can be served with gravy or a sauce.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Lindsay Parrill
Lindsay is a graduate of California Culinary Academy, Le Cordon Bleu, San Francisco, from where she holds a degree in…
How to make a mojito: The ultimate cocktail recipe
Let us show you how to make the perfect version of this well-known cocktail
A mojito cocktail sitting on the bar

The mojito is a staple summer drink around the world thanks in part to its simplicity (also thanks in part to just how damn tasty it is when made properly). Rum, lime, mint, soda, and sugar is how to make a mojito. You’ve got some tropical power in the rum, a burst of crisp freshness in the mint, a zesty pick-me-up from the lime and the bubbles, and just enough extra sweetness thanks to the sugar — all of which, when put together, make a pretty perfect drink that can be enjoyed at just about any time of the day (especially in tropical climates). What we're saying is we're not going to stop you if you decide to make a breakfast mojito while you're on vacation.

Created in Havana, Cuba, the mojito has gone through waves of popularity in the decades since it first made its appearance (the year is debated, but written sources show its existence as early as the late 1920s). The drink saw a resurgence in popularity in the early 2000s thanks to a certain super spy, Bond, James Bond. Even though Bond is known for his Vespers and martinis, he does drink this potent potable in Die Another Day while on a beach in Cuba.

Read more
How to make the best vodka gimlet for a twist on a classic
Swap out the gin for vodka
Gim gimlet in coupe glasses

When you hear the word “gimlet,” what do you think about? If you’re not a big gin (or cocktail) drinker, you might confuse it with goblet and think about a big chalice or some other drinking receptacle. But a gimlet is actually a cocktail that has its origins in the 1800s.

The original gimlet was (and still is) simply made with gin and lime cordial (or sweetened lime juice). One of the most popular sweetened lime juices is Rose’s. First introduced in 1867, it was a popular choice by the British Navy to add sweetness and lower the proof of their high-proof gin rations. It gained in popularity in the early 20th century. And, like many classic cocktails, it has gained a new faithful following with the rise in cocktail culture of the last two decades.
A different take

Read more
How to make The Last Word cocktail, a gin classic from another era
Impress your guests and make this circa 1916 drink
Last Word cocktail

Gin often plays a prominent role within classic cocktail culture. Such is the case with The Last Word cocktail, a delightful green concoction enlivened by the aromatic clear spirit. It's a cocktail that has practically lived two lives: one as it was born during the heyday of early 20th-century American bar life and another that started about two decades ago.

How did it come about? Drinks folklore says The Last Word was devised by Frank Fogarty at the Detroit Athletic Club circa 1916. Oddly enough, Fogarty was not a bartender but an award-winning vaudeville comedian. Regardless of his progression, he came up with a damn good cocktail that uses some rather obscure ingredients.

Read more