Deep-Fried Tripe Recipe (2024)

  • Frying

Deep-fried tripe is a crunchy and delicious introduction to organ meats.

By

Chichi Wang

Deep-Fried Tripe Recipe (1)

Chichi Wang

Chichi Wang wrote a variety of columns for Serious Eats including The Butcher's Cuts, in addition to other stories. Born in Shanghai and raised in New Mexico, Chichi took her degree in philosophy but decided that writing about food would be more fun than writing about Plato.

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Updated March 26, 2019

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Deep-Fried Tripe Recipe (2)

Why It Works

  • Stewing the tripe before flouring and frying ensures it is tender.
  • The large relative surface area of honeycomb tripe makes for an especially crispy result.

Take a look at the platter of tripe in the image below. It comes from a pot of menudo I had sitting in my fridge, though the pieces of simmered tripe could have just as easily been fished out of a batch of Trippa alla Romana, that soothing dish of tripe cooked in tomato sauce and wine, topped with plenty of cheese and leaves of mint. Or, the tripe could have been slowly stewed in a clay pot with a pig's foot, cannellini beans, and plenty of white wine.

Deep-Fried Tripe Recipe (3)

The point is, these are pieces of well-stewed tripe, which means that the tripe is tender with a rich taste and a chewy snap that tears easily with every bite.

Mix a bowl of tripe with some pasta, top with more tomato sauce and cheese, and that's a meal in itself. Simmered tripe is probably the way in which we most often enjoy tripe because its tough nature necessitates a low and slow cooking time. Hours have already been poured into its preparation, albeit ones in which your primary function is to tend to a simmering pot. So after the tripe is stewed, it tends to get eaten in a jiffy.

If you're looking for a change of pace, consider deep-frying the well-stewed tripe you have on hand. For an appetizer, take a few slices of tripe, dredge them in flour, salt, and cayenne pepper, and deep-fry the tripe for a minute or so in the hot oil. The slices of tripe will emerge transformed by the process: The honeycombed ridges and mop-like filaments will become paper-thin and crispy, forming a stiff armor around the interior of still-tender and chewy tripe.

Deep-frying tripe may also be one of the easier ways to introduce offal-squeamish eaters to the joys of stomach. Its winning crispiness not only creates textural pleasure but also disguises the looks of the honeycomb, which not everyone finds to be an asset.

Dipped in vinegar, deep-fried tripe makes for one addictive bar snack to be enjoyed straight out of the oil, eaten with fingers, and chased with a cold beer. I think there is a profound relationship between vinegar and oily fried things. You could get fancier and add finely sliced chile peppers, oil, and fish sauce or soy sauce to make a more balanced dipping sauce for the tripe. But I prefer my deep-fried tripe (and pig's ears too) with nothing more than a little dish of malt vinegar. It's more acerbic and a better foil, I think, to cut through the richness of deep-fried offal.

April 2011

Recipe Details

Deep-Fried Tripe Recipe

Active10 mins

Total20 mins

Serves4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup flour

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

  • Pinch of cayenne pepper or paprika

  • 1 pound stewed honeycomb tripe, cut into 1 inch slices lengthwise (see notes)

  • 1 quart oil for deep-frying

  • Vinegar for dipping

Directions

  1. Mix flour with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper or paprika.

  2. Heat up oil in your wok to 375°F (190°C). Dredge tripe in flour and shake off excess flour. Slip pieces of tripe into hot oil. Do not crowd the tripe, deep-frying a few sections at a time until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes.

  3. Transfer tripe to a plate lined with paper towels to drain off excess oil. Serve with your choice of vinegar for dipping.

Special Equipment

Wok, Dutch oven, or another deep pan suitable for deep-frying, instant-read thermometer

Notes

To prepare and stew tripe, follow my recipe for menudo rojo through step 3 (omit the lime, garlic, and oregano, if desired).

Read More

  • Menudo Rojo, or Red-Chile Tripe Soup Recipe
  • Trippa alla Romana (Braised Tripe With Tomato, Herb, and Parmesan) Recipe
  • Stir-fried Tripe with Chili Bean Paste Recipe
  • How to Deep-Fry at Home Without a Deep-Fryer
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
292Calories
23g Fat
7g Carbs
14g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories292
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 23g30%
Saturated Fat 3g14%
Cholesterol 178mg59%
Sodium 156mg7%
Total Carbohydrate 7g2%
Dietary Fiber 0g1%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 14g
Vitamin C 0mg0%
Calcium 93mg7%
Iron 1mg6%
Potassium 55mg1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Deep-Fried Tripe Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Does tripe get more tender the longer you cook it? ›

With just 1 or 2 hours of cooking, tripe will be tender and chewy and will take on the taste of the vegetables and herbs it has been cooked with. Longer cooking will make it even more tender and flavorful.

How long does it take to fry tripe? ›

Dip the tripe strips in the batter and fry them, a few at a time, for around 3 minutes. Remove and drain on the paper-towel lined tray. Salt to taste and serve hot with the mayonnaise.

Why do you soak tripe in vinegar? ›

Cleaning and preparing tripe

In the past I've used vinegar and salt to clean the fresh tripe, or just some intense scrubbing under running water. Chris Cosentino suggests washing well and dipping in not-quite-boiling vinegar to remove any odor.

How to make tripe not chewy? ›

Place the clean tripe in sauce or stock pot and cover with at least two inches of cold water. Add ¼ cup distilled vinegar and one teaspoon of kosher salt. Bring to a steady simmer and cook until the tripe has softened, but still retains some chew, about one to two and a half hours, depending on the type of tripe.

How many hours does it take to cook tripe? ›

Cooking Instructions

Place tripe in a big casserole pot and with enough water to cover it. Turn stove heat to medium and cook for two hours. Add chopped onion, salt and stock cubes to the cooking tripe, simmer for a further 30 minutes or so. Serve with steamed bread or samp and beans.

What are the disadvantages of eating tripe? ›

Potential Risks of Tripe

A single three-ounce serving can contain up to 108 milligrams of cholesterol. That's about a third of the recommended overall cholesterol requirement per day. While many bodies can process dietary cholesterol safely, some people react more strongly to this form of cholesterol.

Can you overcook tripe? ›

Generally, the more work a muscle does, the more cooking it will take to become tender. And what does more work than a cow's stomach? Plan on braising any tripe dish at least a couple of hours. The good news is, it's almost impossible to overcook.

How do you know when tripe is done cooking? ›

Simmer one to three hours or until the tripe is tender.

As the tripe cooks in its broth, it will gradually soften and absorb the broth's flavor. After about 90 minutes, start checking the consistency of your tripe every 10-15 minutes. Your tripe is "done" when it reaches your desired consistency.

What does deep fried tripe taste like? ›

The point is, these are pieces of well-stewed tripe, which means that the tripe is tender with a rich taste and a chewy snap that tears easily with every bite. Mix a bowl of tripe with some pasta, top with more tomato sauce and cheese, and that's a meal in itself.

How to tell if tripe is bad? ›

Firstly, if you notice a strong, unpleasant, sour smell coming from the tripe, this is a clear sign that it has spoiled. The smell may be similar to that of ammonia. Secondly, if the tripe has changed color and appears grayish or brown, this is another sign that it is no longer fresh.

Does tripe need to be washed before cooking? ›

When the tripe is completely clean of impurities, it must be boiled with salt for about 10 minutes and then rinsed with cold water. Tripe at the grocery store is bright white because it is soaked in a chlorine or bleach solution. Bleached tripe must also be parboiled before cooking to remove any remaining chemicals.

Why bleach tripe? ›

Tripe is bleached to "remove impurities" making it "clean." Green tripe is the tripe that should be fed to dogs.

How to tenderize tripe? ›

The cooking method and temperature will determine how long the tripe needs to cook to become tender. If you use an instant pot on the normal stew or soup setting, tripe can become tender within an hour. On a stovetop set to medium heat, tripe may need up to two hours to become tender.

How to stop tripe from smelling? ›

Vinegar Solution

Vinegar's acidity helps neutralise and eliminate odours effectively. After soaking, rinse the tripe thoroughly under cold running water to remove any vinegar residue.

Is tripe healthy? ›

Tripe, like other organ meats, is packed with nutrients, including vitamin B12, selenium, and zinc. Adding this high quality protein to savory dishes or snacks may cut down on food waste and costs. Still, tripe is high in cholesterol, and its unique texture and taste may not appeal to everyone.

How to get tripe tender? ›

The cooking method and temperature will determine how long the tripe needs to cook to become tender. If you use an instant pot on the normal stew or soup setting, tripe can become tender within an hour. On a stovetop set to medium heat, tripe may need up to two hours to become tender.

What makes tripe soft? ›

Gather the strips and toss them into a pot of boiling salted water (2 Tbsp / 34g of salt per litre of water). Boil for 15-30 minutes. When you're done, discard the water and rinse the tripe. After boiling, tripe should be noticeably softer - it's now ready to cook in a variety of dishes.

Does meat get softer the longer you cook it? ›

Your meat will be juicier and more tender

The longer cooking time and the low heat complement each other perfectly. As a result, even though the meat is cooked for far longer, it doesn't dry out because the temperature is low. As a result, this is the best way to retain all the natural juices of the meat.

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