Celebrating Heritage British Food & Cooking
Tripe and onions are one of those recipes that haven’t been popular for many years. It has had bad press but is experiencing a resurgence among foodies as it is low in calories and high in protein.
I think most people will have heard of tripe but not many will know what it is?
What is Tripe?
Tripe is the muscle lining of the stomachs of farm animals such as sheep, pigs and cows. Properly prepared by a butcher, tripe is mild in flavour and very nutritious containing B12, iron and calcium.
Beef tripe comes in four varieties from a cow’s separate stomachs. Blanket tripe from the 1st stomach is the poorest and is generally used for dog food.
Honeycomb tripe from the 2nd stomach is meaty and the most commonly used in recipes. Omasum tripe from the 3rd stomach is mainly used in sausages.
Abomasums tripe from the 4th chamber has the best flavour and the best chefs recommend it.
Yorkshire
Tripe was a popular sight in Yorkshire markets and even I remember seeing it in London butchers many years ago. Some market stalls would sell cooked tripe with a good sprinkling of salt and drenched in malt vinegar.
Tripe Around the World
It’s amazing considering tripes reputation that so many cultures around the world have recipes for tripe. I think I might give deep-fried tripe ago but I need to pluck up the courage first.
Tripe and Trotters
Perhaps the oddest recipe I found online was for Pancita which is Mexican tripe and pigs’ feet stew. I think I will give that one a miss but please try it and let me know.
Maybe we could have a UK version of Pancita and call it tripe and trotters?
Toulouse-Lautrec
Apparently tripe and pigs feet stew with saffron, ham, garlic and capers was a favourite of the Toulouse-Lautrec family?
I must confess to never having eaten tripe and onions although others in the family used to eat it regularly. I include this recipe at their request, perhaps it tastes better than it looks?
Other Recipes You Maybe Interested in …..
Tripe and Onions
Ingredients
- 2 lb 900g dressed tripe
- 1 lb 450g sliced onions
- 1 oz 28g butter
- 1 oz 28g flour
- 300 ml ½ pint each of milk and water
- 2 tablespoons grated cheese
- Seasoning
Instructions
- Cut the tripe into bit-size pieces and put in a saucepan with the onions, milk and water
- Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer gently for 1 hour or until the tripe is tender
- Mix the butter and flour together and, when all the flour is absorbed by the butter, break into small pieces and put into the tripe, stirring all the time until the liquid thickens
- Transfer the mix to an ovenproof dish and bake in a hot oven for 30 minutes
- Sprinkle cheese over the top and brown this, either in the oven, or under a hot grill.
You may also like one of my other recipes …
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