Beef intestines, also known as tripe, are a unique ingredient used in cuisines around the world However, cleaning them properly before cooking is crucial to avoid foodborne illnesses This article will walk through the process of cleaning beef intestines step-by-step, from start to finish.
Why Thorough Cleaning is Essential
Proper cleaning removes any harmful bacteria like Salmonella or E. coli that may be present. Beef intestines can harbor these bacteria which can lead to serious food poisoning if consumed Taking the time to clean tripe completely before cooking is absolutely vital for food safety.
While it may seem daunting, cleaning intestines is doable with some simple steps, tools, and patience. The effort makes them safe to enjoy in various dishes.
Step 1: Remove Excess Fat and Unwanted Bits
- Start by cutting off any hardened fat or pieces that don’t resemble actual tripe. Removing these first makes cleaning easier.
- Cut the intestines into manageable sizes to work with. This exposes more surface area for cleaning.
Step 2: Rub Intestines Vigorously with Coarse Salt
- Rub rock salt or kosher salt all over the tripe pieces. The coarse grains help remove impurities and slough off mucus.
- Scrub to cover every inch with salt as you rub. Get into all the nooks and crannies.
Step 3: Rinse and Soak in Vinegar
- After salting, rinse the tripe thoroughly under cold water to remove residue.
- Soak in undiluted white vinegar for 30 minutes. The vinegar disinfects and kills any lingering bacteria.
Step 4: Scrape Away Remaining Impurities
- Use a very sharp knife to thoroughly scrape the exterior of the intestines. This removes any remaining stubborn bits.
- For honeycomb tripe, use a sturdy toothbrush to scrub all the crevices clean.
Step 5: Boil in Salted Water
- Place intestines in a pot and cover with cold salted water.
- Slowly bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. This further disinfects.
- Remove tripe and rinse under cool water. Scrape again if needed.
Step 6: Final Rinse and Inspection
- Give the intestines a final cold water rinse to remove any residue.
- Visually inspect every part to ensure no impurities remain. Discard any still questionable pieces.
Once complete, the beef intestines are cleaned and ready to be cooked! Proper cleaning makes them safe to enjoy in dishes like menudo, pho, and more.
Helpful Tools and Tips
- Use a very sharp knife to scrape easily and remove bits. A durable toothbrush also helps scrub.
- Soak in cold water first to soften. Clean softened tripe faster than stiff.
- Opt for coarse rock salt or kosher salt – table salt is less effective.
- White distilled vinegar works best for disinfecting. Other vinegars can leave flavors.
- Take your time and be meticulous! Thorough cleaning is vital.
Storing and Cooking Cleaned Tripe
Once cleaned, store intestines in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze for up to 6 months.
Due to its mild flavor and chewy texture, tripe works well in place of other meats. It shines in dishes like:
- Menudo (Mexican tripe soup)
- Pho (Vietnamese noodle soup)
- Tripe tacos
- Tripe stew
- Stuffed tripe
With proper cleaning and preparation, beef intestines can be an excellent addition to various cultural dishes. Take care to clean thoroughly before cooking for maximum enjoyment!
Tripe comes from ruminants
Tripe comes from the lining of the stomach, particularly of ruminants. Ruminants are animals that eat a plant-based diet and use a four-chambered stomach system to extract nutrients. Domesticated ruminants include cow, sheep, goats, deer, and yaks but also include wild animals such as bison and buffalo, antelope, giraffes and gazelles.
Around the globe, these animals have been prized for converting ubiquitous sunlight and grasses into nutrient-rich energy. They also thrive on perennial grasses, which sequester carbon with their deep rooted growing systems. In combination with allowing the grasses to regrow after eating them down, their dung returns nutrients to the soil and allows regeneration. Regenerative farming can add topsoil where it has eroded and even reverse desertification where it has already occurred.
While confined-animal feeding operations (CAFOs) are perhaps the most egregious environmental and animal rights atrosity; domesticated ruminants which are grass-fed and grass-finished indeed restore the land and provide the most nutrient-dense meat and organs available today. Joel Salatin has great perspective on this in Pastured Poultry Profits. He suggests that while your doctor tells you to eat more greens and get more sunlight, so should your dinner.
The ruminant stomach has four-chambers:
- The first stomach is the rumen. This is known as Plain, Flat, or Blanket Tripe. Jennifer McLagan also suggests Shag Tripe. I agree that Blanket Tripe looks most like a shag rug.
- The second stomach is the reticulum, aka Honeycomb Tripe. It’s also called a “bonnet” in French, which is a shape that fits it. This is the most commonly prepared and most tender stomach.
- The third stomach is the omasum. The name “Book” or “Bible” tripe comes from the thin, overlapping folds on the inside of this stomach.
- The ruminant’s real stomach is the abomasum, which is the last and fourth stomach. This stomach is known as Reed Tripe. But it is mostly used to get rennet out of plants, which is used to make cheese.
I still don’t know which part of a sheep’s stomach is most often used to make Scottish haggis. Can you tell me?
In my experience, tripe in stores comes bleached white, cleaned and cooked. If not, I get it straight from the farm, which needs a lot of cleaning, which I explain here!
“Fresh” tripe in a store may refer to bleached tripe that is only partially cooked. “Green tripe” is cleaned, but not cooked. As Jennifer McLagan notes, it’s actually more brownish and less greenish. This is consistent with my experience of cleaned and uncooked tripe as well.
In my experience in Chicago, I’ve noticed that several ethnic grocery stores carry tripe. You may have similar success in your community. No harm in reaching out to your local grass-fed farmers as well.
Cleaning and preparing tripe
I’ve realized that whether you have fresh or bleached tripe, both require rinsing and cleaning before cooking. Blanket and Honeycomb Tripe require similar preparation.
Before you scrub and rinse off any sand or dirt from between the folds or lining of fresh tripe, you need to remove any fat or extraneous membranes from the back (or outside) of the stomach. When I used to clean fresh tripe, I would use vinegar and salt or just scrub it really hard under running water.
Chris Cosentino suggests washing well and dipping in not-quite-boiling vinegar to remove any odor. If you want to, you could also wash it again with a mixture of 1 cup of flour, 1/2 gallon of water, and salt.
For bleached tripe, some cooks recommend just rinsing. Some say to soak it for 30 minutes in vinegar and salt or lime juice before scrubbing and rinsing it several more times. Here, Cosentino describes a more elaborate process of scrubbing really well under running water. Then soaking in ice water with rock salt and vinegar and scrubbing like crazy. Clean the tripe, bring to a boil, drain (do not reserve water) and rinse again. Repeat this entire process as necessary to remove the combination of bleach and ‘funk’ to an acceptable level.
Book tripe is a little more delicate, and you need to rinse the “pages” and the spaces between them in cold water before you use it.
Most recipes say to cut the meat into squares or strips of equal size and then braise them for one to three hours, until they are soft.
However, bleached versions will almost always have some advance cooking that may vary significantly. It is important to check your recipe every so often in the last few minutes of cooking to see when it’s tender and done. As Fergus Henderson notes, ‘[check] the tripe’s giving qualities with a sharp knife. Be careful, as if cooked too long tripe will just melt away. ”.
Tripe has very little gelatin and many traditional recipes pair tripe with gelatin-rich trotters or skin.
Note that tripe can smell stronger while it’s cooking, than how it will taste. Don’t let that deter you.
Yet, after it’s cooked and tender, it can often taste even better the day after it’s cooked. So with all that work, it’s good to plan for leftovers.
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FAQ
How to clean beef intestines at home?
How do you prepare beef intestines?
What are beef intestines used for?
Beef intestines are used as casings for sausages, but quite often the intestines and the stomach, or tripe, are cooked for use in a number of dishes, such as menudo, trippa alla fiorentina, soups and stews. Cooking the intestines slowly produces a flavorful broth and a meat with a soft, chewy texture.
How can I clean my colon?
Drinking plenty of lukewarm water and staying hydrated causes colon cleansing. Consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables rich in water content also helps in increasing bowel movements. High fiber diet also helps in reducing constipation and the Clearance of the colon. Fasting and consumption of probiotic-rich food like yoghurt, Apple cider vinegar also cleanses the colon.
How do you cook whole beef intestines?
Place whole beef intestines, or tripe, into a large stockpot. Cover the tripe with water, at least 2 inches above the tripe. Add vanilla and vinegar to the water. Bring the tripe to a boil over high heat. Turn the heat to low and simmer the tripe between 1 hour and 1-1/2 hours. Drain the water from the tripe and allow it to cool.
How do you clean a yellow Beef Trip?
The yellow beef trip may need a bit extra cleaning compared to the white one, but it’s not hard. 1. Rub the tripe with rock salt (both front and back) 2. Use a sharp knife to scrape the tripe all over (front and back) to get rid of any impurities.