What is Tripe?

What is Tripe and Beef Tripe?

Tripe refers to the edible stomach lining of a cow, although pork and sheep varieties exist. The most common form of tripe is beef tripe.

A cow's stomach consists of four chambers. Tripe is harvested from the first three. Honeycomb tripe, sourced from the second chamber, is prized for its tender texture and rich flavor, resembling a honeycomb pattern. It is considered the best quality for cooking. The first chamber provides a smoother, plainer blanket tripe, while the third chamber offers book or bible tripe, both less sought after.

What is Tripe Used For?

Tripe is featured in a variety of dishes worldwide, including in Thai pho noodle soup and Mexican menudo. It is also a key ingredient in Cajun andouille sausage.

Before cooking, tripe must be cleaned carefully to remove any impurities. It is then bleached to achieve a pale, creamy color. As a final preparation step, it is either parboiled or briefly dipped in boiling water, resulting in what's called scalded tripe.

Due to its dense texture, tripe requires extended cooking times to become tender.

Popular Tripe Recipes

Roman-Style Tripe

Roman-style beef tripe served in a rich marinara sauce. According to Chef John, "When cooked this way, tripe offers a mild yet distinct flavor. And when it comes to dipping crusty Italian bread, this sauce is unbeatable."

Menudo de Sonora (Sonora-Style Menudo Soup)

This white Sonora-style menudo is made with beef tripe and white hominy, topped with ground pequin chile for extra flavor.

Puerto Rican Mondongo

Amy describes this hearty tripe and vegetable stew as a staple throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. In Aruba and Curaçao, it's known as sopi mondongo. Cooking Puerto Rican food combines island and Spanish influences, using unique seasonings and ingredients. Serve in deep bowls alongside white rice and avocado for a satisfying meal.

Tripe Cracklings with a Spicy Dipping Sauce

"This might sound unusual, but when prepared right, tripe becomes a real delicacy," says wsf. "The milk bath and intense frying heat help tone down its strong flavor. It's a fun appetizer for pork enthusiasts, leaving them guessing which part of the pig they've just tasted! The dipping sauce is a classic 'deviled' mix of mustard, cayenne pepper, and Worcestershire sauce."

Menudo

"This dish really depends on how much of each ingredient you choose to use," says ksalinas. "It's all about how much you want to make. While it takes time to prepare and cook, the effort is definitely worth it. Adjust the spices to your desired level of heat. It actually tastes better the next day. If you want to make a larger batch, just add more ingredients; if you want less, reduce them. I learned to make this myself, and my husband, who's Mexican, absolutely loves it. It’s sure to satisfy any fan of Mexican cuisine."