How to Cook Tripe

The first thing to do with tripe is to clean it thoroughly by rinsing it well and scraping off excess membrane. When it has been well cleaned, it will have very little odor. Choose a cooking vessel that is small enough to allow you to make many layers of tripe. Layer plenty of aromatic vegetables between the layers of tripe—carrots, onions, some parsley if you wish, and turnip, which adds a sweetness to the tripe. Pack the tripe down to compress it; the packing is critical in flavoring the tripe evenly throughout. Cover the tripe with white wine and veal stock—you shouldn’t need much liquid if you’ve packed it well. Bring this to a simmer on the stove-top, then cover it tightly and place it in a 275°F. oven for at least 5 hours (I’ve never been able to overcook tripe). For garnish, braise some onions, glaze some carrots—the preparation becomes almost like a blanquette. Remove the cooked tripe from the cooking liquid, strain the liquid, reduce it, add some cream, season it, and add a little mustard. Cut the tripe into portion-sized squares, return it to the sauce, and serve with the vegetables and with noodles. It’s terrific.