TRIPE

Ingredients

For the Tripe

  • 6.3 lbs / 2.9 kg tripe, unboiled

  • 1 tbsp / 15 ml white vinegar (for boiling)

  • 1.5 tbsp / 12 g no-salt seasoning

  • 1.5 tbsp / 27 g salt

  • 1.5 tbsp / 12 g garlic powder

  • 10 stalks scallion, chopped

  • 1 scotch bonnet pepper, chopped

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • Sprigs of fresh thyme

For the Stew & Aromatics

  • 1 tbsp / 15 ml olive oil

  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped

  • 1 clove garlic, sliced

  • 16 oz / 460 g large lima beans (divided)

Additional Notes

  • Lima Bean Adjustment: The recipe has been updated to 16 oz of lima beans. Ultimately, the goal was a thicker stew, so adding an extra round of beans halfway through the process helps build that heavy, satisfying consistency. Adjust the amount to your personal preference.

  • Adding Beans Late: Don't worry if you need to add extra beans after the simmer is already underway; it won't ruin the outcome. Just ensure you extend the cooking time long enough to let the later batch fully soften up into the gravy.

  • Yield Warning: Keep in mind when buying your ingredients that tripe shrinks down significantly during the cleaning process. Raw tripe yields roughly half its original weight after it is boiled and prepped.

  • An Acquired Taste: Tripe is fundamentally an acquired taste. If it's already your thing, you'll love how this culture-rich recipe comes together. If it isn't your favorite protein, it may not make your daily rotation, but it's a solid 8/10 baseline for traditional prep.

  • Future Tweaks: To switch things up on future runs, dropping the batch size down considerably and introducing a heavy curry profile could be a great variation to try out.

Method

For the Tripe

  1. Clean and Prep: Place the unboiled tripe in a large pot with water and 1 tablespoon / 15 ml of white vinegar. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes to clean it. Drain, rinse, and cut the tripe into bite-sized pieces (yielding about 3.1 lbs / 1.4 kg of boiled tripe).

  2. Season: In a large bowl, combine the boiled tripe with the no-salt seasoning, salt, garlic powder, chopped scallions, scotch bonnet pepper, minced garlic, and fresh thyme sprigs. Toss well to coat. Set aside the sliced garlic, a handful of the chopped onions, and the lima beans for later.

  3. Sauté Aromatics: Heat 1 tablespoon / 15 ml of olive oil in a large pot over high heat. Add the remaining onions and the sliced garlic, then sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant.

  4. Sear the Meat: Add the seasoned tripe to the pot and mix well with the sautéed garlic and onions. Sauté the mixture over high heat for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

  5. Simmer: Pour enough water into the pot to cover the tripe completely. (Tip: Swirl the water in your seasoning bowl first to capture all the leftover spices before pouring it over the meat). Add half of the lima beans (8 oz) to the pot. Reduce the heat to medium-low, leave the pot partially covered, and simmer for 2 hours. Stir every 15–30 minutes to make sure the bottom isn't burning.

  6. Thicken and Finish: Stir in the remaining 8 oz of lima beans along with the reserved handful of onions during the final stretch of cooking. Continue to simmer until the new beans completely soften up, the gravy reaches your desired thickness, and the flavors incorporate before serving over white rice.