Tripe soup

I've made this tripe soup many times, both for holidays and when I simply wanted something hearty. I usually start with large pots since it yields a lot and nothing goes to waste. The most time-consuming part is boiling, but otherwise, it's not a complicated recipe if you have the ingredients on hand and a bit of patience for skimming the foam.

Quick Info

Total time: 3-4 hours
Preparation time: 20-30 minutes
Cooking time: 2.5-3.5 hours (depending on how long the tripe and bones boil)
Servings: 10-12
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: hearty soup, for holidays or family meals

Ingredients

- 1.6 kg pre-cooked tripe, cut into strips
- 2 bones (beef and pork)
- 1 large celery root
- 3 carrots
- 1 parsnip
- 2 onions
- 1 head of garlic
- salt
- Delikat (or another soup seasoning, to taste)
- vinegar (to taste)
- slices of pickled bell pepper

For the soup dressing:
- 6 egg yolks
- 800 g sour cream

Preparation Method

1. In a large pot, place the bones in cold water, enough to cover them well, and set over medium heat.
2. When foam starts to form, stand by the pot and skim it off with a ladle. Skim a few times until the broth is clear.
3. Add all the vegetables whole: celery, carrots, parsnip, and onions. Also, add about a tablespoon of salt, adjusting to taste later.
4. Let the vegetables and bones simmer on low heat, partially covered, for about an hour and a half. If more foam appears, skim it again.
5. When the vegetables are almost cooked (check with a fork; it should go in easily), add the tripe strips. The pre-cooked tripe needs additional boiling to become tender and absorb the flavors.
6. Let everything boil well for at least another hour. In the meantime, taste the tripe—it should be soft, not rubbery. Skim again if necessary.
7. Once the tripe is cooked enough, remove the bones with a ladle. Cut the meat off the bones into small pieces and return it to the soup. Add hot water if the broth has reduced too much.
8. Remove the vegetables. You can discard them, but if you prefer, keep a carrot for garnish or chop it into small cubes and return it to the soup.
9. Adjust the flavor with salt, Delikat, and a little vinegar. Add the vinegar gradually, tasting the soup to see how much you like—it may take 2-3 tablespoons, or sometimes more or less, depending on the tripe used.
10. While the soup simmers on low heat, prepare the dressing: in a large bowl, mix the sour cream with the egg yolks using a whisk until it becomes a smooth cream. Don’t rush this step—if the sour cream is cold, it may curdle.
11. Gradually add 3-4 ladles of hot broth to the sour cream and egg mixture to bring it to the temperature of the soup and prevent curdling.
12. Turn off the heat for the soup. Slowly add the dressing to the pot in a thin stream, stirring continuously with the ladle or whisk. The broth should be close to boiling, but not boiling hard.
13. Finally, add slices of pickled bell pepper, either directly into the pot or just in the bowls, as preferred.
14. Crush the garlic and set it aside separately for anyone who wants garlic sauce when serving.

Why I Make This Recipe Often

First of all, it yields a lot of soup and keeps in the fridge for several days without spoiling. It’s great for gatherings or when you have guests and don’t want to cook for two days in a row. The flavor is easy to adjust; everyone can add more garlic, sour cream, or vinegar to their serving.

Tips and Variations

Tips

- Don’t rush the boiling of the tripe; the longer it simmers on low heat, the more tender it will be.
- The sour cream should be at room temperature; otherwise, it can curdle when you add hot broth.
- Add vinegar to taste at the end, not right from the start.
- For a clear broth, skim often at the beginning and avoid stirring too much in the initial stages.

Substitutions

- If you can’t find pork bones, you can use only beef bones, but the flavor will be slightly different.
- Pre-cooked tripe significantly shortens the total time; using raw tripe makes the process longer and a bit more complicated.
- If you don’t have pickled bell pepper, you can use pickled sweet pepper or even pickled hot pepper.

Variations

- If you want a thicker soup, you can leave one carrot and a bit of parsnip to break down in the broth at the end.
- You can add a bit of pepper, but it’s not necessarily traditional for this version.
- Some people use less garlic in the pot and keep it on the table for everyone to adjust their portion.

Serving Ideas

- Serve hot, with extra sour cream, vinegar, and crushed garlic on the table.
- It pairs well with fresh bread.
- For those who prefer, extra slices of pickled bell pepper can be added directly to the bowl.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I use only pre-cooked tripe, without bones?
Yes, but the broth won’t have as much flavor. The bones add sweetness and richness.

2. Can I make the soup less sour?
Yes, reduce the amount of vinegar added at the end and let everyone add to their bowl.

3. How tender should the tripe be when it’s done?
It should be tender and slightly elastic, but not rubbery. If it doesn’t break easily with a spoon, let it boil longer.

4. Can I thicken the dressing if I use more egg yolks?
Yes, but with 6 yolks for the amount of sour cream and broth, the result is balanced. You can try with 7 if you prefer it thicker.

5. What should I do if the sour cream curdled in the dressing?
You can try to fix it by gradually adding a little cold water, but sometimes it doesn’t repair. Ideally, it should be at room temperature, and you shouldn’t add hot broth suddenly.

Nutritional Values

Approximate estimation for one serving (350-400 ml):
- Calories: 340-370 kcal
- Protein: 18-20 g
- Fat: 22-25 g
- Carbohydrates: 7-10 g

The soup is high in protein due to the tripe and eggs. The fat comes from the sour cream and meat. Values may vary depending on the type of sour cream, the proportions of tripe/bones, and how much broth remains at the end.

Storage and Reheating

The soup keeps well in the fridge, covered, for 3-4 days. It can be reheated on low heat, stirring occasionally. The sour cream may appear slightly curdled on the surface after cooling, but when reheated and stirred, the texture returns. If you’ve already added garlic sauce directly to the pot, the flavor intensifies during storage.

I do not recommend freezing, as it changes the texture and the sour cream may become grainy. Portion out what you know you’ll consume in a few days.

 Ingredients: 1.6 kg pre-cooked beef tripe 2 beef and pork bones 1 large celery 3 carrots 1 parsnip 2 onions 1 head of garlic delicatessen salt for seasoning the soup: 6 egg yolks 800 g sour cream vinegar pickled bell pepper slices

 Tags:  tripe soup sour cream eggs christmas soup christmas recipes