Chitterlings, made from pigs’ intestines, are a favorite among Southern families. Traditionally, they are prepared during the holiday season, but deep freezing makes them available year-round. Delicious served with spaghetti or turnip greens. Be certain to pass the vinegar and hot sauce!
Prep Time:: 1 hr
Cook Time:: 3 hrs
Total Time:: 4 hrs
Servings::12
Ingredients
10 pounds frozen chitterlings, thawed and cleaned
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Directions
Gather the ingredients.
Place cleaned chitterlings in a 6-quart pot and cover with cold water.
Bring to a rolling boil; add onion and season with salt, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
Simmer until chitterlings are clear to white in color and reach desired tenderness, 3 to 4 hours.
Cleaning and Handling Raw Chitterlings:
Soak chitterlings in cold water throughout the cleaning stage. Each chitterling should be examined and run under cold water and all foreign materials should be removed and discarded. Chitterlings should retain some fat, so be careful to leave some on. After each chitterling has been cleaned, soak in two cold water baths for a few minutes. The second water bath should be clearer. If not, soak in one more bath.
Be sure to wash any surfaces with a bleach-based sanitizer and your hands thoroughly with soap to avoid contamination while handling raw chitterlings.