Recipe: Amish-Style Pickled Tripe in Aspic

Amish-Style Pickled Tripe in Aspic, sliced for serving

Amish-Style Pickled Tripe in Aspic is so-called because we first tasted it at the Green Dragon Market in Ephrata, PA, but it could also be called Pennsylvania Dutch or even German, as all those cuisines share a soft spot for variety meats in a slightly sour liquid. This is as good a pickled tripe as you will ever eat, the result of our extensive experimentation over more than two years. Makes 8 appetizer portions.

Ingredients:
2 lbs (approximately) cleaned (but not bleached) tripe
1 large carrot, peeled and trimmed
1 medium onion, peeled
1 large stalk celery
1 T pickling spices
1 large bay leaf
1 t Kosher salt
1 t whole peppercorns
Cider vinegar
3 packets gelatin
2 lbs pigs feet (for variations)

Method: the tripe will most likely be frozen when you buy it; defrost. Cover with water, bring to a simmer and cook five minutes, then drain. Cover with fresh water and add all ingredients except cider vinegar, gelatin and pigs’ feet. Simmer, covered, until tripe is tender but still chewy, about 2 hours. Reserve tripe and strain the cooking liquid through a fine sieve to remove seasonings and solids.

Measure volume of cooking liquid. You want about 12 ounces, so if you have more than that return to the heat and reduce slightly. Add 8 oz cider vinegar to 12 oz cooking liquid then bring to a boil*. Sprinkle gelatin over the top, 1 packet per 8 oz of cooking liquid (we allow a little extra for insurance) and stir well to dissolve. Cut tripe into 1-inch square pieces and arrange in a flat dish you will use as a mold. Pour the cooking liquid over and arrange so all pieces of tripe are beneath the surface of liquid. Refrigerate overnight.

Amish-Style Pickled Tripe after a night in the refrigerator to gell the cooking liquid

In the morning, your tripe should be a solid mass with an interesting visual appearance like an underwater coral forest. Turn out onto a cutting board (run a knife around the edges or briefly dip the bottom of the pan in hot water, if necessary) and cut into 1-inch squares. Serve and revel in the funky sourness of perfectly prepared innards.

Variation 1: start the preparation by cooking two split pigs’ feet with the spices described above, reserving the tripe. Cook 3 hours until the pig meat is falling off the bone. Remove meat and bones from liquid and strain out spices and solids. Add tripe to seasoned pig juice (add water if necessary to cover the tripe) and cook 2 hours or until very tender. Measure volume of cooking liquid and add water or reduce till you have about 12 ounces. Add 8 oz cider vinegar to 12 oz cooking liquid and bring to the boil. Cut tripe into 1-inch square pieces and arrange in a flat dish you will use as a mold. Pour the cooking liquid over and arrange so all pieces of tripe are beneath the surface of liquid. Refrigerate overnight. Note that this variation does not require gelatin because of the natural collagen in the pigs’ feet.

Variation 2: proceed as for Variation 1, but pick all the meat off the pigs’ feet being careful to remove the tiny knuckle bones. Mix the bits of pork with the cooked tripe prior to refrigerating so your finished product will contain both tripe and the meat of pigs’ feet.

*This ratio provides a slight sourness, which we prefer. If you want it more sour, simply use equal amounts of stock and cider vinegar.