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Chitterlings in a white plate with a spoon on it and a bell pepper, herbs, onions and hot sauce around it
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5 from 15 votes

Chitterlings Recipe

This chitlins aka chitterlings recipe is a Southern delicacy. This is my Daddy's recipe passed down for generations!
Prep Time5 hours
Cook Time3 hours
0 minutes
Total Time8 hours
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: soul food, south, Southern
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 882kcal
Author: Jocelyn Delk Adams

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 10 lbs of chitterlings thawed
  • 1 large yellow onion chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper chopped
  • 1 tbsp seasoned salt like a Lawry’s
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1-2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes optional
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar optional
  • Hot sauce for serving

Instructions

Cleaning the Chitterlings:

  • Prepare a double sink or two separate wash sinks for the cleaning process.
  • Ensure the sinks are thoroughly cleaned before adding the chitterlings.
  • Start by rinsing the chitterlings one by one under room temperature water to remove any excess debris.
  • Carefully inspect each chitterling and remove any visible grit or black substances then move to the other sink.
  • Repeat the rinsing process 2 or 3 more times, ensuring they are clean and free from any impurities.

Cooking the Chitterlings:

  • In a very large pot (we use a 5 gallon pot), fill it with 1 1/2- 2 gallons of water then add quartered onion and green pepper along with salt, garlic powder and black pepper and red pepper flakes or apple cider vinegar if using, and turn to high heat and bring to a rapid boil.
  • Once boiling, turn heat to medium and add the cleaned chitterlings one at a time to the pot.
  • Stir gently to distribute the seasonings evenly.
  • Cover the pot and cook the chitterlings over medium heat for about 3 hours, or until they are tender and the flavor of the remaining liquid should be concentrated. They should also be white in color and fluffy in texture.
  • Occasionally check the pot to check on them.

Serving the Chitterlings:

  • Once the chitterlings are cooked and tender, taste for flavor and adjust before removing from the heat.
  • Serve the chitterlings hot, either as a main dish or as a part of a larger meal. They are usually served with hot sauce to enjoy.

Notes

  • Some brands of chitterlings are smaller/thinner (i.e. Moo and Oink brand) some are larger/thicker (i.e. Aunt Bessie’s brand). The thicker larger ones take more time to tenderize and completely break down. Feel free to cut the larger ones into smaller pieces for easier handling.
  • Some don’t like the smell of chitterlings in their home so you can also add a peeled and chopped russet potato to the boiling water to help with the smell as well.

Nutrition

Calories: 882kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 76g | Saturated Fat: 36g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 1039mg | Sodium: 585mg | Potassium: 42mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 87IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 0.1mg