We’ve all got our favorite recipe when it comes to this Southern soul classic.
Whether it’s a family spin on a time-old flavor or just a distinct, strong spice that you’ve got a taste for, there are so many ways to cook up chitterlings.
Most find themselves wondering how to cook chitterlings in a pressure cooker at some point. After all, if you’re new to one-pot cooking, it’ll be your go-to.
Well, we’ve got everything that you need to know about how to cook up the perfect plate of chitlins in record time.
How To Cook Chitterlings In A Pressure Cooker?
Boil, soak, clean, cook and serve – we’re going to show you exactly how to cook chitterlings in a pressure cooker from start to finish.
Cooking The Chitterlings
The one catch to cooking this staple of Southern cuisine is how hard to get rid of the smell. Chitterlings, like intestines, have a distinct, sharp rotting smell.
Furthermore, before they’re cooked right, chitlins resemble gelatinous rubber in texture and consistency.
Fortunately, this is where your pressure cooker comes in handy, cutting the cooking time to a fraction of alternate methods. Before we look closer at preparing this delicacy, let’s first take a look at cleaning.
How To Clean Chitterlings
Cleaning intestines for cooking is a laborious, time-consuming process, but the thoroughness can’t be overlooked.
Perform each step while wearing gloves and inspecting each chitterling closely for any signs of fecal matter, dirt, grass, or other debris.
Here’s how to clean your chitterlings, starting with boiling and soaking.
1. Boil The Chitterlings
Before soaking, the first thing you need to do is boil the intestines to eradicate bacteria like E. Coli or Salmonella that may be lurking.
Boil the chitlins for 5 minutes in plain water before draining and rinsing in a colander.
2. Soak the Chitterlings
Put the boiled chitterlings in a large bowl filled with either white, red wine, or apple cider vinegar.
Allow the intestines to soak for 30 minutes before rinsing with clean water and then soaking for a further 30 minutes using new vinegar.
3. Scrape and Scrub the Chitterlings Clean
Now that the intestines have been soaked in an acidic solution, they’re far easier to clean. Use a knife slide firmly slide the membrane of any pieces that have it attached.
Some cooks find that it’s faster and better to use a toothbrush to scrub each chitterling after the membrane has been removed than to do it by hand.
4. Rinse the Chitterlings
Rinse the chitterlings in a bowl or bath of clean, warm water. It may take multiple passes, but repeat this step until the water runs clear. Rinsing repeatedly until clear is important for food safety.
Cooking Chitterlings In A Pressure Cooker
Now that your chitterlings are safe to eat, it’s time to cook them.
Gather the following ingredients and get ready to cook up an unforgettable Southern Classic known as offal in South Africa or as a part of the tripe in England and other parts of the world.
Ingredients
Please note: This recipe assumes a cooking quantity of 10 pounds of cleaned chitlins.
- Soaked and cleaned chitterlings
- 1 white onion per 10 pounds of chitlins (chopped)
- 2 large jalapeno peppers (chopped)
- 2 large garlic cloves (crushed)
- 2 tablespoons of chopped bell pepper
- 2 tablespoons of crushed red peppers
- 3 cups of water
- 4 cups of chicken broth
Recipe
Now that you’ve got all your ingredients ready, here’s the part we’ve all been waiting for – it’s time to cook chitterlings in a pressure cooker. Let’s get on to the steps!
- Clean and ready your pressure cooker.
- Add the cleaned chitterlings chopped to your likely to the pressure cooker.
- Add the rest of the ingredients.
- Add the stock and water.
- Seal your pot, and select the Beef setting, which should take about 30 minutes to cook on high.
- Allow your pressure cooker to natural-release.
- Enjoy your food!
You’ll also be able to keep an eye on your chitterlings like this. There are lots of variations of this basic recipe.
The most common Southern seasonings are celery, bell pepper, red pepper, jalapenos, bay leaves, potato, and creole spice.
Add more onions and whole potatoes if you’re driven to get rid of every last trace of the strong odor. Potatoes absorb smells well.
Buy Quality Chitterlings Only
Using the highest-end spices and most elaborate recipes won’t help a thing if you’re buying poor-quality chitterlings. All chitterlings need soaking and cleaning even if they say they come presoaked and precleaned.
There are many options available, ranging from red bucket chitterlings, as they’re called, to precleaned offerings but we always recommend going for the higher quality product.
Bucket chitterlings are known to cause irritations. Only buy the right quantity you need to cook and serve immediately. Cooked chitterlings typically drink to half the amount you started with.