Tripe soup is a Greek delicacy, no question about it. Tripe soup or otherwise known as “Patsas” in Greek has been a staple food in the Greek culture. Patsas considered to be the best hangover remedy, a hearty meal for the workers or just simply enjoyed as a normal, everyday meal.
Patsas consumed also very late at night or in the wee-hours of the morning. To be a soothing meal for the stomach for those who have just finished a hard night of drinking and partying, and need something to fill that gap in their stomach so as the next day’s hangover will be more bearable. It is also highly nutritious with protein, vitamins and essential minerals.
WHAT INGREDIENTS YOU NEED TO MAKE TRIPE SOUP
- Beef Belly
- Beef Leg
- Lemon
- Onion
PREPARING AND COOKING THE TRIPE SOUP
- Cleaning the Belly and Leg
- Slow cooking
Many greeks have fond memories of the Patsatzidika with the big kettle pots over burning wood, cooking this soup every day. You can smell the aroma as you walk by. Often, the shops would serve multiple varieties of this dish. Greek cooks trim, pre-boil, then simmer the organs for hours to get a soft texture. Then they add salt, pepper, lemon, and sometimes red pepper and onion.
Greek Tripe Soup is served with the meat chopped either chunky or fine. Its your choice after boiling and picking off the meat from the beef shank as well as boiling the belly how to chop the meat. Equally important is the fact that the scent and aroma from the pot may be off-putting. Greek Tripe Soup is really a hate-it or love-it type of soup.
Once the soup is cooked and served, hot and steamy, a preparation called “stoumpi” is spooned in the soup, per iindividual taste, and mixed before eating. This pickled garlic, vinegar, hot pepper flake and sweet paprika concoction adds just the right condiments to enjoy the soup at its best.
Patsa – Traditional Greek Tripe Soup
Equipment
- 1 small food processor
Ingredients
Patsa
- 1 1/2 kilos beef tripe
- 1 beef shank
- 2 lemon
- 1 onion
- 1 tbsp salt
Skordostoumpi {pickled garlic)
- 1 garlic head
- 6 tblsp olive oil
- 200 ml white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp red chili flakes (boukovo)
Instructions
Patsa (cooking instructiions)
- Scrub and wash the tripe and the shank with lemon juice.
- Fill a large pot with 3 liters of water and bring it to a boil.
- Once water is boiling add the tripe and shank and boil them for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes of boiling, remove tripe and shank and discard the water. Add fresh water and onion and bring it to a boil and add the tripe and shank.
- Now we lower heat to a medium-low heat and cook the soup for 3 hours.
- If needed, supplement only with hot water, this way it doesn't stop the process.
- After three hours of cooking remove the tripe and shank from the pot and set aside.
- Let the tripe and shamk cool down for about 15 minutes.
- Strain the soup through a mesh colander into a clean, large pot.
- Now cut up the tripe into bite size pieces or chop it into fine pieces. Next remove alll the meat and marrow from the shank and chop it up. After cutting or chopping place the meat back into the pot with the soup. Season as needed with salt and simmer for about 15 minutes before it is ready to serve.
- Before serving, have the pickled garlic prepared to pour on top of the soup as the topping,. I recommend 2-3 tablespoons. You may want even more!
Skordostoummpi (pickled garlic)
- Place garlic cloves (1 head) into food processor. Add in half the vinegar and pulse.
- Make sure the garlic is smooth before continuing. Add in remaining ingredients and pulsify 2 minutes till smooth.
- Pour mixture with a funnel into a salad dressing bottle. Refrigerate 1 hour before use. Can be refrigerated for up to one week.
