Chitlins (Chitterlings)
intro
Tender, slow-simmered pork chitterlings, a classic soul food staple seasoned with aromatic veggies and spices for rich, comforting, deeply flavored bites.
Ingredients
Steps
Clean and soak chitlins
Place raw chitterlings in a large colander in the sink, rinsing thoroughly under cold running water. Use a sharp paring knife to trim away all excess fat, trapped undigested particles, and discolored, tough membranes. Cut cleaned chitlins into 5cm (2-inch) pieces, then transfer to a large non-reactive bowl. Cover with cold water, stir in 120ml (1/2 cup) white vinegar and 2 tablespoons kosher salt, then refrigerate to soak for 1 hour, draining and replacing the salt-vinegar water once at the 30-minute mark.
Parboil to reduce odor
Drain the soaked chitlins fully and transfer to a large 8L stockpot. Cover with 1.9L (8 cups) cold water, stir in the remaining 120ml (1/2 cup) white vinegar and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat (approx. 8-10 minutes), then reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a steady gentle boil, leaving the pot uncovered. Cook for 25 minutes, using a slotted spoon to skim all gray, foamy residue that rises to the surface as it cooks. Drain parboiled chitlins and rinse thoroughly under warm water, then wash the stockpot completely to remove any residual odor or foam.
Prep aromatic seasoning base
While chitlins parboil, prep the flavor base: dice the yellow onion, celery, and green bell pepper into uniform 0.6cm (1/4-inch) pieces, and mince the garlic cloves finely. Measure out crushed red pepper flakes, ground black pepper, dried thyme, and whole bay leaves into small ramekins, setting all prepped ingredients within arm’s reach of the stovetop to streamline cooking.
Slow simmer until tender
Return the rinsed, parboiled chitlins to the clean stockpot. Add the prepped diced vegetables, minced garlic, measured spices, remaining 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1.9L (8 cups) fresh cold water. Stir well to combine all ingredients, then bring to a low simmer over medium heat (approx. 10 minutes, when small steady bubbles break the broth surface). Reduce heat to the lowest stovetop setting, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer for 2 hours 30 minutes, stirring gently every 30 minutes to prevent chitlins from sticking to the pot bottom, until pieces are easily pierced with a fork.
Adjust seasoning and rest
After simmering, turn off the stovetop heat, then use tongs to find and discard the 2 whole bay leaves. Taste a small piece of chitlin and a spoonful of broth, adding extra salt or black pepper in 1/4 teaspoon increments if the flavor tastes muted. Replace the pot lid and let the chitlins rest for 15 minutes off the heat to fully absorb the seasoned broth.
Plate and serve hot
Use a slotted spoon to transfer chitlins and 2-3 tablespoons of the seasoned broth per serving to shallow bowls. Serve immediately with classic Southern sides like buttery cornbread, collard greens, and a bottle of hot sauce for diners to add heat to taste.
Tips
2.Open a kitchen window or turn on your stovetop exhaust fan while parboiling chitlins, as the cooking process releases a strong, distinct odor that can linger in your home without proper ventilation.
3.Do not boil chitlins at a high rolling heat during the long simmer, as this will make the meat tough and rubbery instead of melt-in-your-mouth tender.
Y’all, I grew up eating my granddaddy’s chitlins every Thanksgiving and thought I’d never get the flavor right after he passed. This recipe is SO spot on! The slow simmer with the onion, vinegar, and hot sauce hit every single memory I had. My whole family raved at our reunion last weekend, even my teen nephew who swore he’d never touch ‘em asked for seconds! Only note is set aside way more time for cleaning than you think — I almost cut it close this year.
Made these for our annual church potluck and they were a total hit! I added a little extra cayenne because my crew likes extra heat, and they were gone in 20 minutes flat. Only reason I’m knocking a star off is the 4 hour cook time had me scrambling to get everything else on the table on time — next time I’ll start ‘em at 6am instead of 8!
OMG I was so nervous to make chitlins for the first time ever, I’d only had them once at a soul food spot in Harlem and was obsessed. This recipe walked me through every single step, even the super intimidating cleaning part. Game changer! Served them with cornbread and collards and my roommate thought I ordered takeout from our favorite spot. 10/10 will make again.
My kids loved it! I was fully expecting at least two of them to turn their noses up, but they all ate full servings and asked if we could have this for Christmas dinner instead of the usual ham. Who would’ve thought? The apple cider vinegar in the simmer liquid really balances out the richness, I was worried they’d be too heavy.
Flavor was great once they were done, but man, the cleaning process took me almost 3 hours by itself! I’m no spring chicken, I’ve been cooking Southern food for 50+ years, but I feel like the recipe could’ve been a little more specific about how many times you need to rinse them before they’re ready. I must have dumped and refilled my sink 10 times before I stopped seeing debris.
Made these for my partner’s birthday since he grew up in Alabama and has been homesick for his grandma’s cooking. He teared up after the first bite! Said it tasted exactly like he remembered from Sunday dinners at her house. Served with hot sauce, collard greens, and honey butter cornbread. Absolute home run, will be adding this to our regular rotation.
I prepped a big batch of these on Sunday for meal prep and they held up all week in the fridge! The only issue I had was my whole house smelled like chitlins for two days, even with all the windows open and candles going. Any tips for cutting down on the smell while they simmer?
Brought these to our neighborhood block party last weekend and people were lined up for seconds! I had three people ask for the recipe before I even left, I felt like a celebrity. I followed the recipe exactly, no tweaks, and they came out perfect. Tender, flavorful, not gamey at all — total crowd pleaser.
SO good. I’ve tried three other chitlin recipes online and they all came out either tough or so gamey I couldn’t eat them. This one? Perfectly tender after 4 hours, the flavor was deep and savory, just the right amount of tang from the vinegar. My only regret is I didn’t make a double batch, my husband ate half the pot before I even got the sides on the table.
First time making chitlins on my own, I always helped my dad as a kid but never did it solo. They came out really good! I think I added a little too much salt at the end, but that was my bad, not the recipe’s. Next time I’ll taste as I go instead of salting all at once.
I run a small pop-up in LA serving Southern classics, and I tested this recipe for my menu last month. Let me tell you, these chitlins are now our top selling side! Customers come back every weekend specifically for them, saying they’re better than the ones their own relatives make. Thank you for putting out such a reliable, tested recipe!
I was really excited to make these for our tailgate, but I messed up the simmer temperature and they turned out super tough. I had the stove on too high because I was running late, and they boiled instead of slow simmering the whole time. Total bummer, I wasted like 10 lbs of chitlins.
I’ve been making chitlins for over 60 years, and I’ll admit I was skeptical of an online recipe telling me how to do it. But I tried this method last Sunday for my grandkids’ visit, and even I have to say it was better than my usual go-to! The bay leaf and celery in the simmer added such a nice depth I never thought to add before. Don’t tell my late husband I said that, he’d swear his recipe was unbeatable.
We had a client request chitlins as a side for their Southern-themed wedding reception, and I used this recipe to make 40 servings. They were a massive hit! I was worried about scaling a recipe that’s this finicky, but the ratios worked perfectly even when multiplied for a crowd. Zero complaints, lots of compliments.
Help! I’m in the middle of making these right now and I’m on step 3, the initial simmer, and there’s all this weird gray foam floating to the top. Is that normal? Did I not clean them well enough? I’m panicking because I’m making these for my in-laws who are from Mississippi and I really want to impress them.
Tried these on a whim because I saw them at the grocery store and remembered how much I loved them when I lived in North Carolina. This recipe did not disappoint! I served them with a side of hot pepper vinegar and some fried green tomatoes, and it felt like I was back at the little diner I used to go to after church. 10/10, will be making these a yearly winter tradition.
Great recipe! The only change I made was adding a smoked ham hock to the simmer pot because I love that extra smoky flavor, and it turned out amazing. They were so tender and flavorful, I’ll definitely be making these again for New Year’s dinner. Do you think this recipe would work in a pressure cooker to cut down on cook time?
Made these for our New Year’s Day good luck spread, alongside black eyed peas, collards, and cornbread. Everyone said it was the best holiday meal we’ve ever done! I even got my picky teen to try a bite, and he admitted they were ‘actually not bad,’ which is the highest praise a teen can give, let’s be real.