Chitlins (Soul Food)
intro
Tender, slow-simmered pork chitterlings seasoned with aromatic vegetables and warm spices, a beloved hearty classic of Black Southern soul food.
Ingredients
Steps
Clean chitlins thoroughly
Place 2 lbs (907 g) raw chitlins in a large colander set in the sink, rinse repeatedly under cold running water. Pull apart each folded section, remove all visible fat, undigested residue, and thin translucent membrane lining. As you clean, transfer trimmed pieces to a large bowl, cover with cold water mixed with ½ cup (120 ml) white vinegar, leave to soak for 15 minutes, then rinse a final time and cut into uniform 2-inch pieces.
Prep aromatic base
Dice 1 large yellow onion (200 g), 2 celery stalks (120 g), and 1 medium green bell pepper (150 g) into ¼-inch pieces; mince 4 garlic cloves (12 g). Peel 1 medium russet potato, leave whole, and set all prepped vegetables aside. Measure 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, 2 bay leaves, 1 tbsp kosher salt, 1 tsp ground black pepper, and 1 tsp smoked paprika into small ramekins for easy access.
Do initial odor-reduction boil
Place cleaned, cut chitlins in an 8-quart stainless steel stock pot, cover with cold water by 2 inches, and stir in the remaining ½ cup (120 ml) white vinegar. Bring to a full rolling boil over medium-high heat, boil uncovered for 25 minutes, skimming all foamy gray scum that rises to the surface with a slotted spoon. Drain chitlins completely in a colander, then rinse both the chitlins and empty pot with hot water to wash away all residual scum.
Slow simmer with seasonings
Return rinsed chitlins to the clean stock pot, add prepped diced vegetables, whole potato, measured spices, and 4 cups (960 ml) low-sodium chicken broth. Stir to fully combine, bring to a gentle, low-bubble simmer over medium heat, then reduce stovetop heat to low. Set the pot lid slightly ajar (leave a ½-inch gap) to let steam escape, and simmer for 2 hours 30 minutes, stirring the pot thoroughly every 30 minutes, until chitlins are fork-tender with no tough, rubbery bite.
Adjust final seasoning
After 2 hours 30 minutes of simmering, use tongs to remove and discard the whole potato and 2 bay leaves from the pot. Taste the broth and chitlins, add extra salt or black pepper if desired, then increase heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes to let the broth reduce slightly to a light, savory coating consistency.
Serve with classic sides
Ladle 1.5-cup portions of chitlins and a small amount of seasoned broth into shallow serving bowls, serve hot alongside traditional soul food sides like buttermilk cornbread, braised collard greens, and vinegar-based hot sauce for guests to add to taste.
Tips
2.Open a kitchen window or turn on your stovetop vent while cooking chitlins, even with the initial boil and potato odor-absorbing trick—this will prevent the distinct cooking smell from lingering in your home for days.
3.Avoid boiling chitlins at a high rolling heat for the long simmer: high heat will make them tough and rubbery instead of meltingly tender, so keep the heat low enough to maintain only a gentle bubble.
Grew up eating chitlins at my grandpa’s house in Mississippi but never tried making them out here in Washington because I thought I couldn’t get the flavor right. This recipe had all the little seasonings I forgot grandpa used—thyme, garlic, a little celery? Man, one bite and I was 8 years old sitting at his kitchen table again. Brought them to a neighborhood potluck and even folks who said they never tried chitlins before were coming back for more.
Tried these for our annual Super Bowl potluck and let me tell ya, the whole plate was gone in 15 minutes. I was worried 3.5 hours cook time was too long but low and slow is definitely the move here. Only thing I added was a little extra crushed red pepper for a kick, 10/10 will be making again soon.
Okay full transparency, this is HARD, y’all weren’t kidding about the difficulty rating. I spent almost 2 hours just cleaning them and thought I messed up when they started smelling while boiling? But I followed the tip to keep the vent on and toss in extra bay leaves, and by the time they were done? Chef’s kiss. Only note: make sure you give yourself way more time than you think you need if you’re a beginner like me, don’t try to rush this!
Went into this knowing chitlins are a labor of love and this recipe did NOT disappoint. The cleaning instructions are so thorough I didn’t miss a single bit, which is the part I always messed up before. Cooked them up with some hot sauce and vinegar dip, served with mac and cheese and candied yams for Sunday dinner, my kids loved it even though they turned their noses up at first lmao. SO good.
OMG y’all, I was so nervous to make chitlins for my grandma’s 80th birthday dinner because hers have always been the gold standard! This recipe walked me through every single step, no skips, no weird shortcuts. I followed the cleaning directions EXACTLY and they came out so tender, no funky aftertaste at all. Grandma even asked for SECONDS and said they tasted just like her mom’s. Game changer for holiday dinners fr!
Made these for our Juneteenth cookout this year and they were the star of the whole spread! I served them with homemade cornbread, collard greens, and potato salad, and people were raving about them all night. The recipe is so well written, even people who’ve been making chitlins for decades were asking me for the recipe link. 10/10, no notes!
I’ve made this recipe twice now and it’s the only chitlin recipe I trust! Quick question though—can I do the cleaning and first boil the night before, then finish the slow simmer the next day for my Friendsgiving? I’m trying to save stove space day of and don’t want them to get tough or lose flavor.
These are SO good! I added a handful of diced jalapeños and a splash of my favorite habanero hot sauce to the simmer pot and they had the perfect amount of heat. Cook time was spot on, they were melt-in-your-mouth tender, no chewy bits at all. My partner said these are better than the ones he gets at his favorite soul food spot in town!
Uh oh, I think I messed up? I rushed the cleaning step because I was running late for a family dinner and my chitlins had that super strong gamey taste everyone warns about 😭 I should’ve known not to cut corners on a recipe marked hard! Any tips for salvaging them or do I have to toss the whole batch?
I’ve been making chitlins for over 20 years and I still picked up new tips from this recipe! The trick of adding a little apple cider vinegar to the final simmer is a total game changer, it adds just the right bright tang to cut through the richness. I made a batch for my Sunday meal prep and they’ve been perfect to reheat for quick dinners all week. SO good, will be passing this recipe along to all my cousins.