Pepper Pot
intro
A hearty, boldly peppery slow-simmered tripe and vegetable stew, this historic Philadelphia comfort food is perfect for warming cold winter days.
Ingredients
Steps
Parboil the tripe
Place cleaned, cut honeycomb tripe and marrow bones in a large stockpot, cover with 2 liters of cold water, and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, simmer uncovered for 45 minutes, skimming any gray foam that rises to the surface every 10 minutes. Drain, rinse tripe and bones under cool water, and set aside; discard parboiling water.
Sauté aromatic vegetables
In the same cleaned stockpot, melt 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter over medium heat. Add diced onion, celery, green bell pepper, and carrot, cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and translucent but not browned. Stir in cracked black peppercorns, red pepper flakes, dried thyme, and bay leaf, cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Make the roux base
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour over the sautéed aromatics, stir constantly to coat all vegetables evenly. Cook the flour mixture over medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring nonstop, to remove raw flour taste and create a light golden roux that clings to the vegetables.
Simmer stew base
Slowly pour in 1.5 liters (6 cups) beef broth, stirring constantly to avoid lumps from the roux. Add the parboiled tripe, marrow bones, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt, bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring once halfway through to prevent sticking.
Add potato and kale
Remove the pot lid, stir in 1-inch cubed russet potatoes, push marrow bones down to submerge fully. Cover again, simmer over low heat for 20 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender. Stir in chopped kale, remaining 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, cook uncovered for 5 more minutes until kale is wilted and bright green.
Finish and serve
Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaf, and scoop out marrow bones; scoop soft marrow from the bones, stir it back into the stew for extra richness. Taste and adjust salt if needed, then ladle into warm bowls, serving immediately with crusty sourdough bread on the side.
Tips
2.Crack whole black peppercorns coarsely with a mortar and pestle or the flat side of a chef’s knife instead of using pre-ground pepper for a brighter, bolder peppery kick that defines the dish.
3.Cook the roux for the full 2 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly: undercooked flour leaves a raw, pasty taste, while properly cooked roux creates a smooth, nutty thickener with no lumps.
OMG this pepper pot is SO good! I made it for our Sunday family dinner last weekend and even my super picky 7 year old asked for seconds. The spice level was perfect, not too overwhelming but had that nice peppery kick the classic is supposed to have. Took me almost the full 2 hours 15 mins but so worth it, 10/10!
Game changer for potluck season! I brought a big batch of this to my office potluck earlier this week and people were coming back for thirds. The tripe was perfectly tender, I was worried I’d overcook it since I’ve never made pepper pot before but the cook time instructions were spot on. Already sent the recipe to three of my coworkers.
I meal prepped this on Sunday for the work week and it held up AMAZINGLY in the fridge all week. The flavors actually got better each day! My only note is that I wish there was a note about how much the soup reduces while simmering, I almost burned the bottom when I stepped away for 10 minutes lol. Still turned out great though, will make again.
Solid classic pepper pot recipe. I’ve tried a few different versions online and this one is the closest to what my grandma used to make growing up in Philly. It’s medium difficulty for sure, don’t go into this thinking it’s a 30 minute weeknight meal, but the payoff is huge. Skipped the optional hot sauce on top because I prefer the straight peppery broth flavor, no extra frills needed.
My partner is from Philly and has been begging me to make pepper pot for months, and this recipe did NOT disappoint. He said it tasted just like the stuff he got from the street vendors when he was a kid! I was intimidated by working with tripe for the first time but the prep steps were super easy to follow. SO good, will be a regular in our dinner rotation.
Great base recipe! I added an extra habanero and a pinch of Old Bay to give it a little extra zing, and it slapped. Cooked it on my camp stove last weekend on a camping trip and everyone in the group was raving. Only reason it’s not 5 stars is I wish the recipe had a slow cooker adaptation, because standing over the stove for 2 hours isn’t always doable.
So happy this recipe is naturally gluten free! I have celiac and it’s so hard to find classic soup recipes that don’t call for weird thickeners with wheat. I made a big pot when I was feeling under the weather last week and the peppery broth cleared my sinuses right up. Absolute comfort food.
Super budget friendly if you get your tripe from the local butcher counter! I fed my family of 5 for under $12 total with this recipe, and my kids loved it so much they asked when I’m making it again. We even had leftovers for lunch the next day. The peppery, herby broth is so rich you’d never guess how cheap the ingredients are. Will be making this at least once a month this fall.
Okay y’all I am TERRIBLE at cooking, like I burn toast half the time, and I was able to pull this off! The instructions were so clear and step by step, I didn’t feel lost at any point. I was nervous the tripe would be weird and chewy but it was so tender and flavorful, my roommates are convinced I’m a secret chef now lmao. 10/10 for beginner home cooks who don’t mind putting the time in.
Made this for my neighborhood block party last weekend and it won the ‘best savory dish’ award! The older folks from Philly who live on my block said it was totally authentic, which is the highest compliment I could’ve gotten. I did add a little extra thyme because I grow it in my windowsill and it was chef’s kiss. Highly recommend for any group event!