Savor Some Southern Tradition With Crispy Deep-Fried Chitterlings (2024)

Chitterlings, or chitlins, are a classic Southern recipe consisting of pork intestines that can be cooked or fried. Mild in flavor, their bits are a great canvas to work with because they can take on whatever seasonings and cooking method you're using. Often categorized as soul food, chitterlings can be eaten boiled and served simply over rice, or boiled, breaded, and fried as in our recipe. Deep-fried chitterlings are a decadent dish that is common during the holidays, served alongside hog maws—pork stomach—cornbread, rice, hot sauces, vinegar, collard greens, and fried chicken. Not for the faint of heart!

The chitterlings need to be cleaned thoroughly and then boiled for two hours before they are breaded and fried, so plan accordingly. The cleaning process is key to an appetizing meal: chitterlings are famous for their unpleasant smell, and because of their origin, they must be adequately clean to avoid contamination in your kitchen or illness. Nowadays, finding clean and pre-cooked chitterlings is a convenient way of bringing this unusual and tasty ingredient to your table.

Our recipe uses some alliums to boil the chitterlings in before frying, but add to these seasonings any spices or other vegetables that you'd like: bell peppers, carrots, celery stalks, red pepper flakes, parsley, cilantro, or Creole seasoning are great additions.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds chitterlings

For Flavoring the Boiling Liquid:

  • 2 large onions, chopped

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 2 teaspoons salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 clovesgarlic, minced

For Breading and Frying:

  • 1 large egg,lightly beaten

  • 1 tablespoon water

  • 1 cup fine cracker crumbs, or all-purpose flour

  • 3 cups canola oil, for deep frying

Steps to Make It

Clean the Chitterlings

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Savor Some Southern Tradition With Crispy Deep-Fried Chitterlings (1)

  2. Soak the chitterlings in cold water on one side of your sink and use the other side for rinsing. If you don't have a two-sided sink, use a large bowl for soaking and your sink for rinsing.

    Savor Some Southern Tradition With Crispy Deep-Fried Chitterlings (2)

  3. Examine each one thoroughly, removing all foreign matter by hand under running water.

    Savor Some Southern Tradition With Crispy Deep-Fried Chitterlings (3)

  4. Repeatedly pick clean the chitterlings under running water, removing any fat and specks that you see.

    Savor Some Southern Tradition With Crispy Deep-Fried Chitterlings (4)

  5. Once you have cleaned each chitterling, place it in a clean bowl. Repeat the thorough cleaning process with the remaining chitterlings.

    Savor Some Southern Tradition With Crispy Deep-Fried Chitterlings (5)

  6. After all the chitterlings have been cleaned, fill one side of the sink, or your bowl, with enough water to cover the chitterlings. Then rinse each under running water, repeating at least 2 to 3 more times until the water runs clear. The more cleaning you do, the better.

    Savor Some Southern Tradition With Crispy Deep-Fried Chitterlings (6)

  7. Once all the pieces have been cleaned, make sure to disinfect your hands and any surfaces that have or might have come in contact with the intestines: soap and a bleach-based sanitizer for the surfaces are best.

    Savor Some Southern Tradition With Crispy Deep-Fried Chitterlings (7)

Boil the Chitterlings

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Savor Some Southern Tradition With Crispy Deep-Fried Chitterlings (8)

  2. Place the cleaned chitterlings ina large pot with enough water to cover them by at least 2 inches.

    Savor Some Southern Tradition With Crispy Deep-Fried Chitterlings (9)

  3. Add the onions, bay leaves, salt, pepper, garlic, and any additional vegetables or seasonings that you might want to use.

    Savor Some Southern Tradition With Crispy Deep-Fried Chitterlings (10)

  4. Bring the pot to a boil.

    Savor Some Southern Tradition With Crispy Deep-Fried Chitterlings (11)

  5. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours or until the chitterlings are tender. Add more water if necessary.

  6. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chitterlings from the water and drain in a colander until cool enough to handle.

    Savor Some Southern Tradition With Crispy Deep-Fried Chitterlings (13)

  7. Cut the chitterlings into 1-inch pieces.

    Savor Some Southern Tradition With Crispy Deep-Fried Chitterlings (14)

Bread and Fry the Chitterlings

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Savor Some Southern Tradition With Crispy Deep-Fried Chitterlings (15)

  2. In a small bowl, beat the egg with the water and set aside.

    Savor Some Southern Tradition With Crispy Deep-Fried Chitterlings (16)

  3. Spread the cracker crumbs or flour on a piece of waxed paper and set aside.

    Savor Some Southern Tradition With Crispy Deep-Fried Chitterlings (17)

  4. Heat the oil in a deep fryer or Dutch oven to 370 F.

    Savor Some Southern Tradition With Crispy Deep-Fried Chitterlings (18)

  5. Dip each chitterling into the egg mixture, letting the excess drip off.

    Savor Some Southern Tradition With Crispy Deep-Fried Chitterlings (19)

  6. Roll each piece in the cracker crumbs. Repeat the egg and crumb process with all the pieces.

    Savor Some Southern Tradition With Crispy Deep-Fried Chitterlings (20)

  7. Carefully add the chitterlings into the hot oil and fry until golden brown. Fry in batches and don't overcrowd the pan.

    Savor Some Southern Tradition With Crispy Deep-Fried Chitterlings (21)

  8. Drain on paper towels.

    Savor Some Southern Tradition With Crispy Deep-Fried Chitterlings (22)

  9. Serve hot and enjoy.

    Savor Some Southern Tradition With Crispy Deep-Fried Chitterlings (23)

Other Cleaning Methods for Chitterlings

While eating chitterlings is a delicious affair, cleaning them properly is key to a successful dish. Washing them under running water and boiling them properly does eliminate the bacteria and impurities that can cause food borne illness, but other common techniques can also do the trick. No matter how you clean them, the chitterlings must be boiled before frying:

  • After thoroughly rinsing all bits under cold running water many times over, place the chitterlings in a bowl and cover them with water. Squeeze 4 to 6 lemons in the water and add the squeezed fruit as well. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 4 hours. Rinse again before cooking.
  • Alternatively, after the rinsing process, cover the chitterlings with water and add 2 cups of lime juice or 4 tablespoons of white vinegar. As indicated above, cover and place in the refrigerator for 4 hours. Rinse again before cooking.

Be sure to clean all surfaces that might have been in contact with the chitterlings, your refrigerator included.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Favorite Southern Pan-Fried Chicken

  • Kitchen Appliances
  • Pork Mains
  • Southern Dinner Recipes
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
625Calories
56g Fat
11g Carbs
20g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories625
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 56g72%
Saturated Fat 16g80%
Cholesterol 422mg141%
Sodium 1185mg52%
Total Carbohydrate 11g4%
Dietary Fiber 1g4%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 20g
Vitamin C 3mg17%
Calcium 66mg5%
Iron 3mg15%
Potassium 135mg3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

  • fried pork
  • side dish
  • southern
  • christmas

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Savor Some Southern Tradition With Crispy Deep-Fried Chitterlings (2024)

FAQs

Are chitlins and chitterlings the same thing? ›

Chitlins (or chitterlings, as they're also called) are cooked pig intestines. While the vast majority of chitlins are pork, sometimes intestines from other animals (particularly cows) are sometimes used.

Who started eating chitterlings? ›

The history of chitterlings in Southern culinary traditions began when, at hog butchering time, slaves were given the leftovers by their slavers, and had to make do with neck bones, snouts, feet and other less desirable parts. The slaves used the intestines to make a dish that became a staple in soul food cooking.

Is chitlins a southern thing? ›

Chitlin's are a dish typically found in the American south, but they are prepared all over North America. They are essentially pig intestines. They take a long time to clean and cook and are so labor-intensive that the presence of Chitlin's are typically reserved for special occasions and the Holiday season.

What is pig intestine Southern dish? ›

Chitlins, also known as chitterlings, are the intestines of a pig that have been cooked. Rarely, cow intestines are also used for chitlins. They are usually boiled down, fried up, and served with apple cider vinegar and hot sauce.

What do Mexicans call chitlins? ›

Tripas, in Mexican cuisine (known as chitterlings in English-speaking countries), are the small intestines of farm animals that have been cleaned, boiled and grilled.

What ethnicity eats chitlins? ›

Chitterlings made from pig intestines are popular in many parts of Europe, and are also eaten in the southern United States.
  • United Kingdom.
  • Balkans, Greece, and Turkey.
  • Spain.
  • France.
  • Latin America and the Caribbean.
  • Jamaica.
  • Mexico.
  • See also.

Is chitterlings good for you? ›

The selenium in chitterlings might also reduce your risk of heart disease and asthma, as well as keep your immune system healthy. Adults require 55 micrograms of selenium each day, which makes chitterlings a smart choice for helping to meet your daily needs.

What do chitterlings taste like? ›

What Do Chitlins Taste Like? Chitlins have a mild flavor, so they readily take on the flavors of the seasonings they're prepared or served with, such as aromatics and spices in the boiling liquid. Fried chitlins are often served with vinegar and hot sauce.

Do other countries eat chitterlings? ›

Chitterlings are a popular food served in many parts of the United States, the Caribbean, Latin America, western Asia and Europe.

Is pork intestine edible? ›

Pig small intestine not only is used as food but also for sausage casings production in many countries worldwide.

What is intestines meat called? ›

Tripas, the related Spanish word, refers to culinary dishes produced from the small intestines of an animal. In some cases, other names have been applied to the tripe of other animals. For example, tripe from pigs may be referred to as paunch, pig bag, or hog maw.

What is another name for chitterlings? ›

What is another word for chitterlings?
variety meatchitlins
entrailsgiblets
heartinnards
marrowoffal
sweetbreadtongue
4 more rows

What are pig guts called? ›

Chitlins, also called chitterlings, are the large intestines of swine (hogs) but can also come from calf or veal.

Do you have to remove the membrane from chitterlings? ›

You should also sanitize any utensils or surfaces that come into contact with the chitterlings during the cleaning and cooking process. To clean your chitterlings, start by peeling away the outer membrane one piece at a time. This minimizes unfavorable smells and tastes and eliminates a majority of external debris.

What part of the pig is bacon? ›

Bacon can come from a pig's belly, back or sides ⁠— essentially anywhere that has an exceptionally high fat content. In the United Kingdom, back bacon is most common, but Americans are more familiar with “streaky” bacon, also known as side bacon, which is cut from pork belly.

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