Porto-style tripe and white bean stew (tripas a moda do porto)

This dish is said to have originated in the 14th century, when supposedly all meat except for offal was shipped out of Porto to feed Portuguese troops in Africa, leaving Porto’s residents to make the most of tripe. It has since become one of the city’s most famous dishes. You will need to soak the beans overnight.

• serves

  6

• prep

  10 hours

• cook

  2:25 hours

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 300 g (1½ cups) dried cannellini or white beans, soaked overnight
• 2 litres chicken stock
• 3 bay leaves
• 750 g honeycomb tripe (see Note), cut into 4 cm squares
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 80 ml (⅔ cup) olive oil
• 500 g American-style pork ribs (see Note), cut into 3 pieces
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 chorizo, cut into 2cm-thick rounds
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• ¼ cup coriander, roughly chopped
• 125 ml (½ cup) dry white wine
• crusty bread, to serve

Instructions

Drain beans and rinse under running water. Place in a large pan with stock and 1 bay leaf. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook for 30 minutes or until just tender.

Meanwhile, place the tripe in a bowl with lemon juice and stand for 30 minutes. Drain and discard juices.

Remove beans from heat and cool. Drain beans, reserving 750 ml stock.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large, ovenproof saucepan over medium heat. Add pork ribs and brown for 3 minutes, then transfer to a plate.

Preheat oven to 200°C. Add the remaining 60 ml oil and onion to the pan and cook for 5 minutes or until onion is golden. Add carrot and celery, and cook for 3 minutes or until carrot is softened. Add pork ribs, chorizo, garlic, coriander and remaining 2 bay leaves, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until heated through.

Stir in the tripe, wine and enough of the reserved stock to cover. Season with salt and white pepper. Cover the pan, transfer to the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 180°C, add the cannellini beans, cover and cook for a further 1 hour or until the tripe is tender. Add a little water if the sauce is too thick. Serve with crusty bread.

Note

Honeycomb tripe is available from butchers.

American-style pork ribs are back ribs from the top of the rib cage. They still contain a bone, whereas pork rashers do not. You may need to order them from your butcher.
Drink 2011 Dominique Portet Fontaine Rosé, Yarra Valley ($20)

As seen in Feast Magazine, Issue 13, pg73.

Photography by Derek Swalwell

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.