Chitlins are a favorite pork dish in Southern families. Just in case you don’t know what they are they are the hog intestines. Yikes! Don’t panic people have been eating them for generations.
Southern Fried Chitlins
Ingredients
10 pounds frozen cleaned chitterlings, thawed
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Batter For Two Pounds Ingredients
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon water
fine cracker crumbs
oil for deep frying
Directions
Soak the chitterlings in cold water throughout the cleaning stage. Each chitterling should be examined and run under cold water, all foreign materials should be removed and discarded. Chitterlings should retain some fat, so be careful to leave some on. After each chitterling has been cleaned, soak in two cold-water baths for a few minutes. The second water should be clearer. If not, soak in one more bath.
Place the chitterlings in a 6 quart pot, and fill with cold water. Bring to a boil and then add the onion and season with salt, garlic and red pepper flakes. Be sure the water is at a full boil before adding seasonings, or the chitterlings could become tough. Continue to simmer for 3 to 4 hours, depending on how tender you like them.
Remove two pounds from the heat and rinse under cold running water. Cut the boiled chitterlings into oyster size pieces and set aside.
Beat the egg with 1 tablespoon water. Dip each piece of the chitterlings into the egg mixture then roll in the crumbs.
Fry the chitterlings in hot oil at about 370° until golden brown.
Serve with black-eyed peas and turnip greens and pass the vinegar and hot sauce for the chitlins.