Norman Van Aken's Souse Recipe

Norman Van Aken•

There are so many variations of Souse. In Key West, I never had it cold, but that is the way you might find it in Trinidad and many other places. When a fellow cook brought some into our kitchen in 1977 it was hot, and that is how it is here.

For more of Van Aken's musings on souse, read The Mystery of Souse.

Norman Van Aken's Souse Recipe
No Ratings
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Prep Time
1
hour
Cook Time
5
hours
Servings
4
to 6 servings
Total time: 6 hours
Ingredients
  • 2 pigs feet
  • 1 pound pigs tails
  • 1 smoked pork hock
  • 2 onions
  • 2 Serrano chilies
  • 2 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon
  • 1 cup distilled white vinegar
  • 3 quarts cold water
  • 1 1/2 pounds honeycombe tripe
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar
  • water
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 serrano chile
  • 2 large tomatoes
  • 1 small or 1/2 onion
  • 2 stalks celery
  • 1 carrot
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 2 quarts Chicken stock (or water)
  • 1 1/2 pounds chicken wings
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 6 yukon gold potatoes
  • 3 tablespoons Blended oil
  • 1 serrano chile
  • 2 carrots
  • 5 cups *reserved Pig Bone Broth
Directions
  1. Rinse the pigs feet and tails in several changes of water.
  2. Now place all of the above in a large pot and bring to a simmer. Cook for 2 or more hours and the pig meat is tender. Strain reserving the liquid for later.
  3. When the meat is cool enough to handle shred and reserve it. There will be more skin, bones and cartilage than meat but the broth will have great flavor so don’t despair!
  4. Take that part and top it with water by double and reduce it by half. Save that for balancing out the souse at the very end. This is the *Pig Bone Broth.
  5. Cut the tripe into 1 x 1 inch pieces trimming out any odd parts if necessary.
  6. Place the tripe in a pot with enough cold water to cover. Add in the salt and vinegar and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat. Drain and rinse the tripe well. Throw out that water. Clean the pan.
  7. Return the tripe to the pan with Chicken Stock (or water).
  8. Now add in the bay leaf, serrano chile, tomatoes, onion, celery and garlic.
  9. Bring to a high simmer and maintain it skimming as necessary until just tender, (about 2 hours).
  10. Allow the tripe to cool in this liquid.
  11. Toss the chicken wings with 3 tablespoons lime juice and the kosher salt and cayenne pepper. Set aside to marinate at room temperature for 1 hour.
  12. Meanwhile cook the potatoes in salted water until not quite cooked through. (About 15 minutes). Strain and reserve.
  13. Now heat the oil in a large flat pot over medium heat. Brown the marinated wings on all sides. Remove from the pot and reserve.
  14. Working in the same pan as the wings were in add the serrano chile, red onion, bell pepper and carrots; cook and stir until the onion has softened and begun to brown, about 10 minutes.
  15. Now add the browned chicken wings to that pan.
  16. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and continue simmering until the chicken is cooked, (about 30 minutes).
  17. Add in the cooked tripe mixture, the blanched potatoes and the 3/4 cup lime juice.
  18. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving. Serve with a side of lime wedges and finely chopped onion and serrano chilies.
 
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