Chicharrones de Tripa are a traditional Mexican dish, especially popular in regions like North of Tamaulipas, Mexico. "Chicharrones" refers to anything fried in a large cazo with lard. This recipe features beef tripe, which, while shrinking significantly during cooking, is an affordable and flavorful option. The resulting chicharrones are chewy, not crispy, unless boiled beforehand for a crispier exterior.
In a clean sink, clean the tripe with water and fill it up like a water hose, then drain it, put it in a bowl with water, and add 2-4 tbsp of white vinegar; let it soak for 10-15 minutes, rinse it off again and fill it up then drain it, squeeze most of the water and then cut it into strips of 20-30 cm and in a bowl, season with salt, I added about 4 tbsp to the 6 lbs, add the allspice and bay leaves and let it rest while in the cazo you add the lard on high heat and let it get very hot, drain any water in the tripe again, and using an oil splatter guard, add the tripe to the lard, lard won’t splat like oil immediately with liquid, and the temperature is not as high as the oil, but still, for safety, I recommend you use the guard. The tripe will look as if it was boiling, and when it starts bubbling, add the garlic and onion; cook for about 30 minutes, then take it out in a bowl and with a strainer, remove all the stuff in the lard, let it get very hot and add back the tripa, cook until golden brown and it’s done. Chicharrones de tripa are chewy, not crispy. If you prefer, boil the tripe with the spices for 30 min, drain it, let it air dry, and cool down to fry it in the hot lard. This would make it less chewy and a little crispy on the outside.
