—Tripe is an article for which there is a large demand in the eastern states, comparatively little of it being consumed in other states, while there is not a very great foreign demand. It is made from the stomachs of cattle and is a very wholesome and nutritious dish. It is also being used extensively in sausage.
Cleaning Tripe.
—The stomach after being made empty is thoroughly washed in such a manner or with such devices as to permit of removing all manure from the inside surface. After it is thoroughly washed, put into a kettle, or vat, scalded, the temperature of the water being from 140° to 160° F. After a few minutes immersion the inside lining of the stomach may be easily removed. When sufficiently scalded it is scraped, leaving a clean, white surface. After scraping it is put into a vat and boiled for about three hours, or until it is tender. It is then put into cold water and chilled, the fat from the seams is removed and the “finishing process” begins, first scraping off all the loose fat with a sharp scraper and then removing a membrane on the outside of the stomach, which, when worked carefully, comes off, leaving the “tripe” perfectly clean and free of any fat, etc.,—the tripe being the muscular part of the stomach.
Pickling.
—It should first be put into a 45-grain vinegar pickle for ten to fifteen hours. After it has been submitted to the first pickling it is ready to be put into barrels and the vinegar in which it was first pickled should be strengthened with full-strength vinegar, making it again 45-grain, when it is packed in barrels and should be held in a temperature of from 45° to 50° F.
There is a remarkable gain in tripe if properly handled. A barrel of tripe packed at 135 pounds, at the end of three weeks, will weigh out 200 pounds and sometimes as high as 215 pounds. The tripe absorbs the vinegar, and it is essential in storing tripe that it be kept at a temperature so this absorption can take place, if it is kept in too cool a temperature it will not take up the vinegar as it should, consequently the gain will not be found when the package is opened.
The following test will show the gain in a barrel of honey-comb and a barrel of plain tripe, one barrel of each being packed in 45-degree vinegar and one barrel of each in 60-degree vinegar.
TEST PACKING TRIPE HOT DIRECT FROM FINISHING TABLE.
| Lbs. | Per cent. | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| One barrel honey-comb, 45-degree vinegar, 95 pcs. packed weight | 125 | ||
| Held in cellar for two weeks and unpacked, weight | 227 | ||
| Gain | 102 | = | 81.60 |
| Drained over night on racks, weight | 183 | ||
| Loss draining from pickled weight | 44 | = | 19.38 |
| Gain to drained weight from packed weight | 58 | = | 46.40 |
| One barrel honey-comb, 60-degree pickle, ninety-three pcs. packed, weight | 125 | ||
| Held in cellar for two weeks and unpacked, weight | 227 | ||
| Gain | 102 | = | 81.60 |
| Drained over night on racks, weight | 194 | ||
| Loss draining from pickled weight | 33 | = | 14.53 |
| Gain to drained weight from packed weight | 69 | = | 55.20 |
| One barrel plain, 45-degree pickle, thirty-nine pcs. packed weight | 125 | ||
| Held in cellar for two weeks and unpacked, weight | 193 | ||
| Gain | 68 | = | 54.50 |
| Drained over night on racks, weight | 182 | ||
| Loss draining from pickled weight | 11 | = | 5.70 |
| Gain to drained weight from packed weight | 57 | = | 45.60 |
| One barrel plain, 60-degree pickle, thirty-eight pcs. packed weight | 125 | ||
| Held in cellar two weeks and unpacked, weight | 201 | ||
| Gain | 76 | = | 60.80 |
| Drained on racks over night, weight | 184 | ||
| Loss draining, from pickled weight | 17 | = | 8.45 |
| Gain to drained weight from packed weight | 59 | = | 47.20 |
| Temperature all pickle when put on tripe 65° F. Temperature cellar, from 50° to 52° F. | |||