Ciorbă de Burtă

Ciorbă de Burtă (Romanian Beef Tripe Sour Soup)

A classic Romanian restorative soup featuring tender beef tripe in a soured, garlicky broth thickened with egg yolk and cream, traditionally served with extra vinegar and hot chili on the side.

Prep

25 min

Cook

180 min

Total

205 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •1.5 kg (3¼ lb) beef tripe (honeycomb or blanket), cleaned and pre-bleached if not done by the butcher; ask for 'burtă' specifically
• •1 kg (2¼ lb) beef bones (marrow or knuckle), for the broth, or substitute beef shank
• •2 L (8½ cups) cold water
• •1 medium onion, whole, peeled
• •1 medium carrot, whole, peeled
• •1 small celery root, or 2 celery stalks
• •2 tbsp salt, plus more to taste
• •10 whole black peppercorns
• •2 whole bay leaves
• •60 ml (¼ cup) white vinegar, more for serving
• •8 large cloves garlic, minced into a paste; Romanian cooks use a generous amount
• •3 large egg yolks, at room temperature
• •250 ml (1 cup) sour cream (smântână), full-fat; Greek yogurt is the closest substitute but will be tangier
• •1 fresh hot red chili pepper, such as ardei iute, sliced, for serving

Steps

1. 1 Place the tripe and beef bones in a large pot, cover with cold water, bring to a boil, and drain. This first blanching removes impurities. Rinse the tripe and bones under cold water and clean the pot.
2. 2 Return the tripe and bones to the clean pot and add 2 L (8½ cups) cold water, the whole onion, carrot, celery root, 1 tbsp salt, peppercorns, and bay leaves. Bring slowly to a gentle simmer, skimming foam as needed.
3. 3 Simmer partially covered for 2½ to 3 hours, until the tripe is tender enough that a fork slides in easily and a paring knife meets no resistance. The tripe should be melt-in-the-mouth, not chewy.
4. 4 Remove the tripe and let it cool slightly, then cut it into thin strips about 4–5 cm long. Strain the broth (you should have about 1.5 L / 6¼ cups); discard the bones and vegetables.
5. 5 Return the broth to the pot, add the sliced tripe and the remaining 1 tbsp salt. Bring to a gentle simmer.
6. 6 Meanwhile, prepare the liaison: in a bowl whisk the egg yolks with the sour cream until smooth. Slowly ladle about 250 ml (1 cup) of hot broth into the yolk-cream mixture, whisking constantly to temper it. This step prevents the eggs from scrambling.
7. 7 Stir the minced garlic and 60 ml (¼ cup) vinegar into the tempered liaison, then pour the mixture back into the pot with the tripe. Stir gently and warm for 2–3 minutes over very low heat. Do not let the soup boil after the liaison is added, or it will curdle.
8. 8 Taste and adjust salt and vinegar; the soup should be distinctly tangy. Serve hot in deep bowls, passing extra vinegar and the sliced fresh chili at the table so each diner seasons to taste.