Flaki

Flaki (Polish Tripe Soup)

A traditional Polish beef tripe soup, slow-simmered with root vegetables and aromatic marjoram for a hearty, peppery comfort dish.

Prep

30 min

Cook

180 min

Total

210 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •1500 g (3 lb 5 oz) beef tripe (honeycomb), pre-cleaned and partially cooked if available; otherwise raw
• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) beef shank or short rib, bone-in, for flavor and richness
• •250 g (9 oz) beef marrow bones, optional, for deeper body
• •3 L (3 quarts) cold water, plus more as needed
• •1 large onion, halved
• •2 medium carrots, 1 whole for stock, 1 diced for soup
• •2 ribs celery, 1 whole stalk for stock, 1 diced for soup
• •1 small parsnip, optional, diced
• •1 tsp whole allspice berries
• •2 whole bay leaves
• •10 whole black peppercorns
• •2 tbsp dried marjoram, essential for authentic flavor
• •2 tsp sweet paprika
• •1 tsp ground nutmeg
• •2 tbsp all-purpose flour, for thickening
• •60 ml (¼ cup) heavy cream or soured cream, optional, for richness
• •1 tbsp salt, to taste
• •1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, generously, to taste
• •30 g (2 tbsp) butter
• •1 small handful fresh parsley or lovage, chopped, for garnish
• •rustic bread, to taste, for serving

Steps

1. 1 Rinse the tripe thoroughly under cold running water. If using raw tripe, place it in a large pot, cover with cold water, bring to a boil, and simmer 10 minutes; drain and rinse. This first blanch removes odors.
2. 2 Place the blanched tripe, beef shank, and marrow bones back in the pot with 3 L cold water. Add the halved onion, 1 whole carrot, 1 celery stalk, allspice, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Slowly bring to a simmer, skimming any foam.
3. 3 Simmer gently, partially covered, for 2 to 2½ hours, until the tripe is tender enough to pierce easily with a fork and the beef shank is falling off the bone. Top up with hot water as needed to keep ingredients submerged.
4. 4 Remove the tripe and beef shank from the pot. Strain the broth through a fine sieve into another pot; discard the stock vegetables and bones (or strip meat from bones for the soup). The tripe is fully cooked when it cuts cleanly with no resistance and registers an internal temperature of at least 85°C / 185°F.
5. 5 When the tripe is cool enough to handle, cut it into thin strips about 4 cm long and 5 mm wide. Shred the beef shank meat into bite-sized pieces.
6. 6 In a clean pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced carrot, diced celery, and parsnip; sauté 6 to 8 minutes until softened but not browned.
7. 7 Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir for 1 minute to cook out the raw taste. Pour in the strained broth while whisking to prevent lumps. Add the tripe strips and shredded beef.
8. 8 Bring the soup to a gentle simmer. Stir in the marjoram, paprika, nutmeg, salt, and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper — flaki should be distinctly peppery.
9. 9 Simmer uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes to meld the flavors and thicken slightly. Stir occasionally. If the soup becomes too thick, loosen with a little water or beef stock.
10. 10 Taste and adjust salt and pepper; flaki is traditionally served quite peppery. Stir in the cream if using, or serve with sour cream alongside.
11. 11 Ladle into bowls, garnish with chopped parsley or lovage, and serve hot with chunks of rustic bread for dunking.