Guatita: Ecuadorian tripe stew
User Reviews
4.8
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Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
2 hrs 30 mins
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Total Time
3 hrs
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
South American, Ecuadorian
Guatita: Ecuadorian tripe stew
Description
Guatita: Ecuadorian tripe stew centers around beef tripe that is thoroughly cleaned, lemon-treated, and simmered with cilantro, garlic, and cumin until tender. The tripe is then diced and simmered with diced potatoes in a creamy sauce made by blending peanut butter softened in milk, a refrito of butter, annatto, onions, bell pepper, tomato, garlic, cumin, and oregano, along with reserved tripe broth and additional milk to create a smooth, thick consistency. This stew is richly flavored, combining the earthiness of tripe with the nuttiness of peanut butter and the brightness of aromatics and spices.
The cooking process relies on slow simmering to tenderize the tripe and meld flavors, resulting in a stew with a creamy texture and mild seasoning balance. It is typically served alongside white rice and accented by sides such as pickled red onion, sliced avocado, fried ripe plantains, and lime wedges that complement its hearty richness. Aji hot sauce may be added for heat and dimension.
For those who do not enjoy tripe, alternatives like canned tuna, chicken, or seitan can be used, though the flavor and texture will vary. Preparing the refrito carefully until vegetables are translucent enriches the sauce base, giving the dish depth. The recipe reflects Ecuadorian culinary tradition and requires some time investment for tenderizing the tripe, but yields a distinctive and comforting stew.
Ingredients
To cook the tripe:
- 2 lbs beef tripe washed and cleaned
- lemon juice of 1
- 10 cups water
- 5 cilantro sprigs
- 4 garlic crushed, cloves
- 1 tsp cumin ground
To prepare the tripe stew or guatita:
- ½ cup peanut butter
- 2 cups milk
- 3 tbs butter
- 1 cup red onion about ½ red onion, diced
- 2 cups onion about 1 whole white onion, white, diced
- ½ bell pepper diced
- 1 to mato peeled, seeded and diced
- 4 garlic minced, cloves
- 2 tsp annatto powder or achiote
- 1 tsp cumin ground
- 1 tsp oregano
- 4 potato peeled and diced into small squares, medium sized
- salt
- black pepper
Recommended side dishes:
- white rice
- red onion pickled
- tomato slices
- avocado slices
- aji hot sauce
- plantains fried, ripe
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Cover the tripe with juice from half of the lemon, water and salt, let rest for 10 minutes and repeat. Rinse well the last time.
- In a large stock pot, cover the tripe with 10 cups of water, cilantro sprigs, garlic, salt, and cumin, bring to a boil, reduce temperature and simmer until tender, about 2 hours, drain and save 2 cups of the broth.
- Mix the peanut butter with ½ cup of milk to soften it (so that it mixes in better later).
- Dice the tripe into small pieces.
- Prepare a refrito with the butter, achiote, cumin, salt, oregano, chopped onion, bell pepper, tomato and garlic, cook until the onions are translucent and soft, about 5 minutes.
- Blend the refrito, remaining milk and peanut butter sauce to obtain a smooth sauce.
- Place the blended sauce, the 2 cups of reserved tripe broth, the diced potatoes and diced tripe in a large stockpot.
- Bring to a boil, reduce temperature and simmer until the potatoes are tender and the sauce starts to thicken, about 25 minutes.
- Lightly mash some of the potatoes to help thicken the sauce.
- Taste and add salt/pepper if needed.
- Serve with white rice, onion curtido, tomato slices, avocado slices and a good hot sauce.
Notes
- Use fresh lemon juice to clean and prepare the tripe thoroughly to reduce any strong odors.
- Simmer the tripe gently for about two hours or until very tender before proceeding to the stew.
- Blend the peanut butter with milk before adding it to the stew to ensure a smooth sauce without lumps.
- Prepare the refrito carefully by cooking vegetables until translucent, enhancing the stew's flavor.
- Serve guatita hot with white rice and traditional Ecuadorian sides like fried plantains and pickled onions.
- Alternative proteins such as canned tuna, chicken, or seitan can substitute tripe for different textures and tastes.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
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