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1
Clean & Blanch the Tripe
20 Mins
Rolling boil, 100°C (212°F)
Put the tripe pieces in a large pot with cold water to cover, add the baking soda, and bring to a rolling boil. Boil hard for 10 minutes, then drain and rinse the tripe under cold water. This first boil is not wasted effort — it carries away the strong smell and any impurities, and it is what makes the final broth taste clean rather than gamey.
Always start the tripe in cold water and change the water after blanching; boiling it in the same water it was cleaned in leaves the off-flavours in the soup.
Done when: The tripe smells mild and clean, and the blanching water runs clear when drained.
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2
Pressure-Cook the Tripe Tender
45 Mins
Pressure cooker, about 115°C (239°F)
Return the blanched tripe to a clean pressure cooker with the 3 litres of fresh cold water. Lock the lid and cook under pressure for about 45 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally. Lift out the tripe and set it aside; keep the cooking liquid — it is already a light, gelatinous broth and it becomes the base of the soup.
A pressure cooker is the Antioquian shortcut: on the hob the same tripe needs 2 to 2.5 hours of gentle simmering. Either way, test a piece — it should cut easily with a spoon.
Done when: A piece of tripe yields to a spoon and chews soft, with just a little spring left.
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3
Build the Golden Hogao
15 Mins
Medium heat, about 175°C (350°F)
While the tripe cooks, warm the oil in a wide pan over medium heat and stir in the ground annatto until the oil turns deep gold. Cook the scallions, onion and garlic for 5 minutes until soft and fragrant, then add the diced tomatoes and cook 8 more minutes until they break down into a thick paste. Stir in the cumin and black pepper. The hogao should be golden, not red — the tomato is there for body, the achiote is there for colour.
Let the hogao cook until the oil separates at the edges of the pan — that is the sign it is done and the broth will take on its golden colour and depth.
Done when: The hogao is thick, dark gold and fragrant, with the tomatoes fully broken down.
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4
Simmer Tripe, Pork & Chorizo
45 Mins
Gentle simmer, about 95°C (203°F)
Put the tender tripe back into its cooking liquid in a large pot, add the pork chunks and the sliced chorizo, and scrape in the whole hogao. Add half the salt, bring to a gentle simmer — never a hard boil — and cook 45 minutes, topping up with hot water if the level drops below the meat. The pork should be spoon-tender and the broth a clear, shining gold.
Keep the simmer gentle: tripe and pork rushed at a boil turn rubbery, while a low simmer keeps them meltingly soft.
Done when: The pork cuts easily with a spoon, the chorizo is plump, and the broth is golden and savoury.
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5
Add Potatoes, Peas & Beans
30 Mins
Gentle simmer, about 95°C (203°F)
Stir the white potatoes and carrots into the pot first — they need the longest — and simmer 10 minutes. Then add the yellow potatoes, green beans and peas and simmer 20 minutes more, until the white potatoes are tender and the yellow potatoes are just starting to break at the edges and thicken the broth. Stir in half the chopped cilantro in the last 5 minutes. Taste and add the remaining salt a pinch at a time; the broth should be savoury and warmly spiced, with the cumin in the background.
Adding the vegetables in two waves is what keeps the soup chunky: everything finishes at the same time, and the yellow potatoes melt just enough to give the broth body without turning it to mush.
Done when: A fork slides into the white potato and carrot with no resistance, and the broth has thickened slightly.
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6
Rest & Serve the Antioquian Way
10 Mins
Serve steaming hot, above 74°C (165°F)
Take the pot off the heat and let it rest 10 minutes so the flavours settle and the broth clears slightly. Ladle the soup into deep bowls, making sure each serving gets tripe, pork, chorizo and potato. Scatter the remaining cilantro over each bowl and serve with lime wedges, white rice, sliced avocado and a warm arepa on the side — a spoonful of rice stirred into the soup is the Antioquian way to eat it.
The rest matters: a soup served the second it leaves the boil tastes flat, while ten quiet minutes lets the salt, cumin and achiote bloom into the broth.
Done when: Each bowl is steaming hot, generously filled with tripe, pork and potato, and bright with fresh cilantro.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve steaming hot with white rice, sliced avocado and a warm arepa on the side, plus lime wedges and a little Colombian aji for those who want heat — spoon some rice into the soup, squeeze the lime over the bowl, and eat the arepa alongside to soak up the golden broth.
Colombia
2h
