Dim Sum-Style Braised Deer Tripe

This requires time to prepare. You can buy beef tripe from Asian and Mexican grocers. I have even seen big packs sold at both Walmart and Sam's Club for about $5. I believe they are all bleached.

Obviously, the tripe from our deer was green tripe so it had to be cleaned and washed well. The best way to wash it (after cleaning) is to use rock salt (I just used sea salt). This will result in a grey-ish looking tripe. Without bleaching, I don't think you can get it looking white like those available commercially.

Next, boil the tripe in salted water for about 4-5 hours, with a couple of changes of salt water in between. I have to warn you that this whole process is, well strong-smelling. "Barn-y" if you will - it will STINK.

Towards the end of the boiling, the smell will dissappear and leave what I call the 'tripe-y' smell. It's hard to describe what this smell is, you'll recognize it if you've grown up eating it.

After boiling, allow to cool and slice it into thin strips.

The following it revised from a braised beef recipe I found online. You can follow the ingredients exactly from that recipe but I used what I had on hand.

Since I had neither Hoisin sauce nor much soy sauce left, this is my version of the recipe.

Ingredients

Deer (or beef) tripe, cleaned, cooked and sliced thin

Oil  

Sauce

Dark soy sauce

Black bean sauce or paste

Sugar

Honey

Molasses

Shaoxing Wine (or dry sherry)

A few drops of Sriracha chili sauce 

Garlic powder

Garlic, peeled and minced

1 star anise

Black whole peppercorns

Five spice powder

Carrots, peeled and chopped

Chicken Stock

Salt

Corn starch (for thickening)

Cilantro (for garnish)

Method

Saute the tripe in hot oil in a dutch oven. Add the black bean sauce/paste and mix well. Add the chicken stock and the rest of the ingredients except the salt and corn starch. 

Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 4-5 hours. When everything is cooked and soft, add salt if necessary. To thicken the gravy, add water to corn starch in a separate bowl (never add corn starch to water as it will be VERY difficult to mix).  Mix until you get a paste. Add it to the stew and allow it to simmer until thickened.

Serve over rice or egg noodles and garnish with cilantro.