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Published on September 12, 2005 By dharmagrl In Misc

When I was a little girl, my dad used to procure fresh pork chitterlings from the local butcher and my mum would fry them up for Saturday tea (that's dinner, to you Americans).  I remember really enjoying them.

Since I've been over here I haven't had chitlings, and my dad really enjoys teasing me about that.  Last weekend he and I were talking about food and I mentioned that I'd seen some frozen chitterlings at the store.  he said that they were just as good frozen as they were fresh, and that I should get some and have a go at cooking them.

So I did, and today at lunchtime sounded like as good a time as any to fry some up.

I forgot how bad they smell.  Dave was home for lunch when I started them in the skillet, and he came into the kitchen to ask what smelled like frying pig shit.  Once he saw what I was cooking he decided that he was going back to work. 

Now that I've cooked then, I'm not sure I can eat them.  They smell REALLY bad.....not appetizing in the slightest.  Even the dog's not interested in them, and he eats cat turds out of the litter box.

I think that my chitterlings are going to go in the garbage.  They're just not as I remember them....in fact, I'd have to say that they're pretty gross.  They're pig guts, after all.....


Comments
on Sep 12, 2005
Hmmmmmmm... never tried them, and sure am not anxious to do so now...!

I used to love chicken livers. Is that a southern thing? I'm from NH, but I think it was when living in VA that this became part of my diet. Anyway, I probably would still love the taste of them, but each time I even THINK about buying them, my wonderful husband feels the need to point out just what it is the liver does for the body. Appetite curbed. C'est la vie.
on Sep 12, 2005
I have not had Chitlins, but I have had the Cows version (My BIL makes some greeat ones).  I heard they were Nasty, but apparently people love them down here.
on Sep 12, 2005
Maybe it is an British/Irish thing... like Steak and Kidney pie.
on Sep 12, 2005

I used to love chicken livers. Is that a southern thing?

I don't think so.  I used to eat chicken livers AND gizzards too.  I also like cow liver...in fact, I had some liver and onions for supper on Saturday!

Yeah, I wouldn't recommened chitlins to you.  The smell alone is enough to make a person gag.  Dave's got a pretty strong stomach, but these literally sent him running out of the house.  He usually departs via the kitchen door, but today he went out the front door and walked around so he wouldn't have to walk through the haze of fried pig-poo smell.

I have not had Chitlins, but I have had the Cows version

Hmm.....after today, I think I'm done with any animal guts.  Tripe, chitlins, kidney, gizzards.....the only thing I'm going to eat is liver.

on Sep 12, 2005


Reply By: historyisherePosted: Monday, September 12, 2005
Maybe it is an British/Irish thing... like Steak and Kidney pie.

Well, my parents survived WWII in England where everything was rationed and you had to improvise to survive.  My grandparents used to have a little homestead...they kept chickens, grew their own veggies and had a pig.  They'd get it as a piglet, fatten it up, then slaughter it.  my grandma used to say the only thing you couldn't eat on a pig was it's squeal....I remember vividly going over to their house when I was small and lifting the lid off a pot that was simmering on the range - and being confronted with a whole pigs head, ears, eyes, teeth and all cooking away inside. Ick.

I like steak and kidney pie too....in fact, I'm making a steak and onion pie from scratch for supper tonight.  Nobody else will eat kidney (and I'm not sure I'd even know where to get any) or else I'd think about putting some in it.

on Sep 12, 2005

the only thing I'm going to eat is liver.

I love gizzards (and hearts), but not livers!  Guck!

on Sep 12, 2005
I used to love chicken livers.


Me too! Eat 'em all the time. Another country boy favorite: frog legs, and calf fries! Yummm....
on Sep 12, 2005
frog legs, and calf fries!


Blech!
on Sep 12, 2005
Another country boy favorite: frog legs, and calf fries


Stick to french fries.....heh heh heh..........

I'm from the south, and there's still people that look at me funny for eating gizzards or pork rinds. At least I don't drink buttermilk. Bleck!

P.S. Chicken livers are alright, but you have to have them with salt and hot sauce or the aftertaste will kill ya.
on Sep 12, 2005
Once again it is Bill Cosby who has the best line on the topic:

Link ;~D