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Dobrada is a traditional Portuguese tripe stew known for its hearty depth and satisfying richness. Made from slow cooked beef tripe with beans and smoky cured meats, it is a dish that rewards patience and brings warmth to the table.
It is especially beloved in northern Portugal, often served in generous portions that invite lingering over a long meal. The flavours are bold yet balanced, and the texture is as much a part of its appeal as the taste itself.
While rooted in rustic cooking, Dobrada carries a sense of celebration. Its slow preparation and complex layers make it a dish often enjoyed when family and friends gather to share more than just food.
What Is Dobrada?
Dobrada is prepared using beef tripe, carefully cleaned and simmered until tender. It is combined with white beans, onions, carrots, and cured meats such as chouriço and presunto, all cooked together in a seasoned broth.
The tripe is cut into strips and stewed gently, allowing the flavours to meld over time. The beans absorb the savoury broth, while the cured meats add smokiness and depth, making each spoonful full of character.
Typically served with crusty bread or rice, it is a dish designed to be both filling and comforting. Its richness and texture make it a memorable part of Portugal’s culinary heritage.
Ingredients and Taste
The foundation of Dobrada is beef tripe, which provides a tender yet slightly chewy texture. White beans give the dish body and help carry the flavours of the broth, creating a balance between heartiness and smoothness.
Chouriço and presunto contribute a smoky and savoury note that deepens as the stew cooks. Vegetables such as onions, carrots, and sometimes tomatoes bring natural sweetness that offsets the richness of the meats.
Seasonings are simple yet purposeful, often including bay leaves, garlic, and paprika. The flavour is robust, with layers of smokiness, gentle sweetness, and earthy warmth, creating a stew that feels both rustic and satisfying.
A Taste of History
Dobrada has long been part of northern Portuguese cooking, particularly in Porto. It is said to have gained prominence during the Age of Discoveries, when the best cuts of meat were reserved for sailors, leaving locals to make use of what remained.
Tripe was transformed into something special by pairing it with beans and smoked meats, creating a dish that was both economical and deeply flavourful. This ingenuity turned necessity into a beloved tradition.
Over the centuries, Dobrada became more than a practical meal. It evolved into a dish tied to local identity, celebrated in restaurants and home kitchens alike, often prepared for gatherings and special occasions.
Today, it remains a symbol of Porto’s resilience and creativity in cooking. Each serving carries history in its broth, telling the story of a city and a people who know how to turn humble ingredients into something lasting.
How to Make Dobrada (Tripe Stew)
Dobrada is a slow cooked Portuguese stew of beef tripe, beans, and smoky cured meats. Its rich aroma comes from a base of onions, garlic, and paprika, with tender textures developed through gentle simmering. This is a hearty, comforting dish best enjoyed with crusty bread. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions
Ingredients
For the stew
- 1 kg beef tripe (honeycomb and book tripe mixed), cleaned and cut into 5 cm strips
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 250 g dried white beans (soaked overnight)
- 200 g chouriço sausage, sliced into rounds
- 150 g smoked bacon, diced
- 2 medium onions, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 medium carrots, sliced into rounds
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp sweet paprika
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 large ripe tomato, peeled and chopped
- 1 litre beef stock (plus more if needed)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the tripe
To begin, place the tripe in a large pot with water, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, simmer for 10 minutes, then drain and rinse. This step removes strong odours and tenderises the meat. Proceed to cooking beans.
Step 2: Cook the beans
Drain the soaked beans and place in a pot with fresh water. Simmer until just tender, about 40 minutes. Drain and set aside. Continue to preparing the flavour base.
Step 3: Build the flavour base
Heat olive oil in a large, heavy based pot over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, and bay leaves, cooking until onions soften and turn translucent. Transition to adding meats.
Step 4: Add cured meats
Stir in diced bacon and sliced chouriço. Cook for 5 minutes, allowing their oils and smokiness to release into the base. Move to incorporating seasoning.
Step 5: Season and add tomato
Add sweet paprika and tomato paste, stirring to coat the mixture. Follow with chopped tomato and cook until softened and blended into the sauce. Prepare for adding tripe.
Step 6: Add tripe and stock
Place the blanched tripe into the pot. Pour in the beef stock, ensuring the tripe is submerged. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Proceed to the slow cooking stage.
Step 7: Slow cook the tripe
Cover and simmer over low heat for 1½ hours, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of stock if the liquid reduces too much. Prepare to add beans and carrots.
Step 8: Add beans and carrots
Stir in the pre-cooked beans and sliced carrots. Continue simmering uncovered for 30 minutes until the carrots are tender and the sauce has thickened slightly. Adjust seasoning.
Step 9: Rest before serving
Turn off the heat and allow the stew to rest for 10 minutes to deepen flavours. Move to plating.
Final Step: Serve hot
Serve Dobrada in deep bowls, garnished with chopped parsley. Offer crusty bread on the side for soaking up the rich sauce. Presentation tip: Arrange a few slices of chouriço on top for colour contrast.
Variations and substitutions
- Tripe substitutes: Use beef shin or oxtail if tripe is not available.
- Beans: Cannellini or butter beans can replace traditional Portuguese white beans.
- Chouriço: Spanish chorizo can be used if authentic Portuguese chouriço is unavailable.
- Bacon: Smoked pancetta makes a good alternative.
Cooking Tips for Perfect Dobrada
- Clean tripe thoroughly with lemon and salt to remove any residual odour.
- Use a heavy based pot for even heat distribution during long simmering.
- Add beans later in the cooking process to prevent them from breaking apart.
- Let the stew rest before serving to allow flavours to meld.
Portuguese Dobrada (Tripe Stew)
Ingredients
- 1 kg beef tripe honeycomb and book tripe mixed, cleaned and cut into 5 cm strips
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 250 g dried white beans soaked overnight
- 200 g chouriço sausage sliced into rounds
- 150 g smoked bacon diced
- 2 medium onions finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 medium carrots sliced into rounds
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp sweet paprika
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 large ripe tomato peeled and chopped
- 1 litre beef stock plus more if needed
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- To begin, place the tripe in a large pot with water, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, simmer for 10 minutes, then drain and rinse. This step removes strong odours and tenderises the meat. Proceed to cooking beans.
- Drain the soaked beans and place in a pot with fresh water. Simmer until just tender, about 40 minutes. Drain and set aside. Continue to preparing the flavour base.
- Heat olive oil in a large, heavy based pot over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, and bay leaves, cooking until onions soften and turn translucent. Transition to adding meats.
- Stir in diced bacon and sliced chouriço. Cook for 5 minutes, allowing their oils and smokiness to release into the base. Move to incorporating seasoning.
- Add sweet paprika and tomato paste, stirring to coat the mixture. Follow with chopped tomato and cook until softened and blended into the sauce. Prepare for adding tripe.
- Place the blanched tripe into the pot. Pour in the beef stock, ensuring the tripe is submerged. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Proceed to the slow cooking stage.
- Cover and simmer over low heat for 1½ hours, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of stock if the liquid reduces too much. Prepare to add beans and carrots.
- Stir in the pre-cooked beans and sliced carrots. Continue simmering uncovered for 30 minutes until the carrots are tender and the sauce has thickened slightly. Adjust seasoning.
- Turn off the heat and allow the stew to rest for 10 minutes to deepen flavours. Move to plating.
- Serve Dobrada in deep bowls, garnished with chopped parsley. Offer crusty bread on the side for soaking up the rich sauce. Presentation tip: Arrange a few slices of chouriço on top for colour contrast.
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