Chitlins
/ˈtʃɪtlɪnz/
nounB2
Definition
Chitlins are the small intestines of a pig that people clean carefully and cook to eat. They are often boiled, fried, or stewed and are a traditional dish in some Southern American and soul food cooking. The taste and smell can be strong and unusual for those who have not tried them.
Was this helpful?
⚡ See It in Action
Food made from pig intestines, cleaned and cooked
- •My grandmother made delicious chitlins for the family reunion.
- •Chitlins are a traditional dish served at many Southern holiday meals.
- •Some people say chitlins have a strong smell, but they taste good when cooked right.
(Informal) Sometimes used to refer to small or insignificant things, but this is rare and mostly cultural slang
- •He called those small problems "chitlins," meaning they were not important.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "chitlins" like "sausages," but made from pig intestines instead of meat stuffed inside a casing.
- ✓Picture a pot of boiling food with small, folded pieces of meat that look like tubes or ropes.
- ✓It’s the feeling of trying a very old family recipe that smells strong but tastes good to many people.
- ✓Sounds like "CHIT-linz" → Imagine little "chits" or pieces of meat all linked together like a chain.
- ✓In stories or movies about Southern cooking, chitlins often appear as a special dish that shows culture and tradition.
- ✓NOT like "bacon" (which is pork belly and crispy), chitlins are soft and chewy with a different texture.
- ✓NOT like "liver" (a solid organ), chitlins are tubes and need special cleaning before cooking.
- ✓NOT like "hot dog" (processed and mild), chitlins have a strong, unique flavor and smell.
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Tripe: the stomach lining of a cow, also eaten as food (Use when talking about another kind of edible animal organ)
- •Offal: general term for animal organs used as food (Use in formal or broad contexts about animal parts eaten)
- •Intestines: the internal tubes in animals (Use when referring to the raw organ, not the cooked dish)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Word parts: "chitlins" is a variation of "chitterlings," which is the original term
- •Etymology: From English dialect word "chitterlings," meaning pig intestines used as food
- •Historical development: The word "chitterlings" appeared in English in the 1700s, shortened to "chitlins" in American English, especially in Southern regions
- •Modern usage: Mostly used to describe the food dish of cooked pig intestines, common in Southern U.S. and soul food culture
- •Interesting fact: Chitlins are often prepared during holidays and family gatherings as a traditional dish
💭 Reflect & Connect
•How do cultural traditions influence which foods people enjoy or avoid, like chitlins?
•What feelings or memories might people have when eating traditional dishes such as chitlins?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.Chitlins are made by cleaning pig ___ very carefully before cooking.
2.People often prepare chitlins by boiling or ___ them to reduce the strong smell.
3.Unlike bacon, chitlins have a ___ texture and flavor that some find unusual.
4.Chitlins are a ___ food in Southern United States culture and soul food traditions.
5.When cooking chitlins, it is important to ___ the intestines well to make them safe to eat.
6.The smell of chitlins can be strong, so many people cook them ___ for a long time.
7.Chitlins are different from tripe because tripe comes from the ___ of a cow, not pig intestines.