Authentic Haitian BÉGA: Step-by-Step Cow Hive Cooking Tutorial

cornmeal

🥗Healthier: quinoa

💰Cheaper: polenta

Quinoa adds protein and fiber while polenta is a budget-friendly substitute.

butter

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Olive oil is healthier with good fats, while margarine is often less expensive.

cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: processed cheese

Nutritional yeast offers a cheesy flavor without dairy, while processed cheese is cheaper.

scallions

🥗Healthier: chives

💰Cheaper: onion

Chives provide a similar flavor with fewer calories, while onion is a more economical option.

Clean the cowhide by scrubbing it with sour orange juice, vinegar, and lemon juice.

Cut the cleaned cowhide into smaller pieces.

Rinse the cowhide multiple times to ensure it is squeaky clean.

In a pot, season the cowhide with chicken bouillon, beef bouillon, Old Bay seasoning, and olive oil.

Add red cooking wine, bitter orange juice, Creole mojo seasoning, and baking powder to the pot.

Add all spice, fresh thyme, onion, red bell pepper, scallion, parsley, scotch bonnet pepper, and peppercorns.

Cover the pot and let it steam on low heat for 20-30 minutes without adding water.

After steaming, add water to the pot and continue cooking on low heat for about 2.5 hours, adding more water as necessary and adjusting seasoning.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens