This Classic Soul Food Was Aretha Franklin's Absolute Favorite

Aretha Franklin was the Queen of Soul for a reason. She received 18 Grammy Awards and the Presidential Medal of Freedom over the course of her career. Her voice made her music royalty, but she never forgot her roots. When it came to food, she had a passion for soul food, especially one dish that's rare to find outside the South. In 1967, Franklin told Ebony magazine that chitterlings, sometimes known as chitlins, were her favorite food. On the side? She enjoyed some "hot water cornbread and greens or ham."

Chitlins are the large intestines of pigs, though in some dishes, people may swap in veal or lamb intestines. They need to be very thoroughly cleaned before they can be eaten. They are usually slow-cooked or fried, but cleaning them takes a long time and can be unpleasant due to the smell and mess. Remember, this is the intestine we're talking about, so there's nothing good in there. However, when they are prepared correctly, they're considered a beloved staple of many soul food meals. Their subtle pork flavor allows the seasonings and sauces in which they're cooked to come through strongly.

Chitterlings tend to be a little chewy, which is why slow cooking is often used to prepare them. When fried, the outside can become crisp, though the inside stays chewy. Franklin never said how she personally liked to cook her chitterlings, but we do know she handled the job herself.

Chitlins were a staple of Aretha Franklin's diet and something she was happy to joke about. After singing "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)" before an audience in 1971, Franklin quipped, "Good thing I ate chitlins this morning," per Wolfgang's. That concert, and that specific song, has been regarded as a powerhouse performance in more than one review, and Franklin's chitlin joke seems to be acknowledging that they helped her perform. She'd regularly pick them up in her hometown of Detroit at the Gourmet Food Center, dropping in with a pair of bodyguards. 

Unfortunately for Franklin, by 2008, she had to give up eating chitterlings, as she explained in an interview with NPR. Although her love for them likely remained, she said she gave them up for health reasons. She was worried about her weight, and also suggested that chitlins were causing issues with her blood pressure. She even referenced it on her 2008 Christmas album, delivering a line in the song "This Christmas" about giving them up. At the end, Franklin tells an unheard caller not to expect chitlins at dinner because they almost killed her the year before.

Franklin likely continued to cook and enjoy other favorites, including collard greens. Not only did she mention those in her Ebony interview, but she was on record discussing how she made a hickory barbecue sauce, ham hocks, banana pudding, and quite a bit more. She even planned to pen a cookbook at one point. Regardless of her diet and how it may have changed over the years, a soul food dinner hosted by Franklin must have been an unforgettable experience.