Mexican Menudo

Name: Mexican Menudo
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 3 h 30 min
Total time: 4 h
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 10 cups water; 1 large onion; 1 head garlic; 5 plants cilantro; 1 tablespoon black peppercorns; 2 whole bay leaf; 1 teaspoon cumin seeds; 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano; 4 chiles de árbol; 3 tablespoons kosher salt; 2 tablespoons vinegar; 115 grams guajillo chile; 3 cups white hominy; 2 tablespoons vinegar; 2 tablespoons cane sugar; 2 cloves garlic; 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano; ½ teaspoon cumin

User Reviews

4.5

66 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
3 hrs 30 mins
Total Time
4 hrs
Servings
8 servings
Calories
212 kcal
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
Mexican

Mexican Menudo

Iris Warren

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Mexican Menudo is a traditional tripe soup slow-simmered in a flavorful broth infused with guajillo chiles, hominy, and a blend of spices including cumin, oregano, and bay leaves. The preparation includes thoroughly cleaning the tripe and pig trotters before simmering them for several hours to develop rich, tender meat and a spicy, aromatic broth.

Description

This Menudo recipe uses honeycomb tripe and pig trotters as the main protein components, simmered in a broth seasoned with onion, garlic, cilantro stems and roots, bay leaves, cumin seeds, Mexican oregano, chiles de árbol, and vinegar. After an initial blanching and cleansing of the tripe, the ingredients are slowly cooked together for about three hours to tenderize the tripe and allow the flavors to meld.

Guajillo chile and hominy are added to the soup, along with additional spices and sugar to balance the heat and acidity. The final dish is a hearty, spicy soup with tender tripe and soft hominy that serves as a traditional Mexican delicacy often enjoyed on special occasions or to comfort.

Special attention is paid to preparing the tripe correctly—if bleached, it requires soaking to remove chlorine taste; if unbleached, thorough cleaning is essential. The slow simmer is critical for breaking down the tripe and developing deep flavors. Vinegar helps tenderize the meat and brightens the broth.

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Ingredients

Servings

for braising liquid

10 cups water
1 large onion (sliced)
1 head garlic (smashed)
5 plants cilantro (stems and roots only)
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
2 whole bay leaf
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
4 chiles de árbol (small spicy red)
3 tablespoons kosher salt (halve if using table salt)
2 tablespoons vinegar

for menudo

115 grams guajillo chile dried
3 cups white hominy cooked
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons cane sugar or piloncillo, evaporated
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
½ teaspoon cumin ground

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Instructions

Keep Screen Awake

If your tripe has been bleached (white color), soak it in a couple changes of cold water for a few hours to get rid of the chlorine smell. If you are using unbleached tripe (grey or greenish brown), thoroughly clean it under cold water and remove any extra fat on the smooth side.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil then add 900 grams honeycomb tripe and 2 pig trotters. Boil for about 5 minutes then drain, discarding the water, and wash the tripe and foot clean of any brown gunk that's collected on the surface.
Wash the pot out and return the cleaned tripe and trotter to the pot then add 10 cups water, 1 large onion, 1 head garlic, 5 plants cilantro, 1 tablespoon black peppercorns, 2 whole bay leaves, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano, 4 chiles de árbol, 3 tablespoons kosher salt, and 2 tablespoons vinegar. Cover and bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to low and simmer for 3 hours. Turn off the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature.
Remove the tripe and brush off any spices or brown stuff. Slice it into ½" x 2" strips. Remove the trotters, clean and strip off the meat and tendon then roughly chop. Strain the stock through a double mesh strainer into a bowl and press on the solids. Wash out the pot and add the chopped tripe and trotter back into the pot.
Place the oven rack in the lower middle position and preheat to 350 degrees F. Tear 115 grams dried guajillo chiles open and discard the stems and seeds. Flatten the dried chilies on a foil lined baking sheet then spritz with cooking spray. Put the chilies in the oven for about 5 minutes or until you start smelling sweet and peppery, be careful not to burn them. Remove them from the oven and cover with very hot tap water and allow them to rehydrate (about 15-20 minutes).
Drain the chilies and put them in a blender with about half the stock. Puree until smooth, adding more stock if needed. Strain the chili mixture through a double mesh strainer into the pot with the tripe and trotters. Once you have strained the chili mixture, pour the rest of the stock through the strainer into the pot, pressing on any remaining solids.
If you are using frozen hominy, measure out 3 cups cooked white hominy into the pot. If you are using canned hominy, wash and soak in cold water to get rid of the "canned" taste. Add 2 tablespoons vinegar, 2 tablespoons evaporated cane sugar, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, and lightly salt to taste and simmer uncovered for about an hour, until the tripe has taken on the color of the chilies and the soup is nice and thick. Check once last time for salt and augment if needed.
It's best if you let it rest overnight for the flavors to mingle, but you can also eat it right away. Serve with tortillas, chopped sweet onions, cilantro and lots of lime.

Notes

Soak bleached tripe in multiple water changes to remove chlorine smell before cooking.
Clean unbleached tripe well under cold water, removing excess fat to reduce off-flavors.
Simmer tripe and pig trotters slowly for several hours to achieve tender texture.
Use guajillo chile and hominy for authentic regional flavor and texture.
Vinegar added at different stages helps balance acidity and tenderize ingredients.

Nutrition Information

Show Details

Calories 212kcal (11%) Carbohydrates 27g (9%) Protein 18g (36%) Fat 4g (6%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g (6%) Monounsaturated Fat 1g (5%) Cholesterol 26mg (9%) Sodium 2904mg (121%) Potassium 625mg (13%) Fiber 7g (28%) Sugar 11g (22%) Vitamin A 3957IU (79%) Vitamin C 8mg (9%) Calcium 73mg (7%) Iron 4mg (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 212 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories	212kcal	11%
Carbohydrates	27g	9%
Protein	18g	36%
Fat	4g	6%
Saturated Fat	1g	5%
Polyunsaturated Fat	1g	6%
Monounsaturated Fat	1g	5%
Cholesterol	26mg	9%
Sodium	2904mg	121%
Potassium	625mg	13%
Fiber	7g	28%
Sugar	11g	22%
Vitamin A	3957IU	79%
Vitamin C	8mg	9%
Calcium	73mg	7%
Iron	4mg	22%