I know I've been going off topic lately, covering everything from baseball to my travels, but I assure you this post isn't about that 80's boy band that incubated the likes of Ricky Martin. This Menudo recipe hits your palate like a great Mariachi ensemble hits your ears: classic, harmonious, and full of soul. Menudo is piquant, hearty, and comforting; the perfect recovery food after a long night spent throwing back cervezas.
To be totally honest, I'm not a huge fan of offal. The strong minerally taste of liver and kidney keep those organs off my plate and out of my kitchen. Beef tripe is a different animal though (figuratively if not literally) and when prepared properly it's downright mild in comparison to other organ meats.
Like in many cultures, Menudo's origins are rooted in the fact that offal was considered a garbage cut and was thus very cheap. This made it a good source of protein for the masses. Today, there are many regional variations, but most include tripe , which are the stomachs (yes they have more than one) of ruminant animals.
I've used a combination of honeycomb tripe (cow's stomachs) along with pig trotters (pork feet), for a rich collagen laden broth. By soaking, par boiling then braising the tripe for hours in an aromatic broth, all but the faintest traces of the stomach's former contents are eliminated. The slow braise converts the connective tissues into gelatin and the naturally spongy structure of the tripe help it absorb all the good flavors in the cooking liquid.
While they may not look it, the trotters are quite tame in comparison to tripe and have started showing up on menus all over the country. In New York City, there's even a Japanese restaurant that specializes in pig trotters. When cooked for a long time, they create a wonderful stock, and the connective tissue and cartilage soften to a jelly like consistency that makes this Mexican Menudo recipe creamy, rich and fulfilling. After the bones are removed and the meat is cut up, you really wouldn't know what it was unless you were looking for it.
The finished Menudo has a bright red color coming from the sweet dried guajillo peppers. With small bits of starchy hominy, this makes for a wonderfully satisfying all-in-one meal. To give the slow cooked stew a little freshness, and to further obscure the offal, serve this with a healthy squeeze of lime juice, onions and cilantro. The leftovers are fantastic served with scrambled eggs and tortillas, or a plate of Migas.
More Mexican Flavors
If you enjoy the chili-rich flavors of Mexican cuisine, you will love my version of Tacos Al Pastor.
📖 Recipe
Units
Ingredients
- 900 grams honeycomb tripe
- 2 pig trotters
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 leaves
- 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 dried guajillo chiles
- 3 cups cooked white hominy
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 2 tablespoons evaporated cane sugar (or piloncillo)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
Instructions
- 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.
F Patrick says
Delicious,, an acquired taste. Del barrio de
San Antonio Texas
Marc Matsumoto says
Thanks! Glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Andrew Padilla says
Love it add my own variations and it’s a hit
I add New Mexico red chile
Marc Matsumoto says
Happy to hear you've been enjoying this, and good call on using New Mexico chiles. I wish I could get them here!
Amy says
I made this several times and will not use any other recipe, plus i added to it
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Amy, I'm so happy to hear you've been enjoying this. I published this recipe almost 2 decades ago. Glad there are people still finding it useful.
Lynette G says
Excellent recipe! I appreciate the thorough instructions. I have loved menudo for years and never thought I could make it. I was skeptical of simple recipes, because I’ve eaten menudo without much flavor. This recipe tastes like authentic Mexican menudo.
Marc Matsumoto says
Thanks Lynette, I'm happy to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to let me know!
yay says
10/10 Love it. Only grip is too much vinegar
Miguel Bustamante says
This is the recipe I've been looking for. Thank you for this. Was looking at 10 other recipes that were lacking ingredients, flavor, and the method. This is the ultimate authentic recipe. Delicious!!! I'm bringing my menudo to a small gathering and I know everyone will love it. Gracias!
Marc Matsumoto says
I Miguel, I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed this, thanks for taking the time to let me know!
Joe Wilcox says
First time you’v recipe, going to try it. What to get out of my way of making it. Thought there’s got to be a better way to make it.
Pedro Ramirez says
Aye dumbass if it's greenish brown or grey I think u should throw that meat out!!!! ?
Maureen Peterson says
This looks atrocious. I''m not sure how I could even keep it down. Cow belly and pig feet ugg
Dan says
You talk to much. Get to the recipe already! And it's not that good. Ur not a Mexican are you?
Michael says
Wrong, Wrong, Wrong, just try feeding this slop to a Mexican. And watch their reaction. The ingredients are just silly.
Rolobu says
Delicious, delicious, delicious! This recipe has extra steps and takes longer but it is well worth the extra effort.
Jilly says
I've always made it without the hominy. It is amazing
ricardo says
It is also the name of the dish and amazing Especiallygreen posole, which depending on the person who cooks it, it's a bit spicier but still very flavorful.
Samantha says
Second time making this and amazing as ever. The best instructions and taste I've found trying many online Menudo recipes. Thank you so much.
Charlie Lemak says
Excellent write up. I would just suggest you try it once substituting beef hooves for the pig's feet. The beef gelatine adds a slightly different flavor. Another aspect of this is if you have enough bone with the hoof, you can dig the marrow out of the cooked bone and spread it like butter on a corn tortilla. The ultimate treat!
Niki Meeks says
sharing this on my blog - with credits of course, thanks again!
Niki Meeks says
This looks so good, I can't wait to make it. We live in Costa Rica now and we have not eaten Mexican food for over 1 year now. As native Texans, we have been craving this, and you are so right, after a long night of beer drinking, nothing works like a red hot bowl of menudo. You forgot about the fresh jalepenos:)
Lindseyauctioneers says
Menudo. Gotta love auto correct. Lol
Lindseyauctioneers says
Cold morning here in Conroe, Texas...off to HEB soon for Menu do making supplies.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Sparkle, it depends on how hungry people are and whether you're serving this as a main or along with other dishes, but it should feed 6-8 pretty comfortably.
Sparkle says
How many servings does this recipe make?
t says
How can I do this without having to put chilies in the oven. Do I just use chilli powder? How much?
Toshia Vargas says
In Spanish, the dish is called posole, but it's also the spanish word for hominy. Have you tried Amazon or other on-line retailers that ship overseas? That seems like the easiest way to find it if you don't have an international food store.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi P0PZ, it's unlikely you'll find it in NZ, hominy is a type of maize that's been dried and soaked in lye (nixtamalized), which really changes its texture. While it won't be quite the same, you could substitute chickpeas or even potatoes.
P0PZ says
hi
I live along way from mexico (almost as far away from mexico as you can get) and i have never tasted real mexican food (ive had "mexican" flavored foods from supermarkets...lol)
I'd love to try this but im stuck, im trying to find posole (hominy), i have found out from google that posole is a pork soup with hominy in it, and that hominy is a maize product.
But im under the impression that posole is another name for hominy... is that right???
if i cant find it here in New Zealand is there anything that could replace it???
cheers
P0PZ
Jesse says
Hominy is corn kernels that have been alkinized. Posole is a soup that has hominy in it. Search hominy by itself and you’ll find it
samnmini says
This is somewhat similar to the menudo I ate regularly as a teenager in southeast New Mexico (cilantro was not big in my neck of the woods in the 60's, however). The Saturday afternoon ritual was to stop at Lujan's Bakery, buy a big bag of bolillos (Mexican bread rolls) and then head over to a small hole-in-the-wall adobe restaurant (can't remember its name) with a huge soup pot which they would fill up with menudo. I will have to give your recipe a try- most of the ones I have seen to date, have not had pigs feet and I believe it to be an essential ingredient. And I am fortunate to have a bag of Hatch dried red chilies on hand.
anEizBerg says
gosh I miss Mexican food..loved it when my mom made menudo or posole on Sundays. This looks exactly like her recipe..yumm!
tuxthelux says
I bravely gave some to a friend's husband who grew up around real mexican food in the Bakersfield area and loves menudo. He's totally picky, a foodie, and a critic/"authority" on almost everything edible). He raved, said it was the best menudo he'd ever had and that means a lot to me. I think it's an incredibly wonderful recipe - WOW, thank you very much. I'm your fan.
Lindseyauctioneers says
Got a pot going right now. My wife requested it and I'm ALL IN! Gotta love that woman...and this recipe.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi David, how different is the color? Lighting could account for some of the color difference but it should be a deep dark red. I usually get my chiles from a mexican grocery store in Napa California (though I'm not sure where the chilies come from). As long as it tastes good I wouldn't worry too much about the color.
David M says
I have made this recipe with great results and awesome taste but I can never get the dark red color you achieved. I used the California dried guajillo chiles. Is there a specific type of guajillo chile I am supposed to use to get the red color.
Marc Matsumoto says
The menudo ingredients start being used in the last 4 paragraphs, the posole and other ingredients go in in the second to last paragraph.
Richard Romo says
1ST OFF SOUNDS LIKE A PERFECT RECIPE.... JUST 1 QUESTION.. I READ AND RE READ THE INSTRUCTIONS OVER N OVER MAYBE IAM JUST OVER LOOKING BUT AT WHAT POINT DO I ADD ALL THE MENUDO Ingredients...for menudo
3 C posole (hominy)
2 Tbs vinegar
2 Tbs sugar
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp Mexican oregano
1/2 tsp ground cumin.
Thomas Abraham says
My family has been making menudo for generations and we cut it up and soak it the night before and it works perfectly.
MenudoMama says
I make menudo the way my mother used to make it way back when. Out of curiosity I wanted to check online to see how others cook it. You have some very good tips! A couple of things I do differently is add a whole fresh onion instead of slicing it and take it out of the soup after its cooked. I also cut the tripe into small squares right away before cooking. I'm fortunate to get good clean cuts of tripe from our local Mexican supermarket in San Diego (Northgate market, it used to be Gonzalez market) and always ask for honeycomb cuts instead of the cheaper fatty cuts. I use a couple of packets of California red chili powder instead and add to the soup while its simmering. I also cook menudo the day before serving and refrigerate, then skim any fat from the pigs feet off the top before reheating. Note: Without pigs feet, the menudo is not as tasty. This is where a lot of restaurants cut corners and disappoint Mexican American/menudo aficionados like us. For garnishments, I serve oregano, chopped fresh onion, dried red chili, sliced lemon or lime with corn and/or flour tortillas on the side. Salud!
Marc Matsumoto says
It depends on whether you plan on serving it as an appetizer or main, but it should easily feed 4-6 people.
wendy says
How many servings does this make?
John Lindsey says
This recipe rocks. I've been using it for a while, with minor variations. (I don't measure anything) Everyone's taste varies but for the quick list basics, this it the place to start. If it taste's great, EAT IT! I'll be making this for a large group of my Mexican friends for New Years. Hey, if I can get my wife, (a good old country girl) to eat it, I must be doing something right. She loves it! Thanks for the recipe Marc.
Marilia says
Been a Menudo fan for years. This looks like a good recipe. One caveat: adding salt to the boil might make the tripe rubbery. I simmer this mix for 3-5 hours. Adding chili powder and corn meal will take this recipe to another level. When finished, your broth should resemble a golden mahogany color. Traditional fixings are salsa verde, chopped onion, lemon wedges, and a few flour tortillas.
Thomas Abraham says
This is one of the best recipe for meundo . Like the way it is presented too 🙂
Marilia says
This is one of the best recipe for meundo . Like the way it is presented too 🙂
Marc Matsumoto says
That's awesome that you found a fresh source of tripe. In the US the FDA requires meat processors to soak tripe in chlorine (bleach) to disinfect it before selling it to consumers. While the concern is nice, I can't imagine anyone eating tripe half raw, and in disinfecting the tripe, they make it smell like a swimming pool and take away all the flavor of the tripe. "Green tripe" (unprocessed) is probably what you'll end up getting, possibly with some of the cow's last meal still in it. It's going to smell really bad, and you need to wash it very well with lots of salt to get rid of the grit and stomach contents. Do a search on Google for "cleaning tripe" for tips and videos.
Jessica Schmidt says
I was introduced to Menudo about 10 years ago as a hangover remedy, and boy does it work wonders! Not only does it taste incredible, but it works faster than any headache medicine I have ever taken. We always serve it up with chopped onion, fresh cilantro and lemon or lime juice.
I have always wanted to make it from scratch, but never knew where to get the tripe. Now I work for a man that raises cows and he said that I can have all the tripe I want for free so I will be embarking on this endeavor as soon as butcher time comes!
The biggest thing that concerns me is the prep. Is there anything I need to do from Butcher to Kitchen? I don't think they will be preparing it in any way as they usually just throw it away. What should I do to make sure it's menudo-ready?
Jessica Schmidt says
I was introduced to Menudo about 10 years ago as a hangover remedy, and boy does it work wonders! Not only does it taste incredible, but it works faster than any headache medicine I have ever taken. We always serve it up with chopped onion, fresh cilantro and lemon or lime juice.
I have always wanted to make it from scratch, but never knew where to get the tripe. Now I work for a man that raises cows and he said that I can have all the tripe I want for free so I will be embarking on this endeavor as soon as butcher time comes!
The biggest thing that concerns me is the prep. Is there anything I need to do from Butcher to Kitchen? I don't think they will be preparing it in any way as they usually just throw it away. What should I do to make sure it's menudo-ready?
Apacheblue99 says
my husband is mexican and has been groaning that he wants some menudo. i found 2 seperate recipes and i'm thinking, ugh! i guess greengos don't understand. yuck!
Apacheblue99 says
my husband is mexican and has been groaning that he wants some menudo. i found 2 seperate recipes and i'm thinking, ugh! i guess greengos don't understand. yuck!
Mstae says
my Mexican mother in law is cooking this for me tonight... she told me not to google it, but i had to! I think im going to be sick
Marilia says
This is an AMAZING recipe!!! My whole family loves menudo and have eaten it since we were little, but recently, our local go-to store for menudo left us cringing when we noticed an unpleasant odor. Needless to say, this recipe will be a lifesaver when the family comes together for Easter Sunday breakfast! THANK YOU!!
p.s. Are you sure you aren't Mexican? 😀
Atownpr says
Made this exactly as the recipe called for .. It was outstanding .. Thank younfor sharing such a great recipe!
Atownpr says
Made this exactly as the recipe called for .. It was outstanding .. Thank younfor sharing such a great recipe!
Grldn_Paloma says
This recipe is hands down the best I've ever had...ever! And I've had a lot of menudo. I gave some to a Mexican friend of mine who said it was better than her mother's, that's impressive. I deem it to be more authentic than any taco shop version. I don't believe I will ever waste money on buying it from taco shops ever again. I think the braising technique it's the key to the entire recipe. This recipe is a real gem!
Vanessam794 says
wooow all these recipes are delicious.
Rose says
I am so impressed with this recipe. I am new to making menudo (this is my first attempt) and I will not be trying another recipe! Thank you so much for sharing this awesome recipe and for making the directions so easy to follow. Next I plan to make your Mole recipe since it is my husband's favorite dish! Thanks again!!
Steve says
did I miss it, how many servings does this recipe make?
Steve says
did I miss it, how many servings does this recipe make?
Kat says
I just made menudo for the first time with this recipe. I diced the tripe and cooked it in the crock pot, simmering for about 5 hours before adding the chilis. I added 4 chopped celery ribs to the simmer stage. I used home made chili sauce instead of dried chilis (it's what I had!). When I pureed the liquid, I added it all back to the pot so it was thicker and had the heartier stock flavor. This recipe is amazing! Thank you!
Cristina says
I just finished my first bowl of this recipe. I'm so glad I found it because at first I had absolutely no
Idea how to make menudo. The soup came out great and all I found that I needed to add more of
was salt but thats only because I use salt really lightly when I cook. I didn't have peppercorns or cumin seeds so I just used ground and i feel it didn't hinder the taste at all. Also, I used a little more garlic than called for, as I usually do in all recipes, and it was delicious, especially after simmering for awhile. This is definitely now my go-to recipe for menudo. Thank you! 🙂
Candee says
Thanks for this! My uncle and my mom make an 'American' type Menudo with chunks of beef and only SOMETIMES with tripe. It's good, but they use a powdered mix from Gebhardt, and I am all about doing everything from scratch. This is the only 'weird' thing that I will eat. Kidneys, livers, or tripe made any other way BUT in Menudo, I will not eat. I love this. Whenever we go to a local taqueria I have to make sure I don't get the pig foot. That is something I just can't do. My mom loves to eat that though. *shudder*
However, this is great with corn tortillas.
Marc Matsumoto says
I first fell in love with menudo while living in San Jose, perhaps we went
to the same shop:-)
JBDM says
Dude, you have no idea how you just changed my life! For years I've been searching for a menudo recipe that tasted like my local taqueria's in San Jose, CA (I've tried 20+ recipes), and yours comes the closest by far. I have no idea whether their's was "authentic" or "the best" or what, but I do know I loved it every Saturday or Sunday morning when I might have consumed too much alcohol the night before. The taqueria closed a few months ago, and in desperation I tried the menudo from four otherp local places. Theirs all tasted like the canned national brand I've bought occasionally in other times of desperation (e.g. when I'm out of town), so I decided to once again search the interweb for a recipe. I made yours today and I've already had a bowl (yummy!), but I plan on drinking heavily tonight just so I can enjoy the hangover-relieving effects a good bowl of menudo provides. Thank you!
big cooking pots says
This is so interested! Where can I find more like
this?
Large Pot says
This is the great blog, I'm reading them for a while, thanks for the new posts!
Ed says
You don't cut the tripe at the beginning because it makes it hard to filter the stock and be sure that you've removed any bones.
Marc Matsumoto says
I haven't had the hair problem, but I hate buying tripe in the US
because they're all bleached. I think it's an FDA requirement, and it
makes the tripe smell like a swimming pool. I usually soak the tripe
in water overnight to tone down the smell, but it doesn't completely
go away.
Rico_leo says
p.s. why does so many brands of frozen tripe have hair???? ive tried to make it twice and each time (using a different brand) it has hair in between the layers. THIS IS SOOOOO GROSS!!!!!! i just purchased some yesterday fresh from the butcher and it looks amazing! I havent fully inspected it out of the package but i looked very very close through the package and was happy to see it had no visibal hair. I hope that when i cut it up its the same story. HAS ANYONE EXPERIENCED THIS? it is the easiest way to waste $9 let me tell u.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hahaha that's an excellent point! It will also cook faster if you cut
it up, so I say go for it!
Rico_leo says
wait... i DONT understand why you just dont cut the tripe after the 1st 5min boil? it seems like you can skip cooling down the tripe afte the long boil if you just cut it up when u add the braising ingredients. tell me if there is a method to this madness (lol).. recipe looks great but im just trying to understand.
White1 says
This recipe is so delicious. I made it for my family & friends last night and they all loved it.
Ritmar_1 says
add a peeled raw potato and let it absorb the salt.
Marc Matsumoto says
Sorry to hear it didn't work out for you. Did you use kosher salt? If so, which brand? Morton's tends to be significantly saltier than Diamond Crystal. If you used regular table salt, did you halve the amount of salt?
As with any recipe, it's usually a good idea to salt anything to your tastes as people's preferences vary, and there's huge variation in the salinity of various brands of salt. Depending on how salty it is, you might be able to fix it by adding some vegetables (carrots, potatoes, etc) and more water.
Jmedellin19 says
i made some and it's toooo salty...how can you help?
large cooking pot says
I'll post the same information to my blog, thanks for ideas and great article.
Lito says
During a camping trip at Pescadero, CA, I went looking for a newspaper early Sunday morning and found the only gas station with a market was serving menudo. It's the best I've ever tasted! I'll have to try your recipe and hope it comes close to what I just had.
Lito says
During a camping trip at Pescadero, CA, I went looking for a newspaper early Sunday morning and found the only gas station with a market was serving menudo. It's the best I've ever tasted! I'll have to try your recipe and hope it comes close to what I just had.
Alfred says
Since I was a child I have been a big fan of menudo, but I learned not to eat it just anywhere. Some boil it so much it gets slimmy and doesn't taste good. Other's cook is "chilis and tripe". This recipe seems to be the best, I can't wait to try it in a couple of days.
Alfred says
Since I was a child I have been a big fan of menudo, but I learned not to eat it just anywhere. Some boil it so much it gets slimmy and doesn't taste good. Other's cook is "chilis and tripe". This recipe seems to be the best, I can't wait to try it in a couple of days.
Ginny says
Thanks for the great recipe. I'm in NM and eat menudo as often as I find it, which is often in the winter. I've only cooked it from scratch twice so I'm thankful for your detailed recipe. All the various parts are simmering on my stove right now.
We're having friends over for New Year's Eve and I wanted to serve them an authentic NM good-luck-for-the-New Year meal. I'm originally from the South so I'll be making Hoppin' John soup, too, which is a New Years' Eve good luck meal, too.
I cut my tripe in tiny pieces after cooking, and it seems to be less offensive to those who think they don't like tripe! And I remove all the bones from the pigs' feet and cut that meat tiny as well.
The wonderful thing, besides the deliciousness, is that menudo freezes very well so you can have a bowl anytime you want it. It seems like a lot of work, but it's just the ticket for a cold winter day. And once you get everything simmering it's self-care for awhile. Once everything is done and chopped and back in the pot I adjust for salt, spices, and chili-heat.
Living in NM we are so fortunate to have all the ingredients available all year round. When I cook posole (or menudo) I double the recipe to have a stocked freezer full of yummyness.
Thanks again for the recipe. I make posole every year, but needed a refresher on menudo. You did good! Happy New Year, Ginny
Ginny says
Thanks for the great recipe. I'm in NM and eat menudo as often as I find it, which is often in the winter. I've only cooked it from scratch twice so I'm thankful for your detailed recipe. All the various parts are simmering on my stove right now.
We're having friends over for New Year's Eve and I wanted to serve them an authentic NM good-luck-for-the-New Year meal. I'm originally from the South so I'll be making Hoppin' John soup, too, which is a New Years' Eve good luck meal, too.
I cut my tripe in tiny pieces after cooking, and it seems to be less offensive to those who think they don't like tripe! And I remove all the bones from the pigs' feet and cut that meat tiny as well.
The wonderful thing, besides the deliciousness, is that menudo freezes very well so you can have a bowl anytime you want it. It seems like a lot of work, but it's just the ticket for a cold winter day. And once you get everything simmering it's self-care for awhile. Once everything is done and chopped and back in the pot I adjust for salt, spices, and chili-heat.
Living in NM we are so fortunate to have all the ingredients available all year round. When I cook posole (or menudo) I double the recipe to have a stocked freezer full of yummyness.
Thanks again for the recipe. I make posole every year, but needed a refresher on menudo. You did good! Happy New Year, Ginny
Shari says
I tried cooking tripe once while in college (I thought it was a type of fish), and all I remember is that it filled my dorm room with a horrendous odor. I ended up throwing it away.
Guess I could've used a few tips . . .
Jessica says
My mom used to take me to a Mexican flea market in Houston on Sundays that had a tiny tin-can of a place that served menudo at $5 a bowl, with--get this--FREE REFILLS! Sometimes I would see the locals squeeze lime juice all over a warm, soft tortilla, sprinkle salt on top, roll it up tightly and dip it into the stew. So happy to see this post--yours looks great!
Shari says
I tried cooking tripe once while in college (I thought it was a type of fish), and all I remember is that it filled my dorm room with a horrendous odor. I ended up throwing it away.
Guess I could've used a few tips . . .
diva says
oh gosh, i've never had this before but it looks too amazing to pass up. the colours are gorgeous. to the fishmonger's it is! x
Jessica says
My mom used to take me to a Mexican flea market in Houston on Sundays that had a tiny tin-can of a place that served menudo at $5 a bowl, with--get this--FREE REFILLS! Sometimes I would see the locals squeeze lime juice all over a warm, soft tortilla, sprinkle salt on top, roll it up tightly and dip it into the stew. So happy to see this post--yours looks great!
diva says
oh gosh, i've never had this before but it looks too amazing to pass up. the colours are gorgeous. to the fishmonger's it is! x
colloquial cook says
I can't see the link with Ricky Martin for the life of me, but who cares. This looks tremendous. Even tripe looks good when YOU take a picture of it 🙂 genius!
colloquial cook says
I can't see the link with Ricky Martin for the life of me, but who cares. This looks tremendous. Even tripe looks good when YOU take a picture of it 🙂 genius!
Megan says
Love it - is tripe better than Ricky Martin?? I think most def.
Megan says
Love it - is tripe better than Ricky Martin?? I think most def.
Marc Matsumoto says
I agree on the lime. It helps tame the gaminess and I love the spicy/salty/sour contrast.
Marc Matsumoto says
I've heard so much about Incanto I really do have to give it a try the next time I'm out there.
The Duo Dishes says
Well Ricky Martin did come to mind immediately, but this is probably better than a singing Ricky.
The Duo Dishes says
Well Ricky Martin did come to mind immediately, but this is probably better than a singing Ricky.
katiek says
I had menudo for the first time a month ago when I was in Jalos, Mexico. Despite it not being my favorite brunch meal, I did appreciate the intense acidic flavor that was needed to cut that "offal" flavor.
I like to eat it with an un-abashedly large serving of limes.
In the end I think I prefer birria in the context of mexican specialty dishes. Although I'd love to try and cook this.
Carolyn Jung says
I have to admit I was never a big fan of tripe. The rest of my family would happily eat their fill whenever my late-Mom cooked it. Me? I always opted for something else that night. But recently, I tried tripe at Incanto restaurant in San Francisco, where Chef Chris Cosentino is famous for his way with offal. After one taste, I finally realized why everyone else loves this stuff so much. Cosentino's version was sooooo tender. The texture truly was sublime.
Joan Nova says
Call me crazy but I think this looks delicious!
katiek says
I had menudo for the first time a month ago when I was in Jalos, Mexico. Despite it not being my favorite brunch meal, I did appreciate the intense acidic flavor that was needed to cut that "offal" flavor.
I like to eat it with an un-abashedly large serving of limes.
In the end I think I prefer birria in the context of mexican specialty dishes. Although I'd love to try and cook this.
lisaiscooking says
It looks gorgeous and great job, but I just don't think I can do tripe. Now, a vegetarian version, I would definitely want to eat.
Carolyn Jung says
I have to admit I was never a big fan of tripe. The rest of my family would happily eat their fill whenever my late-Mom cooked it. Me? I always opted for something else that night. But recently, I tried tripe at Incanto restaurant in San Francisco, where Chef Chris Cosentino is famous for his way with offal. After one taste, I finally realized why everyone else loves this stuff so much. Cosentino's version was sooooo tender. The texture truly was sublime.
Joan Nova says
Call me crazy but I think this looks delicious!
lisaiscooking says
It looks gorgeous and great job, but I just don't think I can do tripe. Now, a vegetarian version, I would definitely want to eat.
helen says
Mexican offal stew - where have you been all my life?
Christina@DeglazeMe says
Jen, are you referring to the North End in Boston? I live in Cambridge, MA, and have heard that the North End has some very authentic old-country-style tripe!
Holly says
I thought this would be next after the tripe post. Looks great and flavors sound wonderful but I will pass. I am not an offal girl! I will just take some sauce over rice.
helen says
Mexican offal stew - where have you been all my life?
Jen says
I must admit that you've discovered the beauty of offal in these pictures. How do you do that? 🙂
When I lived in the North End, the butcher shop displayed a heap of tripe in their window. Each day I walked by that shop and wondered how I'd ever prepare it. This recipe would have been the ticket!
Jenni Field says
Gorgeous color on that, Marc! As I said before, I've never tried it, but I might just have to road trip up to NYC to have a bite of your version 🙂
Holly says
I thought this would be next after the tripe post. Looks great and flavors sound wonderful but I will pass. I am not an offal girl! I will just take some sauce over rice.
Jen says
I must admit that you've discovered the beauty of offal in these pictures. How do you do that? 🙂
When I lived in the North End, the butcher shop displayed a heap of tripe in their window. Each day I walked by that shop and wondered how I'd ever prepare it. This recipe would have been the ticket!
Jenni Field says
Gorgeous color on that, Marc! As I said before, I've never tried it, but I might just have to road trip up to NYC to have a bite of your version 🙂