Menudo

Menudo Rojo

A slow-simmered Mexican weekend classic: tender beef tripe and hominy in a deep, aromatic red chilli broth, served with the traditional garnishes of onion, oregano and lime.

Prep

30 min

Cook

240 min

Total

270 min

Serves

6 to 8

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •1.5 kg (3¼ lb) beef honeycomb tripe, cleaned and bleached (honeycomb is the most traditional cut; foot/calf foot optional, see step 2)
• •1 kg (2¼ lb) canned white hominy, drained and rinsed, or 500 g / 18 oz dried pozolero hominy, soaked overnight
• •1 kg (2¼ lb) beef foot or calf foot, split, optional but traditional; gives body and a silky broth
• •30 g (¼ cup) dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
• •15 g (2 tablespoons) dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
• •5 g (1 tablespoon) dried árbol chiles, optional, for heat; remove seeds to tame
• •1.5 L (6¼ cups) cold water, plus more as needed
• •10 g (1 tablespoon) coarse kosher salt, adjust to taste
• •4 g (1 teaspoon) Mexican oregano
• •3 g (1 teaspoon) ground cumin
• •6 g (1 tablespoon) garlic, roughly chopped
• •30 ml (2 tablespoons) white vinegar
• •1 whole (1 medium) white onion, halved, for the broth
• •200 g (7 oz) white onion, finely diced, for serving
• •10 g (¼ cup) dried Mexican oregano, crumbled, for serving
• •4 whole limes, quartered, for serving
• •fine sea salt, to taste
• •dried chile piquín or ground chile piquín, optional, for an extra kick

Steps

1. 1 Rinse the tripe thoroughly under cold running water. Place it in a large stockpot, cover with cold water, bring to a boil and blanch for 10 minutes; drain and rinse. This removes impurities and any residual odor.
2. 2 Return the tripe to the pot with the beef foot (if using), the halved onion, garlic, 6 g / 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano, cumin and 1.5 L / 6¼ cups fresh cold water. Bring to a boil, skim foam, then reduce to a bare simmer. Partially cover and cook for 2½ to 3 hours, until the tripe is fork-tender (a paring knife slides in with no resistance). Top up with hot water as needed to keep the tripe submerged.
3. 3 Meanwhile, toast the dried chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat, 20 to 30 seconds per side, until fragrant — do not let them blacken or they will turn bitter. Cover with hot water and soak for 20 minutes until soft.
4. 4 Drain the chiles and transfer to a blender with 120 ml / ½ cup of the soaking liquid, the vinegar and 3 g / 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano. Blend to a smooth, pourable purée, about 2 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl; discard the solids.
5. 5 When the tripe is tender, remove it and the foot from the pot. Cut the tripe into 3 to 4 cm / 1½-inch squares and the foot into bite-size pieces, discarding any bone. Skim excess fat from the broth.
6. 6 Stir the strained chile purée into the simmering broth. Add the hominy and the tripe pieces (and foot pieces). Simmer gently, uncovered, for 30 to 45 minutes so the hominy absorbs the broth and the flavors marry.
7. 7 Season with the 10 g / 1 tablespoon coarse salt and additional oregano to taste; the broth should be boldly seasoned because the garnishes will balance it. Simmer 10 more minutes.
8. 8 Ladle the menudo into deep bowls, making sure each portion has plenty of hominy and tripe. Serve hot with the diced white onion, crumbled oregano, lime wedges and piquín on the table so each diner dresses their own bowl.
9. 9 Doneness and safety: tripe must be simmered until clearly tender (no chew, knife slides in easily) — a minimum of 2½ hours after the blanch. Hominy must be heated through and tender, at least 20 minutes at a full simmer. The broth should reach a steady 85 °C / 185 °F throughout cooking. Refrigerate any leftovers within 2 hours and consume within 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.