Ohhh, menudo—deeply comforting, slow-simmered, and worth every minute ❤️🔥
Here’s a classic Mexican red menudo with rich chile flavor and tender tripe.
Menudo Rojo
Ingredients (serves 6–8)
Meat & Broth
- 3 lbs beef tripe, cleaned and cut into bite-size pieces
- 1–1½ lbs beef feet (optional but traditional, for richness)
- 1 onion, halved
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt
Chile Sauce
- 6 dried guajillo chiles
- 2 dried ancho chiles
- 2–3 dried árbol chiles (optional, for heat)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp Mexican oregano
- 1 tsp salt
To Finish
- 2 cans (15 oz each) hominy, drained & rinsed
Toppings (must-haves)
- Chopped white onion
- Fresh cilantro
- Dried oregano
- Crushed red pepper
- Lime wedges
- Warm corn tortillas or bolillo
How to Make It
1. Clean the Tripe
Rinse tripe well. Rub with salt and rinse again.
(Optional: soak 30 minutes in water with vinegar or lemon, then rinse.)
2. First Simmer
Add tripe, beef feet, onion, garlic, bay leaves, and salt to a large pot.
Cover with water and simmer 2–2½ hours until tripe is tender.
3. Make the Chile Sauce
- Remove stems and seeds from dried chiles.
- Toast lightly in a dry pan (don’t burn).
- Soak in hot water 15 minutes.
- Blend chiles with soaking liquid, garlic, cumin, oregano, and salt until smooth.
- Strain for a silky broth (optional but recommended).
4. Bring It Together
Stir chile sauce into the pot.
Add hominy and simmer 30–45 minutes more. Adjust salt.
Serve It Right
Ladle into bowls and let everyone customize with:
- Onion, cilantro
- Oregano + chile flakes
- Big squeeze of lime
- Tortillas for dipping
Pro Tips
- Menudo is better the next day
- Low and slow = tender tripe
- If broth thickens too much, add hot water or beef broth
If you want menudo blanco, green chile menudo, or an Instant Pot version, say the word—this is one of those dishes I love dialing in 👌🍲
