Have you ever wondered what people in other countries use as a remedy to cure a hangover? Well, besides the classic 2 aspirins and drinking a lot of water, in México some people swear this tasty and aromatic Menudo soup, with its distinctive spongy texture, will do the magic trick of bringing you back to life. I am not sure about that, but maybe the high content of vitamin B has something to do about it, besides its rich flavor.
Mexican Menudo Soup Recipe
Best Menudo Recipe
This soup is usually sold on weekends in small mom-and-pop kitchens called “Fondas”, or in restaurants that specialize in Typical Mexican antojitos. The soup is called different names depending on the region. It is known as “pancita”, Mondongo, or Menudo. In the northern states, some cooks add Hominy to make a robust pair with the meat. The recipe also varies from region to region. Other cooks will add Ancho Peppers in addition to the guajillo and even tomato.
It can be stored in the refrigerator for several days and freezes well, preserving its flavor.
How to make Menudo Recipe
Instructions:
Recipe for menudo
- Simmer the cow feet and marrow bones in a large pot with 6 quarts of water, 5 garlic cloves, and onion for about 15 minutes at medium heat without covering. Add the tripe and oregano and cook for about 2 – 2 ½ hours approximately until tripe is tender but firm. You could also use a crockpot and set it on low for 6 hrs. To cook in the INSTANT POT, cook the meat for 40 minutes on the in the manual pressure cooker setting, then add the dried peppers sauce and cook for 10 more minutes in the manual setting. (Please check the ingredients list below)
- Remove the cow feet and marrow bones from the pot. Skim the fat that forms on top of the broth. Remove the bones and chop the meaty parts of to be returned to the pot.
- While the meat is cooking, prepare the guajillo sauce. Toast the Guajillo peppers in a griddle over medium heat.
- Place the roasted peppers in a bowl and cover with water. Let them soak for about 25 minutes until soft. After that, drain the peppers and place them in your blender with the rest of the garlic, ½ cup of the broth, and cumin if using. Blend until very smooth. Strain the sauce using a sieve and pour into the pot. Simmer the broth for another 30 minutes, partially covered. Taste to season with more salt if needed.
Serve the soup in large bowls and place the garnishes in a dish in order for everyone to add to their liking.
HOW TO MAKE MENUDO RECIPE
This tripe soup is usually sold on weekends in small mom-and-pop kitchens called "Fondas", or in restaurants that specialize in Typical Mexican antojitos. The tripe soup is called different names depending on the region. It is known as "pancita", Mondongo, or Menudo.
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 342kcal
Ingredients
For the broth:
- 3 pounds of clean tripe cut into small bite size pieces
- 1 cow’s feet It’s usually sold already cut up in pieces
- 1 pound narrow bones
- 4 large garlic cloves
- 1 medium onion cut into thick slices
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt to taste
- 2 teaspoons dry oregano
For the sauce:
- 6 guajillo peppers cleaned seeded, open flat, and deveined
- 1 teaspoon of freshly ground cumin optional
- 3 garlic cloves
For the garnishing:
- 1 Tbsp. Piquin peppers crushed to add when serving if you like hot food.
- Lemons cut into wedges
- Dry Mexican oregano
- ¾ cup white onion chopped
- To be eaten with warm corn tortillas.
Instructions
- Simmer the cow feet and marrow bones in a large pot with 6 quarts of water, 5 garlic cloves and an onion for about 15 minutes at medium heat without covering. During this time, skim off the foam that forms. Add the tripe and oregano and cook for about 2 – 2 ½ hours approximately until tripe is tender but firm (make sure you do not overcook). For the INSTANT POT, cook for 30 minutes. For a Pressure cooker 45 minutes. You could also use a slow cooker and set it in low for 6 hrs.
- Remove the cow feet and marrow bones from the pot. Skim the fat that forms on top of the broth. Once the Cow foot cools a little, remove the bones and chop the meaty parts of to be returned to the pot.
- While the meat is cooking, prepare the guajillo sauce. Toast the Guajillo peppers in a griddle over medium heat. Press them down with a spatula slightly toasting them without burning them.
- Place the roasted peppers in a bowl and cover with water. Let them soak for about 25 minutes until soft. After that, drain the peppers and place them in your blender with the rest of the garlic, ½ cup of the broth, and cumin if using. Blend until very smooth. Strain the sauce using a sieve and pour into the pot. Simmer the broth for another 30 minutes, partially covered. Taste to season with more salt if needed.
- Serve the soup in large bowls and place the garnishes in a dish in order for everyone to add to their liking. Do not forget warm corn tortillas to soak in the broth.
Notes
Some people add Hominy to the soup. If you can buy Hominy in a can, drain it and add it to the soup in the final simmering.
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Nutrition
Serving: 2cups per serving | Calories: 342kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 210mg | Sodium: 608mg | Potassium: 635mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 24.6% | Vitamin C: 9.4% | Calcium: 3.4% | Iron: 48.5%
How do you make menudo
¡Buen Provecho!
Mely,
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looks delicious, i’ll try it as soon as possible!
in turkey we called “işkembe çorbası” (“tripe soup”) for a similar soup and there are so many restaurant working 24hours a day specialized on it (“işkembeci”)
i love to eat it when i was hangover 🙂
muchisima gracias mely!
gul
hola! puedo poner a cocer todo junto en la olla express?, los huesos, la pata y la tripa?… en tu receta dices primero poner a coser la pata y luego añadir la tripa… gracias!!
Hello Angelica,
The trip is added alter because it takes less time to cook. If you add them at the same time, the tripe will be over cook.
I could only find dried peppers do o still need to roast them?
Hello Kyle,
Yes, dried peppers are usually roasted, but you can skip that step and just soak them in warm water.
Dear Mely, yesturday we went to a Mexican food Rest. for Menudo, when it arrived it smelled awful!!! then I heard my mom say, they didn’t throw away the first boil where the menudo was? so she explained to us, you girls don’t smell that with my menudo because, I boil it first to take out the smell, and that awful taste, then the second boil is where I put all the condiments, add the Pata, and so forth. Her menudo is delish! unfortunaltely my sister and I are too nervous to ever try our hands at making menudo. so i have two questions. 1st-do you boil your menudo to clean it, like my mom does first, and then add the rest on final boil? 2nd-would a beginner like me have a hard time making menudo? thanks Mely for your time.
Hello Dee,
The cuts of meat used to make Menudo soup, like honeycomb and tripe, are usually first scalded before using them to cook a dish with them. As far as I know, must of those cuts of meat are sold scalded here in the USA. Some people, still want to precook, or rise once or twice with water, or a combination of water with lime juice or water and vinegar. Just to be safe about the cleanliness and smell of the meat.
I grew up eating/cooking menudo blanco. First time I ate menudo rojo was in Jaalisco, and it was delish! I never learned how to make the rojo, since my mom didn’t care for it. You have great directions, and I like that this is for a smaller amount, too.
One thing my mom taught me was to soak the menudo in cold water with lots of lemon juice. Whatever fat that was left, would rise to the top of the pan and was easily skimmed off. Plus, the menudo looked really white, and no longer had that gamey smell. I rinse a second time, then add to the olla. We also add nixtamal. Best cure for “la cruda!”
Finally, a menudo recipe that doesn’t feed an army! And, for menudo rojo! My parents didn’t care for menudo rojo, so I never learned to make it. But my brother and I love it. We add nixtamal, and definitely patas. Guess what I’m making this weekend?
Something I learned from my mom: Soak the menudo in cold water with lots of lemon juice. Any remaining fat will rise to the top, and is easily skimmed off. Rinse a second time in plain cold water. This also removes the gamey smell, and the menudo looks whiter. I also rinse the nixtamal before adding to the olla. The caldito is never cloudy looking, and there’s very little grease in the final product.
Can’t wait to make this. Thanks for the simple directions, Mely!
I love eating menudo, I just haven’t tried making it until I find a recipe
How would I cook this in a roaster slow cooker?
Hello Jane,
Sorry, I have never tried to cook it in a roasted slow cooker.
Can you leave the bones in and not take them out? Or take them out. And return them later for the final boil?
Thanks for the recipe. I’m going to try soon
Hello Mike,
Yes, you can leave the bones. Bones always give lot os flavor to the soup.