How to make it
6 steps. Take it one step at a time.
Clean the beef tripe thoroughly
Clean the beef tripe thoroughly by rinsing under cold water and scrubbing with salt or vinegar if necessary. Drain and cut into 1-inch bite-sized squares.
Place the tripe, split cow's hoof, half of the white onion
In a large stockpot, place the tripe, split cow's hoof, half of the white onion, 3 cloves of garlic, and 4 liters (1.1 gallons) of water. Bring to a boil at 212°F (100°C), then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the tripe is very tender. This typically takes 2.5 to 3 hours.
3 hrPrepare the chile paste
While the tripe simmers, prepare the chile paste. Toast the guajillo and ancho chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1 minute until fragrant. Place them in a bowl of hot water for 15 minutes to soften.
15 minBlend the soaked chiles
Blend the soaked chiles with the remaining 3 cloves of garlic, the other half of the onion, and a small amount of the soaking liquid until smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any skin or seeds.
Remove the boiled onion and garlic from the pot
Once the tripe is tender, remove the boiled onion and garlic from the pot. Stir in the strained chile paste, the drained hominy, and dried oregano. Season with salt to taste.
Simmer everything together
Simmer everything together for another 30 to 45 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the hominy to absorb the spice. Adjust seasoning with more salt if needed.
45 min
A little kitchen wisdom
Menudo is traditionally served on weekends and for special occasions. Thoroughly cleaning the tripe is the most important step to ensure a clean flavor. Many prefer it with a cow's hoof or pig's feet to add gelatinous body to the broth.
