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Loading...A beloved Mexican classic, menudo rojo is a deeply nourishing stew of slowly simmered beef tripe and hominy in a smoky dried-red-chile broth. Served with fresh lime, onion, and oregano, it is famous comfort food especially on weekend mornings and family gatherings.
Prep Time30 mins
Cook Time240 mins
Total Time270 mins
Servings8
Yield8 servings
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 385 kcalCalories
- 18 gFat
- 6 gSaturated Fat
- 22 gCarbs
- 5 gFiber
- 3 gSugar
- 32 gProtein
- 720 mgSodium
- 580 mgPotassium
- 95 mgCalcium
- 4 mgIron
- 8 mgVitamin C
- 220 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the tripe and broth
- 2 lb beef honeycomb tripe, cleaned and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 lb beef feet or beef marrow bones, split
- 1 large white onion, quartered
- 6 garlic cloves, smashed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp dried Mexican oregano
- 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
- 10 cups cold water
For the red chile sauce
- 4 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 2 chiles de árbol, stemmed (optional, for heat)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 whole cloves
- 1/2 cup water
For the soup
- 2 cans (29 oz each) white hominy, drained and rinsed
- 1 tbsp dried Mexican oregano
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
For serving
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- 1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Extra dried Mexican oregano
- Ground chile powder or crushed chile flakes, optional
Directions
- Place the tripe and beef feet in a large stockpot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse the tripe and feet thoroughly to remove impurities.
- Return the tripe and feet to the pot with the quartered onion, smashed garlic, bay leaves, oregano, and peppercorns. Pour in 10 cups fresh water and bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Skim any foam from the surface and simmer uncovered for 3 hours, or until the tripe is fork-tender.
- While the tripe cooks, prepare the chile sauce: toast the guajillo, ancho, and árbol chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 20 to 30 seconds per side until fragrant. Transfer to a bowl, cover with hot water, and soak for 15 minutes until pliable.
- Drain the softened chiles and place them in a blender with the garlic, cumin seeds, whole cloves, and 1/2 cup water. Blend on high until completely smooth, then press through a fine-mesh sieve to remove skins and seeds.
- When the tripe is tender, fish out and discard the beef feet and onion pieces. Stir the strained chile sauce into the pot along with the drained hominy, the second tablespoon of oregano, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Simmer gently for 45 minutes so the flavors meld and the broth turns a deep brick-red.
- Taste and adjust with more salt if needed. The menudo should be richly seasoned, with the broth slightly thickened from the tripe's natural gelatin.
- Ladle into warm bowls and pass the lime wedges, chopped onion, cilantro, extra oregano, and chile powder at the table so each diner seasons their own bowl.
Cook’s Notes
- Buy pre-cleaned tripe from a butcher to skip the lengthy bleaching and scrubbing step.
- Skim the broth patiently during the first hour of simmering for a cleaner, less gamey flavor.
- Toast the dried chiles carefully—just a few seconds per side—to deepen their flavor without scorching.
- Menudo tastes even better the next day once the spices have fully infused the broth; reheat gently.
- For a thicker, more traditional texture, lightly mash some of the hominy against the side of the pot before serving.
