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Loading...A legendary Madrid stew built on slow-simmered honeycomb tripe, smoky chorizo, and morcilla, bound together with sweet smoked paprika and tomato. This is the kind of warming, deeply savory dish that anchors Spanish tapas bars across the capital and is even better reheated the next day.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time120 mins
Total Time140 mins
Servings6
Yield6 generous servings
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 540 kcalCalories
- 30 gFat
- 9 gSaturated Fat
- 16 gCarbs
- 3 gFiber
- 6 gSugar
- 42 gProtein
- 1180 mgSodium
- 780 mgPotassium
- 115 mgCalcium
- 6.5 mgIron
- 14 mgVitamin C
- 880 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the stew
- 2 lb honeycomb tripe, cleaned and parboiled, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 6 oz dry-cured Spanish chorizo, casing removed and sliced into half-moons
- 4 oz morcilla (Spanish blood sausage), cut into thick rounds
- 4 oz jamón serrano, diced
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 large yellow onions, finely chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
- 2 tbsp sweet smoked paprika (pimentón dulce)
- 1 tsp hot paprika (pimentón picante), optional
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 cup dry white wine or dry sherry
- 5 cups beef stock, warm
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
Directions
- Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced jamón and cook for 3-4 minutes until the fat begins to render and the pieces turn lightly golden.
- Add the chorizo slices and cook another 2 minutes so they release their paprika-rich red oil into the pot. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the meats to a plate and reserve.
- Add the chopped onions to the rendered fat and cook, stirring often, for 8-10 minutes until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Sprinkle in both the sweet and hot paprika and stir constantly for 30 seconds to bloom the spice without burning it. Pour in the white wine and scrape the bottom of the pot to lift any browned bits.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, bay leaves, parboiled tripe, and the reserved chorizo and jamón. Pour in the warm beef stock, season lightly with salt and pepper, and bring to a gentle boil.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and simmer gently for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tripe is fork-tender and the sauce has thickened and darkened.
- Stir in the morcilla rounds and continue to simmer uncovered for 15 minutes so the blood sausage warms through without falling apart. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
- Discard the bay leaves, sprinkle generously with parsley, and let the stew rest off the heat for 10 minutes before serving in deep bowls with plenty of crusty bread.
Cook’s Notes
- If using raw tripe, parboil it in salted water with an onion, a bay leaf, and a splash of vinegar for 60-90 minutes before adding to the stew until it is tender enough to pierce with a fork.
- Always use dry-cured Spanish chorizo, not fresh Mexican chorizo; the cured kind holds its shape and infuses the stew with paprika oil rather than crumbling into the sauce.
- Add the morcilla only in the final 15 minutes of cooking; simmering it too long causes it to disintegrate and turn the entire stew muddy.
- Callos tastes markedly better the next day, so make it a day ahead if you can and simply reheat gently before serving.
- Serve with plenty of rustic country bread or boiled potatoes to soak up the rich, paprika-tinted broth.
