Menudo Recipes
 

Menudo Sonora

The magic secret of this menudo recipe is that you cook each of the following separately, and combine and cook them together just before serving.

This keeps the flavors clean and separate, and the textures distinct. The tripe takes the longest to cook, so you should start with it.

Tripe

Ingredients - Tripe
3		kg	tripe  (6 lbs)
1			calf's foot (or 2 pig's feet)
1/2		head	garlic, peeled and crushed (not pressed)
4 or 5			small hot red chiles (to taste)
2		medium	onions, sliced
3			bay leaves
1		tsp	salt
1		tsp	black peppercorns, crushed
2		Tbsp	dry Mexican oregano
2		tsp	comino seed, crushed

 Directions - Tripe

Wash the tripe thoroughly, trim off most of the fat, and cut it into one-inch squares. Drop tripe into a pot of boiling water, simmer for 2 - 3 minutes and drain. Place back into pot, and add one calf foot, or two pigs feet, cut up a bit.

Next step ... While the menudo is cooking, prepare the posole (white corn or hominy). You have three options:

• Traditional - You were thinking ahead (about 2 days ago) and started with a dried, white corn. You soaked the corn in lime water, rubbed the skins off, and washed it thoroughly. This is exactly how they do it in Mexico.
  
  This way requires lots of hard work ... but will give you the most authentic tasting menudo you can make.
   

• Frozen posole corn - This is much easier and still gives you a good tasting menudo.
   

• Canned hominy - This will work if you can't find either dried corn or frozen posole.
   

Ingredients - Posole
2		cups	dried white corn, prepared by the Traditional method
			or
2		lbs	frozen posole corn
			or
1		gal	canned hominy
			plus
1/2		head	garlic, slightly smashed

Directions - Posole

Drain all liquid from the posole. Quickly cool and refrigerate it if you are not going to finish the Menudo immediately.

Ingredients - Red Chile Sauce
1/2		lb	dried red chile, whole
2		cloves	garlic, minced
		pinch	cumin seed
1		Tbsp	vinegar
1		tsp	Mexican oregano
		pinch	salt
1		tsp	sugar

Directions - Red Chile Sauce 

Return chile mixture to pan and add garlic, cumin seed, vinegar, oregano, salt, and sugar to the chile pulp.

Simmer over low heat for a 3 -4 minutes. Cool and refrigerate. This classic Mexican Red Chile sauce is great with everything, not just menudo.

Note:  If you have any serious Chile Heads (like me) in your house, you may want to make more chile sauce.  The amount here should be enough for most folks.

You're almost done.  Now all you have to do is put all the parts together.

Ingredients - Final Step
4		cups	Menudo tripe
4		cups	Menudo juice
3		cups	Posole Corn, drained
1 to 2		cups	Red Chile Sauce (to taste)
1 to 4		cups	water (for preferred amount of juice)
2		cloves	garlic, chopped finely
1		Tbsp	vinegar
1		Tbsp	Mexican oregano
1		tsp	cumin seed
			black pepper, freshly ground (to taste)
			dash of salt

Directions - Final Step

Place the menudo tripe, menudo juice, corn, and chile sauce in a dutch oven or heavy saucepan, and add water until you have desired amount of juice.  This can vary depending on your personal preference.  Some people like their Menudo thicker than others.

Bring to a simmer over low heat and add garlic, vinegar, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. Simmer for about 5 minutes until the Menudo is warmed through.

Ladle into bowls and serve with hot corn tortillas. Have some lime slices, chopped fresh cilantro, chopped onion, salt, hot chile peppers, and extra Red Chile Sauce available as condiments.

Easy Menudo

This recipe was originally published in my free monthly e-Zine, The Whole Enchilada.  Subscribe now for lots more mouth-watering recipes and free access to the complete archives. 

Ingredients
3		lbs	beef tripe
3		lbs	hominy, frozen
3		lbs	pigs feet, quartered
1		large	onion, diced
1		bunch	green onions, cut into 1/4-inch pieces, plus more chopped small for garnish
1		bunch	cilantro, chopped, plus more for garnish
2		Tbsp	fresh oregano leaves
1		Tbsp	black pepper, freshly ground
1		Tbsp	red pepper flakes
1		head	garlic
2		Tbsp	salt
2			pequin chiles, minced (for garnish)
			Lemon wedges, (for garnish)
24			bolillos, toasted

Directions

Wash tripe thoroughly. Remove the excess fat from the tripe and cut it into bite-sized pieces. Rinse the hominy well in a colander under running water. Wash the pigs feet well also.

Combine all ingredients, except for garnishes, in a large pot with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to low and simmer slowly until hominy opens and is cooked.

Do not overcook.

Skim the excess fat from the surface. It is best if you can refrigerate the Menudo in order to remove all of the grease.

Ladle into bowls, and garnish with additional fresh cilantro, chopped green onions, minced pequin chiles, and lemon wedges. Serve with toasted bolillos (a Mexican bread made with corn flour, see below).

Bolillos (Mexican Hard Rolls)

Makes 3 dozen rolls

Ingredients
1		package	active dry yeast
2		tsp	granulated sugar
1-3/4		cups	warm water
1		tsp	salt
6		cups	all-purpose flour, sifted

Directions

Stir yeast and sugar together in a large bowl; stir in warm water. Add salt, then beat in flour, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour a tiny bit at a time after the first 4 cups, just until the dough becomes too stiff to stir.

Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead 8 to 10 minutes, or until smooth and satiny. Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning to grease the top of the dough, then cover with a sheet of wax paper and a towel. Let rise in a warm place free of drafts about 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.

When dough has doubled, punch it down and allow to double again.

Cut dough into 36 equal pieces. Shape into football-like rolls, twisting each end. They should be rather flat with twisted ends. Lay rolls about 2 inches apart on a lightly floured baking sheet.

After shaping the rolls, slash the tops with a sharp knife or scissors. Cover with a towel and let rise until doubled in bulk. 

When nearly doubled, preheat oven to 400 degrees F and lightly oil the tops of the rolls with a pastry brush. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned.

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