Menudo is a classic Mexican soup that is traditionally served during the holidays, and especially at Christmas-time. It’s also known as a hangover remedy here in Texas, where the popular soup is served at many local Tex-Mex restaurants on Sundays.
Menudo
Menudo is packed full of one of my favorite ingredients, hominy. These plump, juicy kernels have such an amazing texture and they take on the flavor of whatever broth you add them to, making them the perfect addition to any soup or stew.
As a child, I remember my mami would spend hours prepping her ingredients and tending to the menudo pot all night. She served her menudo with onions, cilantro, limes and fresh bolillos, which she placed on the table next to our steaming bowls of menudo.
Serving Menudo Your Way
Bolillos are the perfect vehicle for soaking up all of the delicious menudo broth, and my abuelito’s favorite. I loved watching him dip pieces of fresh, warm bread into his soup, and to this day, I still eat my menudo the same way.
My mother-in-law serves her soup a little differently. Instead of bolillos, she places crisp saltines on the table. My husband grew up eating menudo with saltines and it’s still his favorite way to enjoy a big steaming bowl of this classic Mexican soup.
Menudo is a dish passed down from generation to generation, that picks up new traditions as it is shared. We each have our own way of enjoying this special dish. The memories that we make while eating it are part of what draws us to cook it again and again.
Menudo (Tripe Soup) with Rumba Meats
For this recipe, we’re using Beef Honeycomb Tripe, the star ingredient in any good menudo recipe. This dense, chewy meat is loved by many and has a unique texture that perfectly absorbs the rich flavor of our soup.
For best results, you want to use only the freshest, highest-quality cuts of meat. That’s why I’m using Beef Honeycomb Tripe from Rumba Meats. Their tripe comes pre-cleaned and ready to use. It’s also stored in airtight bags that you can easily freeze for later use.
You can visit any Kroger store in the state of Texas to find Rumba Meats products. They also carry beef cheek, skirt steak, sweetbreads, beef tongue and many more cuts of meat for traditional Mexican cooking.
Here’s a short video how easy it is to make Menudo at home with Rumba meats:
Menudo
Yield 8-10 Serves
Menudo is a classic Mexican soup that is traditionally served during the holidays, and especially at Christmas-time. It’s also known as a hangover remedy here in Texas, where the popular soup is served at many local Tex-Mex restaurants on Sundays.
Ingredients
3 pounds of Beef Honeycomb Tripe from Rumba Meats, cut into 1-inch strips
2 pounds patas (pig feet)
1 small head of garlic, unpeeled
1 onion, peeled and sliced in half
2 teaspoons salt1 bay leaf
2 teaspoon oregano
4 dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
3 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
2 cloves of garlic1 teaspoon salt
2 cups of beef broth
Hominy, drained and rinsed
For serving:
Lime wedges
Onion
Crackers
Bolillos
Chicharrones
Instructions
Rinse sliced tripe well, drain. To a large pot add tripe, beef feet, garlic, onion, salt, bay leaf and oregano. Cover with water, water should be at least 2 inches above trip at all times. Cover and bring to a boil, skim off foam, reduce heat and continue cooking for at least 3 hours, until trip is tender. While tripe cooks make red chile sauce.
Toast chiles on a dry skillet 10-15 second on each side. They will puff slightly and become pliable. Place in a bowl and pour boiling water over them, cover and allow to soften, about 10 minutes. Once softened drain, add to a blender along with garlic cloves, salt and beef broth. Blend until smooth. Strain over simmering pot. Stir to combine, season with salt if needed. Add drained hominy, continue simmering for additional 30 minutes. Serve warm garnished with dice onion, lime wedges, chicharrons, and bolillos.
Notes
Red chile sauce can be made a day in advance.
Courses Breakfast/Dinner
Cuisine Mexican
sara says
June 18, 2017 at 5:30 amI have never heard of Menudo before. It looks delicious, thank you for sharing the step by step instructions as well as the full recipe.
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Stephanie Pass says
June 17, 2017 at 10:29 amMy husband just loves menudo. I have never attempted to make it. This doesn’t look too hard.
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Annemarie LeBlanc says
June 15, 2017 at 6:48 pmI have tried Menudo before when I was visiting my cousin in California. It was really tasty, almost to the point of being tagged as comfort food. Thank you for the recipe. I will try making some myself.
Rebecca Swenor says
June 15, 2017 at 4:42 pmMenudo is something I have never had or made before. Hominy is something I have not had since I was a teen. We would eat it all the time as kids cooked in butter. Yummy!!! I never thought to put it in soups so this recipe I am going to have to try for sure. Thanks for sharing this yummy recipe.
Kiwi says
June 15, 2017 at 2:19 pmNEver had menudo before. Looks tasty I would try this!
adriana says
June 15, 2017 at 10:34 amI have never heard of this! it looks really tasty though! Definitely something I’d try, I love trying new cuisines!
Maurene Cab says
June 15, 2017 at 8:02 amMy grandma’s specialty is hot and spicy menudo! We love visiting them knowing that we will eat menudo. Thanks for the recipe. I might try this myself.
Sarah Honey says
June 15, 2017 at 6:03 amThis soup looks amazing! I love soup. It’s an easy meal to make! Thanks for sharing!
LaShawn says
June 15, 2017 at 5:58 amThis sounds delicious! I have never heard of Menudo soup! We love to try new soups in the winter time, so I’m saving this for later!
lisa says
June 15, 2017 at 5:40 amThis sounds so delicious! I’m sure I’d have to do some searching here in Chicago to find the right meats, but I’d love to try it.
Jenn @ EngineerMommy says
June 15, 2017 at 4:49 amThis sounds like such a delicious dish. I have never tried menudo but your video makes it seem like an easy-to-prepare recipe. I think my husband woud really enjoy this too!
Pam Wattenbarger says
June 15, 2017 at 4:11 amOne of my friends is Latina and she loves menudo. She actually eats hers like your husband does, with plenty of saltines!
Katie Kinsley says
June 15, 2017 at 2:20 amI do not think I could ever bring myself to make this at home. I rarely prepare food with meats as it is, though I know the dish is probably delicious!
Jeanette says
June 14, 2017 at 10:20 pmI don’t know how I never heard of this soup but I need to change that. This looks so tantalizing and tempting I think I will have to make it. I have never seen something made with pigs feet it intrigues me.
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Sarah Bailey says
June 14, 2017 at 10:15 pmI have to admit I’ve not heard of Menudo before, but what an interesting sounding soup full of different flavours and textures.
Alli Smith says
June 14, 2017 at 10:08 pmWhere has this delicious looking soup been hiding all my life? I’ve never had it and now I want to rush right over to Kroger and get all the ingredients for this soup. It looks scrumptious! Thanks for sharing the video!
Tomi says
June 14, 2017 at 9:46 pmMenudo is one of my hubby’s favorite dishes. I adapted my recipe from a small carneceria in San Leandro, California. I add pork to mine but have never thought of adding patas. Interesting. I may have to add that next time I prepare a steaming hot pot full of menudo.
robin rue says
June 14, 2017 at 9:44 pmWe are BIG on soups here in the winter time. I am going to make this for my husband because I know he will love it.