Mexican Menudo

I first had a taste of menudo when my best friend and neighbor Linda invited us to a party at her house one New Year’s Eve. She said that it is a tradition among Mexicans to have menudo to eat when the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve for good luck.

My husband won’t eat this because he does not like the texture of the tripe that it is made with. The other one who turns up and wrinkles her nose on this dish is my friend, Jean.  But they know I love it and if it was available when we eat at a Mexican Taqueria I would order it.  I was told that Mexicans, usually the men like to have this for breakfast after drinking too much on Friday and/or Saturday night so most Mexican restaurants and Taquerias serve menudos only in the weekends.  They say it is a cure for hangover. Perhaps that is the reason they eat it at midnight of New Year’s Eve because they may already be drunk at that time while partying all night waiting for the New Year. I like it whether I have a hangover or not.  So I would cook it when I find a package of tripe at the store.  Sometimes I would make Lugaw or Goto with the tripe, a Filipino rice soup like the chicken lugaw.

This was 2 lbs. of tripe.  You can find pre-cut tripe at the grocery store but if not, cut the tripe up in bite size pieces and simmer in about 6 to 8 cups of water with one or two pieces of beef leg bones without meat.  The bones I used had bone marrows that are very good for this.  Other people or some Hispanics use pig’s feet instead of beef bones or none at all. Tripe alone would make it very bland.  Adding or using beef broth for simmering might help too.

The tripe I bought was pre-cut in bite sizes and scalded. If the tripe was not pre-scalded, which would be noted on the label, I would first boil them briefly and drain the water before you proceed with the recipe.

Ingredients:

Boil together then simmer:

• 2 lbs. Tripe, cut-up
• Water to cover the meat
• 1 tsp. dried oregano (Mexican oregano preferred)
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
• 1 tsp. salt

Save for later:

• Menudo seasoning
• 1 can White Hominy or Golden Hominy (binatog in Filipino)

Simmer until tripe is very tender, tender enough to just slide in your throat.  But before that point, season it with 3 to 4 heaping tsps. Menudo seasoning. Season it with salt to your taste. Taste it and add more or less of the seasonings. You may add more chili powder or more Menudo seasoning.  It also helped when I added a packet of Sazon Goya con azafran or con cilantro.  It makes for the reddish color instead of the pure chili powder.  Pour 1 can Hominy and simmer some more until the tripe is very tender.

I like it to be more savory than what I get at the taqueria.

If you don’t have Menudo seasoning, use 3 tsp. chili powder and 1 tsp. ground cumin.  It’s the same or almost the same as the bought Menudo seasoning.

Then add this garnish in your bowl at the table, use more or less of each: