Menudo Rojo

Featuring:
Rumba Meats® Beef Honeycomb Tripe

20 minutes Prep Time
3 hours Cook Time
8 Servings

Original Blog & Recipe by
Sonia Mendez Garcia

My name is Sonia Mendez Garcia. Born and raised in California, but I have lived in Texas and since 1986, I call central New York my home. My parents Ramiro and Blanca were born in Monterrey, Mexico and raised a family of five girls and three boys. The kitchen was always a focal point in our house. With Rumba Meats, I can prepare all of my favorite recipes that my Mom prepared with such love and attention for our family.

See more of my recipes

Menudo Rojo

Menudo Rojo Plated

You mention the word menudo and you either get a smile or a yuck face, lol! I have to say that menudo is not for everyone. I grew up eating menudo and currently have a pot on the stove top as I type this morning. The first time I had to prepare menudo on my own was not the best experience, to say the least. The beef tripe was not fresh, but because I was inexperienced with beef tripe, I had no idea. I managed to get through the whole experience, but in the end had to throw out the whole pot because it was bad! I have learned so much since then. My parents would prepare a big pot of menudo at least once a month when I lived at home. I remember the aroma of the menudo as it cooked low and slow overnight. It has a distinct aroma is all I can say. Not necessarily bad, just unique. More than anything, I challenge myself to learn these recipes because I refuse to accept that I can’t enjoy the dishes I grew up with because they are not available where I live. Thanks to the availability and quality product of Rumba Meats , I have been able to prepare menudo at home. The beef tripe is fresh and clean which makes for a pleasant cooking experience. Preparing traditional dishes, I feel, is a rite of passage. I love the definition of that term: Rites of passage usually involve ritual activities and teachings designed to strip individuals of their original roles and prepare them for new roles. That could not be more true when it comes to learning, developing, teaching these dishes. You evolve from being the student to becoming the teacher that passes down these recipes that have been part of your heritage forever. It’s a ritual that I have come to love and cannot imagine my life without these rituals. So, when you mention the word menudo and get a yuck face, you can understand why I would not agree, lol! But, I respect other peoples choices and it means more menudo for me! It’s my rite of passage.

Directions

Menudo Rojo Plated

Directions

1. Place the chile guajillos in a pot of simmering water and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, add the chiles to the blender. Also add 2 cups of cooking water, garlic and salt to taste. Cover and blend on high until smooth. Strain chile sauce through a wire mesh strainer into a bowl, set aside.

2. Slice the honeycomb and scalded tripe into bite size pieces. Place in colander and rinse well with cold water. Place in a large pot. Add 1/2 the onion, 1/2 the garlic and juice of 1 lemon. Cover genrously with water and heat to medium. When it comes to a boil, add salt to taste and reduce to a simmer. Cook partially covered, skimming off the foam on top, for 1 hour.

3. Add 1 tablespoon oregano, strained chile sauce and maiz pozolero. Stir well to combine. Bring back up to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Cook partially cover for 2 more hours. Taste for salt. Garnish with your favorites. Yields up to 8 servings.

Menudo Rojo Plated 3

Ingredients

Tripe Recipe

Rumba Meats® Beef Honeycomb Tripe (2 pounds)
2 pounds honeycomb beef tripe
2 pounds scalded beef tripe
1 large white onion, sliced in half
1 small head of garlic
2 bay leaves
Juice of 1 large lemon
Water
Salt to taste
8-10 chile California, Guajillo, or New Mexico, stems and seeds removed
2 cloves garlic
2 cups cooking water
1 tablespoon of Mexican oregano
2 cans maiz pozolero, drained (25 oz. each)

For Garnish

Lemon wedges (or lime)
Serrano, minced
White onion, diced
Cilantro, chopped
Mexican Oregano
Crushed chile piquin or chile de arbol

Recipe Notes

For extra flavor, pata de res (beef feet) can also be added to recipe.

Instructions

Slice beef honeycomb tripe and scalded beef tripe into bite-size pieces. Rinse in a colander with cold water. Place in a large pot. Add onion, garlic, bay leaves and lemon juice. Cover generously with water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, add salt to taste and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook partially covered, skimming off the foam on top, for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, place chile guajillos in a pot of simmering water and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, add softened chiles to a blender. Add 2 cups chile cooking water and 2 cloves garlic. Cover and blend on high until smooth. Season to taste with salt. Strain chile sauce through a wire mesh strainer into a bowl. Set aside.
To simmering stockpot with tripe, add oregano, strained chile sauce and maiz pozolero. Stir well to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer. Cook partially covered for 2 more hours until tripe is tender and reaches an internal temperature of 160ºF. Season to taste with salt.
Garnish with your favorite toppings such as lemon wedges, minced serrano, diced onion, chopped cilantro, oregano and chile piquin.