Brazil Nut Free Classic Menudo

Total time4 hr 45 min

Prep time45 min

Cook time4 hr

4.5

(29)

Few dishes carry the soul and history of a long-simmered menudo, and this version delivers every bit of that deep, brick-red broth you'd hope to find at a Sunday family table. Honeycomb tripe is simmered low and slow with onion and garlic until it turns tender with just the right amount of chew, then the whole pot gets transformed by a toasted chile sauce built from guajillo, ancho, and chile de árbol. Toasting those dried chiles in a dry skillet before soaking and blending them is the move that gives the broth its smoky, complex backbone — it's a small step that makes a huge difference. Plump hominy goes in toward the end, soaking up all that richly spiced broth and blooming into something almost creamy against the tender tripe. The ingredient list is entirely whole, unprocessed, and naturally free from tree nuts of any kind, so there's nothing to second-guess before you ladle it out. Set up a spread of lime wedges, fresh cilantro, diced onion, and warm corn tortillas on the side and let everyone build their bowl the way they like it. This is the kind of recipe that fills the kitchen with an aroma that makes people wander in from the other room asking when it'll be ready.

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Ingredients

8 servings

4 lb honeycomb tripe, cut into 1 ½-inch pieces
1 lb pig's feet (about 2 pieces), optional (optional)
1 white onion, halved
8 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
2 cans (29 oz each) hominy, drained and rinsed

For the chile sauce

6 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
3 dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
1 dried chile de árbol, stem removed
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tsp dried mexican oregano
1 tsp ground cumin

For serving

½ white onion, finely diced (optional)
4 limes, cut into wedges (optional)
¼ cup dried mexican oregano, for serving (optional)
½ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (optional)
crushed red pepper flakes or dried chile de árbol, for serving (optional)
warm corn tortillas, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1
Place the tripe pieces (and pig's feet, if using) in a large stockpot and cover with cold water by at least 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 10 minutes, then drain and rinse the tripe thoroughly under cold running water. Wipe out the pot.
2
Return the tripe (and pig's feet, if using) to the pot. Add the halved onion, 8 garlic cloves, and 2 tsp salt. Pour in enough cold water to cover by 3 inches — about 12 cups. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a steady low simmer. Skim any foam that rises to the surface during the first 20 minutes.

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