Coconut 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 tripe soup, and this version delivers that deep, brick-red broth that serious home cooks dream about. The real magic happens in two stages — first coaxing the honeycomb tripe into tender, yielding pieces, then building a chile sauce from toasted guajillo, ancho, and árbol chiles that gets blended smooth and strained directly into the pot. That layered chile base gives the broth a smoky, earthy heat that store-bought shortcuts simply cannot replicate. Bloomed hominy soaks up all of that richness as it simmers, turning the whole pot into something genuinely extraordinary. For anyone navigating coconut-free eating, this recipe is naturally in the clear — every ingredient from the dried chiles to the corn tortillas for serving is straightforward and free of any coconut-derived additions. The optional garnishes of lime, fresh cilantro, diced onion, and extra dried oregano let each person at the table customize their bowl, which is exactly how this dish is meant to be eaten. Set aside an afternoon, trust the process, and you will have a pot of something truly special.

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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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