Ginger 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 slow-simmered menudo, and this version delivers that deep, brick-red broth with all the complexity you'd expect from a true Sunday pot. Honeycomb tripe is simmered low and slow with onion and garlic until it reaches that perfect tender-but-slightly-chewy texture, then a hand-toasted chile sauce made from guajillo, ancho, and chile de árbol is blended smooth and strained right into the pot. The result is a broth that's rich, earthy, and just the right amount of smoky-spicy without any sharp or medicinal heat. Bloomed hominy soaks up all of that flavor as the soup finishes cooking, giving every bowl a satisfying heartiness. Many traditional recipes and restaurant versions sneak in warming spices that can be a problem for those avoiding ginger, but this one keeps the heat and depth coming entirely from dried chiles, cumin, and Mexican oregano — nothing more. Serve it loaded with diced onion, a squeeze of lime, fresh cilantro, and warm corn tortillas, and you've got a bowl that tastes like it took all weekend to make — because, honestly, it kind of did.

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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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