High Fructose Corn Syrup Free Classic Menudo
Few dishes carry the soul and history of a slow-simmered menudo, and this version earns every minute it spends on the stove. Tender honeycomb tripe, bloomed hominy, and a rich chile broth built from guajillo, ancho, and chile de árbol come together into something deeply savory and genuinely satisfying. The chile sauce is made entirely from dried whole chiles, garlic, oregano, and cumin — nothing from a bottle, nothing with a sweetener hiding in the fine print. That matters more than you might think, because many store-bought red sauces and canned chile bases quietly sneak in corn syrup derivatives to balance acidity or add body. Here, the depth comes purely from toasting and soaking the chiles, then blending them smooth and straining the purée directly into the broth. The result is a bowl with real complexity — earthy, faintly smoky, and just spicy enough — finished at the table with lime, fresh cilantro, and warm corn tortillas. It takes patience, but this is the kind of cooking that rewards you completely.
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Learn more →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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