Xanthan Gum Free Classic Menudo

Total time4 hr 45 min

Prep time45 min

Cook time4 hr

4.5

(29)

Few dishes carry the kind of soul-warming depth that a long-simmered tripe and hominy soup does, and this version delivers that rich, brick-red broth in the most satisfying way. The chile sauce — built from toasted guajillo, ancho, and chile de árbol — is blended smooth and strained directly into the pot, giving the broth a complex, earthy heat that builds beautifully over the final simmer. Honeycomb tripe gets a proper parboil first, then slow-cooks with onion and garlic until it's tender with just the right amount of chew, while the hominy blooms into soft, pillowy bites that soak up every bit of that deeply colored broth. For anyone navigating thickener sensitivities, this recipe is naturally in the clear — every bit of body in the broth comes from the chiles, the long cook time, and the starch released by the hominy, with zero additives needed. The optional pig's feet add extra richness if you want to go full traditional, but the soup is absolutely complete without them. Finish each bowl with a squeeze of lime, a handful of cilantro, and a side of warm corn tortillas, and you have a meal that tastes like it took all weekend — because in the best possible way, 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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