Yummy Menudo

The best meals are made from scratch, my mother will spend a whole day cooking or baking to prepare a meal. And when you eat it you savor every bite because her food is always delicious. Plus moms and grandmas food is always the best, isn't it? 


We were all craving Menudo and my sisters birthday was coming up so Mom decided to cook Menudo to celebrate. She allowed me to share her recipe and let me tell you, it will not disappoint. I ate two bowls that night and two bowls the next day. When I like something I eat a lot of it, I have no shame. Plus my husband doesn't like Menudo so I ate his serving... his lost! He tried to have some but couldn't finish it, he says it's a texture thing. The meat is very soft and if not cooked correctly it can be very chewy. Menudo is not for everyone, you either love it or hate it. For those of you who love it here is how you prepare Menudo estillo Zacatecas (Zacatecas, Mexico style)....

Ingredients:

• White Hominy: 1 large Can
• Dry Chile Guajillo
• Bay leaves
• Rosemary
• Thyme
• Garlic: 2 whole bulbs
• Onion: 2 whole Onions
• Beef Cow Feet A.K.A. Pata: 5 pounds
• Beef Tripe, Regular and Honeycomb: 10 pounds
• Salt (We used sea salt)
• Gloves (used when removing seeds from your chiles)

Menudo is traditionally made with pata A.K.A. beef feet, some will eat it while others refuse. I personally love me some pata... yumm yumm yumm! When preparing your Menudo you start by washing your feet, I mean your cow feet ;). 

(The feet should be pre cut)

Rinse them really well in the sink and place them in a large pot. Fill with water (about 3/4ths) and add 6 Bay leaves, 1 tbsp of Thyme, 1 tbsp of Rosemary, 1 whole Garlic, 1 whole Onion, and a hand full of salt. 

Place pot on stove and cook for about 4-6 hours or until the meat is soft and falling off the bone.

The tripe and pata (cow feet) are cooked separately, the tripe is prepared the same way in a separate pot. They are separated because the tripe cooks much faster. Once you've cut your tripe into large cubes you'll wash it and place it in a pot. Fill with water and add the same spices that were used for the pata. 

The tripe will cook within 3-4 hours or allow to cook until tender. This pot is the stinker of the two, you would think the feet stink more right? My mom used the outdoor grill to boil her tripe, you may want to do the same to avoid a funky smell in your kitchen.

As those two cook you can get started on your chile guajillo sauce, first you remove the stems and seeds from the chiles. We highly recommend using gloves when removing seeds from your chiles because god forbid you get chile in your eye. It's happened to me and it hurts like hell!!! Had to leave my head under running water for 15 minutes. Just wear the gloves...

Next you rinse your chiles in cold water (about 15-20 chiles, give or take).

Remove your chiles from the cold water and soak them in a bowl of hot water (not boiling) for 2 hours or until soft.

Once your tripe is almost done cooking strain your can of Hominy and add it to your tripe pot. Keep boiling for an additional half hour to 45 minutes.

(We use white Hominy)

To prepare your chile sauce you use two cups of Tripe broth, the garlic bulb from your tripe pot, your softened chiles, and salt to taste.

She cooked the bulb of garlic along with the peel, if you do the same don't forget to peel each clove of garlic before blending.

Blend until smooth, the chile should be thick not watery.

After your two meats have finished cooking transfer the pata to the tripe pot (using spoonfuls to avoid a mess). 

Then mix the two broths and remove the 2nd bulb of garlic, your onion should have dissolved and is not removed.

The chile is the last thing you add to your Menudo, pour the sauce into your pot and stir.

You may notice a layer of fat sitting on top of the broth, use a large spoon to remove the extra fat. Or you can leave it if you don't mind, we personally prefer to remove it.

Now your Menudo is ready to be served...

Menudo is usually garnished with diced onion, cilantro, oregano, and serrano chiles. It typically has a lil kick, the spicy serrano chiles completed the soup. Some prefer red pepper flakes and of course lemon is added as well. In most restaurants they serve Menudo with tortillas but we prefer bolio a.k.a. french bread or Mexican version of a baguette. 

This bowl was prepared for my father, he likes his Menudo extra spicy. Bring on the chile....

This is typically enjoyed for breakfast or after a bad hangover. Mexicans believe the chile makes you sweat out the alcohol. I enjoy Menudo anytime, any day. No special occasion is required. 

Enjoy, amigos! =D

Much love, V&L