Menudo Rojo (Red Menudo)

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Recipe by:GUSTAVO6

“Inexpensive to make, and fully authentic, this menudo will have your Latin lovers swooning! This recipe uses a combination of chiles to deliver its trademark red color, and packs a mildly spicy punch. And it is really quite easy to make – my husband absolutely devoured it the first time I made it.” Quote by Gustavo6.

The following recipe is taken from “allrecipes.com” and is as close to what my aunt Carmen makes as I could find on the web.  To give credit where credit is due, the original web link is at the end. If it’s written in italics, I wrote it.

When I saw the recipe for an Italian tripe stew by Paola,  “Trippe in umido alla Genovese:” 

https://primononsprecare.wordpress.com/2013/04/21/trippe-in-umido-alla-genovese/ on Paola’s site,  her interest in my recipe compelled me to join “our” familial versions on one page. Granted, mine is borrowed.

I do want to mention that there are other versions of Menudo as it varies regionally.  I had never known that until I stepped into an authentic Mexican restaurant, “La Orquidia” in Alabama and ordered.  It came without the hominy.  I discovered that those from the Guanajuato region did not use hominy.  It was disappointing. Their Pozole on the other hand was similar and delicious as was the rest of their menu.  If you go online you will discover several other versions of Menudo.  The version that follows is like what my family made and I grew up eating. Enjoy!

MENUDO ROJO

• 3 gallons water, divided
• 2 1/2 pounds beef tripe, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 large white onion, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons salt
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano

• 2 tablespoons ground red pepper
• 5 de arbol chile peppers *
• 6 japones chile peppers, seeds removed *
• 6 cups canned white or yellow hominy, drained
• 1/2 white onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 limes, juiced
• Add all ingredients to list

Directions

Preparation time: 30 min   Cook: 8 hours    Ready in: 8 hours 30 min

1. In a large pot, bring 1 gallon water to a boil. Place tripe in the pot, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours. Periodically skim off fat with a spoon. Drain water, reduce heat, and pour in a fresh gallon of water. Continue to simmer tripe for 2 hours; drain.
2. Pour remaining 1 gallon water into the pot with tripe, and bring to a boil. Stir in garlic and 1 white onion. Season with salt, pepper, oregano, and red pepper. Reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour.
3. Preheat the broiler.
4. Arrange the de arbol chile peppers on a baking sheet, and broil about 2 minutes, just until they begin to scorch. Remove from heat, slit lengthwise, and remove seeds. In a blender or food processor, blend the de arbol chile peppers and japones chile peppers until very finely chopped. Mix into the pot, and continue cooking 2 hours over low heat.
5. Mix the hominy into the pot. Continue cooking 1 hour. Serve with remaining onion, cilantro, and lime juice.

You may want to start this the day before.  I know when my aunt cooks it she starts very early in the morning.  It is usually ready by about 1 or 2 pm in the afternoon.

She usually has on the side, in little bowls, dried oregano, sliced radishes, chopped cilantro and onion and slices of lime.  You add these to taste.  The above picture shows mint but it is not in the recipe. 

**The two above chili’s look similar but have a different flavor, so you may need to look them up. If you buy them dry, which is fine, you just need to skip the roasting part. (Roasting  will fragrant your home).

Chile Japones

I copied the recipe from: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/68837/menudo-rojo-red-menudo/?internalSource=similar_recipe_banner&referringId=15343&referringContentType=recipe&clickId=simslot_4

It was the closest to how I’ve seen my aunt make it.  She makes it so well, I’ve never had to make it myself but once. How many times do I have to brag on this? This is delicious!

Kind of a deviation from what I normally do.  I hope you like it!!