Menudo is a staple in Mexican, Latin America, and Spanish households. Its origins remain a mystery – some people attribute its humble beginnings in Central Mexico during Mexico’s pre-revolution era as a soup prepared from poverty – also known as “poor man’s soup.” Usually, food waste and leftovers were given to peasant cooks, who invented menudo by using the stomach. Some people believe its popularity began in the 1930s as a celebratory dish for Christmas, New Year, or other holidays. The two most popular types of menudo include menudo rojo from northern Mexico and Guadalajara, and white menudo, from Sinaloa and central Mexico.
Menudo’s Ingredients are Key
While everyone says their family’s menudo is the best, there are some common ingredients that are popular to use in most recipes:
- Corn
- Garlic
- Onion
- Hominy
- Beef Tripe
- Bay Leaves
- Other Spices
- Chiles (Arbol and Guajillo)
Common ingredients to garnish menudo include cilantro (and other herbs), corn tortillas, and lime wedges.
Menudo Takes Time
One thing that makes menudo a worthy dish to enjoy with your friends and family is the time it takes to cook it. Often, menudo takes seven to ten hours to cook properly due to the toughness of the tripe, which is why it’s considered a dish worthy of taking time to cook for the holidays, or better yet, a weekend hangover cure!
Take Home Delia’s Menudo
We offer menudo every Saturday and Sunday – both small and large – from our seven locations, including our newest site in San Antonio! Enjoy them with our tamales, salads, and aguas frescas.
Purchase Our Menudo This Weekend
Our menudo is worth purchasing every weekend. Be sure to send us a message online if you have any questions about our menudo, tamales, or other menu items. Show us how you enjoy your menudo on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Use #DeliasTamales!
FAQs
We offer menudo every Saturday and Sunday – both small and large – from our seven locations, including our newest site in San Antonio! Enjoy them with our tamales, salads, and aguas frescas.
Why is menudo only served on weekends? ›
His menudo rojo (with red chile) is common in northern Mexico, while menudo blanco (white menudo, without chile) is more popular in Sinaloa and central Mexico. Menudo is often served only on the weekends because it takes a long time to prepare – and perhaps because that's when it's most needed as a hangover cure.
Is menudo healthy for you? ›
In short, menudo can be a very nutritious meal. It's a good source of nutrients that many of us don't get enough of, like collagen and vitamin B12. People may want to exercise caution if they have high cholesterol or high blood pressure.
Does menudo taste better the next day? ›
Menudo is better reheated the next day, as are most dishes which use red peppers and garlic. The crock pot took too long to get rolling and wasted counter space. If the boys had been hungover, this dish would have been a failure. There is no waiting for hangover food–-only car keys and a greasy spoon.
What is the chewy meat in menudo? ›
A better menudo starts with properly prepared tripe
These two elements have to simmer together until the tripe is tender. The result is a soup that not only fails to soften the chewiness of the tripe, but also infuses the broth and nixtamal with the natural and expected stink of a cow's digestive system.
Why does menudo make you feel better? ›
Drinking water both during your night out and the morning after can reduce the negative effects of alcohol. This is a reason why menudo is helpful for a hangover. The soup provides more hydration than other types of food and as a result, you may feel better, if only slightly.
Why would most Spaniards not like to eat menudo? ›
The answer is - It contains offal meat Menudo is a traditional Mexican soup made fr…
Why does my menudo have no flavor? ›
If the broth's taste is too bland for your liking (this can happen due to the type of tripe and bone used), add beef broth cubes to it. If using uncooked hominy, it can be cooked separately while the tripe cooks, to avoid lengthening the time preparing this recipe will take.
Can you eat menudo at night? ›
There is no right time to have menudo, and you can eat it any day of the year.
How many pounds of menudo per person? ›
How much menudo do I need for my party? You figure a pound (lb) per person for menudo .
Menudo pancita ([little] gut or [little] stomach) or mole de panza ("stomach sauce"), is a traditional Mexican soup, made with cow's stomach (tripe) in broth with a red chili pepper base.
Is tripe healthy? ›
Tripe, like other organ meats, is packed with nutrients, including vitamin B12, selenium, and zinc. Adding this high quality protein to savory dishes or snacks may cut down on food waste and costs. Still, tripe is high in cholesterol, and its unique texture and taste may not appeal to everyone.
Why do you soak tripe in vinegar? ›
Cleaning and preparing tripe
In the past I've used vinegar and salt to clean the fresh tripe, or just some intense scrubbing under running water. Chris Cosentino suggests washing well and dipping in not-quite-boiling vinegar to remove any odor.
How many days does menudo last? ›
In the fridge, menudo will last 3-4 days. It actually tastes better when it's reheated. In the freezer, menudo will last 3-4 months. It will have lost some of its freshness and texture, but the taste will still be there.
Is menudo a peasant food? ›
Menudo's origins are firmly planted in peasant food heritage and poverty. According to research, in pre-revolution Mexico, poverty among the campesinos was chronic and little if anything that might be prepared as food was left to waste.
