This recipe includes the information and tips needed to make Slow Cooker Menudo, a traditional and comforting Mexican soup.
Slow Cooker Menudo
Menudo is a traditional Mexican soup commonly thought of as a comfort food. It is typically eaten on special occasions and also on Sunday mornings since it is considered the ultimate cure for hangovers.
My parents have a fantastic recipe for menudo that is one of my dad's favorites to prepare. The original recipe actually comes from my Abuelita Maria, who taught my mom how to make it, who then taught my dad. My dad has since become the menudo-maker in the family and has turned this menudo into a simple and delicious slow cooker recipe.
Personally, I had never prepared menudo, always assuming it would be much too complicated. However, just this week my dad and I made some menudo and I was surprised at just how easy it is to make. He broke down all the ins and outs on how to perfectly prepare this traditional soup in order for me to learn how to make it, and to be able to share with you here on the blog.
So let me share the knowledge I gained on how to make Slow Cooker Menudo.
First Let's Start by Talking About the Meat...
Beef Tripe
- For some, menudo is an acquired taste and has gotten a bad rap due to its main ingredient, beef tripe. Beef tripe is the edible lining of the cow’s stomach. Now this might seem like an uncommon cut of meat, but it is actually very popular worldwide and used in a variety of dishes.
- The key to eating tripe is all in how it is prepared. Because of its mild taste, it easily takes on the flavors of other ingredients. It is also best when cooked long and slow in a soup or stew, this allows the tripe to have a tender, silky texture.
- Honeycomb tripe is the type of tripe used in menudo. You can usually find it in the meat section or freezer section of many grocery stores. If you live near a Mexican or Latin supermarket, you can also order it at the butcher counter. It is usually labeled as "menudo."
- My dad's favorite type of tripe to use is actually cut beef tripe, like the one shown here. You can usually find cut tripe at the butcher counter of Latin markets as stated above.
- To learn more about tripe, its uses, and nutritional value, click here.
Pig Trotters
- The ingredients in my parents’ recipe for menudo are very simple, but it is the use of pig trotters, otherwise known as pig’s feet, that adds so much amazing flavor. The pig’s feet cook along with the tripe, leaving the meat fall-off the bone tender and a great addition to this soup.
- My parents always use pig's feet cut into pieces, but you can also use cow's feet. Ask the butcher to cut the pig or cow's feet for you if they're not already pre-cut.
Preparing the Meat
Now that you know what type of meat to buy, let's talk about how to prepare it for cooking. To get rid of impurities, the tripe and pig's feet need to be cleaned before cooking. Here's how:
- Place 3 pounds of tripe in a medium pot and 2 pounds of pig's feet in another.
- If frozen, run the meat under cold water until defrosted. Separate any pieces that are stuck or frozen together.
- Gently rub the pieces of tripe with your hands to release any extra fat or impurities. Dump the water and repeat this process two more times.
- If the tripe has too much fat, slice some of the excess off. Cut the meat into 1x1 inch pieces. If using cut tripe, some of the pieces may already be that size, but be sure to cut any larger pieces for more uniform cooking.
- Next, rinse the pig's feet 2-3 times, also gently rubbing to make sure they are thoroughly cleaned.
- Leave the tripe and pig's feet in the pots and fill each one with new water, enough to cover the meat. Place the pots on the stove and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, this will ensure the meat is clean and ready to cook.
Making the Slow Cooker Menudo
- Start by adding 14 cups of cold water and 2 ¼ tablespoons of kosher salt to your slow cooker. Mix to dissolve the salt, then taste. The water should have the flavor of salt, but be sure it is not salty. Add another ¼ tablespoon of salt only if needed.
- Next, drain the tripe and pig's feet and add to the slow cooker. Add one whole half of a peeled white onion. Then, peel a whole head of garlic and add the garlic cloves to the pot.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and set the time for 8 hours. After cooking for 8 hours, take a piece of the tripe out and use a butter knife to cut it. If the tripe is gritty and too hard to cut, the menudo may need about another hour. The tripe is done when it is tender and easily sliced. You can also taste it at this point to be sure it is tender.
- In the last 15 minutes or so of the menudo cooking, pour 2-3 cans of hominy (15.5 ounces each) and their liquid into a small pot. Place the pot on the stove and bring to a boil. Simmer for 3-4 minutes.
- Drain the hominy and add to the slow cooker. Switch the slow cooker to high and once it comes back to a boil the menudo is ready.
- Taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed.
Making the Red Salsa
If you have seen or eaten menudo, you may think of it as having a red broth. My parents recipe however has a white broth and therefore usually referred to as "menudo blanco." Instead, we always serve our menudo with a red salsa on the side that adds great flavor, a spicy kick and a beautiful, red tint to the soup. Each person can add the sauce to their menudo and make it as spicy or mild as they choose.
- To make the sauce, add 15 dried chiles de arbol and 3 dried guajillo chiles to a small pot of boiling water. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the chiles rest in the pot of water for another 5 minutes.
- Once soft, add the chiles to a blender (or food processor) along with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder, ¼ cup of chicken broth, and ½ cup of the water used to boil the chiles. Blend until smooth.
- Strain the sauce through a fine mesh sieve into a salsa bowl or small container. Use a spoon to mix and push the sauce to help it through the strainer and get rid of all the seeds and any unblended pieces.
Serve
- Serve the menudo in bowls and allow each person to add lime juice, diced onion, dried oregano and the red salsa to their liking.
- We also serve the menudo with slices of bolillos or French bread, which are great to dip right into the broth when eating.
- The menudo can be stored in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. It can also be frozen for up to a month, but it does lose some flavor if frozen for too long.
Let me know if you have any questions when making this Slow Cooker Menudo.
I hope you enjoy!
Please leave me a comment below if you make this or tag me on Instagram @everydaylatina.
Check out these other great Mexican soup recipes:
- Frijoles Charros (Mexican Charro Beans)
- Ground Beef Stew with Jalapeño
- Sopa de Tortilla Azteca (Tortilla Soup)
Recipe
Slow Cooker Menudo
Ingredients
Menudo
- 3 lbs honeycomb or cut beef tripe (see notes)
- 2 lbs pig's feet (or cow's feet)
- 14 cups water
- 2 ¼ tablespoon kosher salt (plus more to taste)
- ½ white onion, peeled
- 1 head of garlic, peeled
- 2-3 15.5 oz cans white hominy (or one 29 oz can)
Red Sauce
- 15 dried chiles de arbol
- 3 dried guajillo chiles
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup reserved cooking liquid
Garnishes
- 2 limes (cut into wedges)
- ½ white onion, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano
- sliced bolillos or French bread
Instructions
Preparing the Meat
- Place the tripe in a medium pot and the pig’s feet in another. If frozen, run the meat under cold water until defrosted. Separate any pieces that are frozen together.
- Gently rub the pieces of tripe with your hands to release any extra fat or impurities. Dump the water and repeat this process two more times. Follow the same process for the pig's feet.
- If the tripe has too much fat, slice some of the excess off. Cut the meat into 1×1 inch pieces. If using cut tripe, some of the pieces may already be that size, but be sure to cut any larger pieces for more uniform cooking.
- Leave the tripe and pig’s feet in the pots and fill each one with new water, enough to cover the meat. Place the pots on the stove and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, this will ensure the meat is clean and ready to cook.
Menudo
- Add the 14 cups of cold water and 2 ¼ tablespoons of kosher salt to your slow cooker. Mix to dissolve the salt, then taste. The water should have the flavor of salt, but be sure it is not salty. Add another ¼ tablespoon of salt only if needed.
- Drain the tripe and pig’s feet and add to the slow cooker. Add the white onion and all the peeled garlic cloves to the pot.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and set the time for 8 hours. After cooking for 8 hours, take a piece of the tripe out and use a butter knife to cut it. If the tripe is gritty and hard to cut, the menudo may need about another hour. The tripe is done when it is tender and easily sliced. You can also taste it at this point to be sure it is tender.
- In the last 15 minutes or so of the menudo cooking, pour the cans of hominy and their liquid into a small pot. Place the pot on the stove and bring to a boil. Simmer for 3-4 minutes.
- Drain the hominy and add to the slow cooker. Switch the slow cooker to high and once it comes back to a boil the menudo is ready. Turn the slow cooker off or switch to warm.
- Taste the menudo for seasoning and add more salt if needed.
Red Sauce
- Add the chiles de arbol and guajillo chiles to a small pot of boiling water. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the chiles rest in the pot of water for another 5 minutes. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking liquid.
- Add the chiles to a blender (or food processor) along with the kosher salt, garlic powder, chicken broth, and the reserved cooking liquid. Blend until smooth.
- Strain the sauce through a fine mesh sieve into a salsa bowl or small container. Use a spoon to mix and push the sauce to help it through the strainer and get rid of all the seeds and any unblended pieces.
Serve
- Serve the menudo in bowls and allow each person to add the garnishes to their liking.
Notes
- Refer to the blog post for more information about the cuts of meats used in this recipe.
Sandy A Rodriguez
Well, the real question is I like to use Menudo spice that comes in a bottle! My parents only used that mix, but you don’t mention that at all. Any reason why not? This is Texas! San Antonio!
Gemma
Hi Sandy, there is no need for the spice mix in this recipe since the garlic, onion, salt and pig's feet help make the broth very flavorful. The red chile sauce then further accentuates the flavor and adds great spice. This is the way my family makes it in Mexico. I hope that helps.
Mila
My husband loves menudo and always orders it at restaurants. We were scared to try it at home but we followed your recipe and it was so easy and came out so flavorful. Thank you!
Gemma
I am so glad you gave the homemade one a try and that you liked it! Thank you!
Catt
How many cloves of garlic and what size chiles? The ingredients list says one clove, but the directions say “cloves”. And how are the cloves and onion supposed to be cut since they will be cooking 8+ hours? Left mostly whole or bite sized? Should they be tossed after 8 hours like stewed veggies usually are in this type of preparation, then maybe fresh ones added at the end?
The guajillo chiles come in small and large sizes. And can the red sauce just be added as it is to the entire pot if that’s what you decide to do, and if so do the measurements of the red sauce need to be adjusted? I’m just making one pot like menudo is usually served.
Gemma
Hi Catt, the ingredients state one whole head of garlic, which is usually about 10-12 cloves. The garlic cloves just needs to be peeled and placed in the pot. The onion is also just peeled and cut in half and put the whole thing in the pot. You can take the garlic and onion out once the menudo is ready and discard them. You will garnish each bowl with fresh diced onions but there is no more need for garlic at that point.
As for the guajillo chiles, use medium sized ones, not too small. This is a recipe for menudo blanco so I don't recommend just adding the sauce to the whole pot as the sauce can turn out pretty spicy and meant for each person to add to each of their bowls based on their preference. By all means if you want to add it to the pot please do but I do not have measurements to adjust the sauce as this is not how we prepare it.
I hope this helps.
Anna Batiste
do we put the slow cooker on high or low
everydaylatina
Hi Anna, on low. Sorry for leaving that out.
Laura
This does sound easy and delicious! Could you add the red sauce into the whole pot of menudo? Or do you recommend each person add it to their bowl?
everydaylatina
Thank you! This is what would be considered menudo blanco so the sauce is meant to be added at the end by each person. Also, the sauce comes out spicy so it is better if each person adds their own depending on their heat preference.