Menudo (soup) Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Menudo

Place of origin	Mexico
Main ingredients	Beef tripe (cow stomach), broth, hominy, lime, onions, cilantro, oregano, red chili peppers
Variations	Menudo colorado (made with chili rather than broth): menudo blanco (made without red chili peppers)

Menudo is a classic Mexican soup. It's also called pancita (which means 'little stomach'). This tasty soup is made with cow's stomach, called tripe. It's cooked in a flavorful broth, often with a red chili pepper base. To make it even better, ingredients like hominy, lime, onions, and oregano are added.

Why Menudo is Special
How Menudo is Made
Different Kinds of Menudo
Menudo in the United States
Gallery
See also

Why Menudo is Special

Menudo is more than just a meal in Mexico. It's a dish that families often prepare together. Making menudo can be a fun way for people to spend time. It's often served at special events. For example, families might enjoy it after wedding parties. This helps the families of the bride and groom connect.

Making menudo takes a long time. The main ingredient, tripe, needs many hours to cook. Because it takes so much effort, it's often made for big gatherings. People add many ingredients and side dishes. These include salsa, chopped onions, chilies, and cilantro. A squeeze of lime juice is also common.

In the 1930s, in Arizona, people held "menudo parties." These parties celebrated important moments. They were held for births, Christmas, and other happy occasions. This shows how important menudo has been to communities.

How Menudo is Made

Preparing menudo takes a lot of time. You usually need to cook it for four to seven hours. Sometimes, you can buy tripe that has already been partly boiled. This helps to cut down on the cooking time.

Here's a simple way it's made:

First, the beef tripe is cleaned very well.
Then, it's boiled for about three hours in a big pot. Half an onion is added to help remove any strong smells.
After boiling, the tripe is taken out. The onion and water are thrown away.
The tripe cools down and is cut into strips or small cubes.
Fresh water is added back to the pot with the tripe.
Next, oregano, red chili paste or powder, and lime or lemon juice are added.
Finally, hominy is put in, and the mixture is boiled again.

When it's ready, menudo is usually served with fresh toppings. These include chopped raw onions, more oregano, and diced chilies. Small pieces of lemon or lime are also common. People often eat it with warm corn tortillas or flour tortillas.

Some versions of menudo in Mexico add other meats. These can include honeycomb tripe or librillo beef. Sometimes, feet and tendons are also used. If other meats are added, the cooking time will be even longer. In northern Mexico, like Chihuahua, pig's trotters (feet) are sometimes used. These feet and tendons are boiled first for about three hours. Then, the tripe, salt, half an onion, and garlic are added. Red menudo often uses guajillo chili paste for its color. The soup is then boiled for another three hours. The hominy is added when the soup is almost finished cooking.

Different Kinds of Menudo

There are many ways to make menudo, depending on the region.

Menudo Blanco

A bowl of menudo blanco

In northern Mexico, hominy is almost always added. In states like Sinaloa and Sonora, you'll often find menudo blanco (white menudo). This version is made without red chili peppers. This gives the broth a clear or white color. Sometimes, jalapeños or chopped green chilies are added for a bit of spice.

Menudo with Patas

Adding patas (beef or pig's feet) to the stew is popular in the United States.

Other Regional Names

In some parts of central Mexico, "menudo" can mean a stew made from sheep stomach. A stew called pancitas is made from beef tongue. In southwestern Mexico, around Mexico City, Morelos, and Guerrero, it's called panza or panza guisada. The red version of menudo is usually found in the northern state of Chihuahua. In Texas, menudo usually uses only yellow hominy. There's a similar stew called pozole that uses meat that cooks faster. Some menudo recipes use garbanzo beans instead of hominy.

Menudo in the United States

Menudo served in Houston (2013)

Since the mid-1900s, menudo has become popular in the United States. You can find it in food stores and restaurants. This is especially true in cities with many Mexican people. Restaurants often serve menudo as a special dish on Saturdays and Sundays. You can even buy canned menudo.

There are also menudo festivals!

The annual Menudo Festival is held in Santa Maria, California. In 2009, over 2,000 people came to this festival. Thirteen restaurants competed to see who made the best menudo. The money raised helps local students get scholarships.
Since 1996, the Menudo Bowl has been an annual event in Laredo, Texas. In 2019, more than 30 teams competed to make the best menudo. This event is organized by Laredo Crime Stoppers. Teams include public officials, police, media, and community members. People from both sides of the US–Mexico border attend this popular event.