Menudo (soup)

Menudo, also known asMondongo,pancita([little] gutor[little] stomach) ormole de panza("stomach sauce"), is a traditionalMexicansoup, made with cow's stomach (tripe) inbrothwith a red chili pepper base. It is the Mexican variation of theSpanishcallosormenudo. Similar dishes exist throughoutLatin AmericaandEuropeincludingmondongo,guatitas,dobrada, in Italy,trippa alla romana, and in Greecepatsas - πατσάς.
Hominy(in Northern Mexico), lime, onions, and oregano are used to season the broth. It differs from theFilipino dish of the same name, in that the latter does not usetripe, hominy, or a chili sauce.
Tripe soups of both beef and mutton have been traditional inSpanish cuisinesince at least the 14th century. DonEnrique de Villenarefers to them disparagingly in hisArte Cisoria(1423), saying:
The first part of the novelGuzmán de Alfarache(1599) mentions the protagonist eating beef tripecallos.
With theSpanish colonization of the Americas, the Spanish introduced the tradition ofmenudoor tripe soups throughout the Americas, including Mexico. In the Mexican cookbookNuevo y Sencillo Arte de Cocina, Reposteria y Refrescos(1836), Antonia Carrillo includes manymenudorecipes, including a beef or mutton caldo de menudo (menudo soup), a veal menudo soup, and amenudo sopa(bread pudding).
In his cookbookDiccionario de Cocina o El Nuevo Cocinero Mexicano(1845), Manuel Galvan Rivera defined “menudo” in Mexico as:
There are a number of regional variations on menudo. In northern Mexico, hominy is typically added. In northwest states such asSinaloaandSonorausually only theblanco,(white) variation is seen;menudo blancois the same dish, but red pepper is not added (thoughjalapeñoor chopped green chilies may be included to replace the spice in the red version), thus giving the broth a clear or white color. In Southern Arizona the typical adornments for menudo blanco are freshly chopped onion and cilantro, lemon, and groundchiltepín. Addingpatas(beef or pig's feet) to the stew is popular in the United States. In some areas of central Mexico, "menudo" refers to a stew ofsheepstomach,pancitasstew ofbeeftongue. In south-western Mexico (in and around the Distrito Federal, Morelos, and Guerrero) it is calledpanzaorpanza guisada. The red variation is usually seen in the northern state ofChihuahuaandNuevo León. Only yellow hominy is usually used in menudo in Texas. A similar stew made with more easily cooked meat ispozole. Some variations of menudo substitute garbanzo beans instead of hominy.
In the United States, since the mid-20th century, prepared menudo has been common in food stores and restaurants in cosmopolitan areas and in other areas with a significant Mexican population. Restaurants often feature it as a special on Saturday and Sunday,and some believe menudo alleviates hangovers.Canned menudo is also available.
An annual Menudo Festival is held inSanta Maria, California. In 2009, more than 2,000 people attended and 13 restaurants competed for prizes in three categories. The festival is organized by the National Latino Peace Officers Association of Northern Santa Barbara County and the money raised goes toward scholarships for local students.
Since 1996, the Menudo Bowl is an annual event in Laredo, Texas. In 2019, over 30 teams participated to make the best menudo. The event is organized by Laredo Crime Stoppers, with teams conformed by public officials, law enforcement, media representatives, and members of the community. The event is attended by people from both sides of the US–Mexico border.
In the United States, amongTejanosandChicanos,Menudo is traditionally prepared by the entire family, and often serves as an occasion for social interactions such as after wedding receptions where the families of the newlyweds go to one of their family's houses to enjoy a bowl of menudo before and after the ceremony. It is also believed to be ahangovercure.
Menudo takes a long time to prepare as the tripe takes hours to cook. It includes many ingredients and side dishes (such as salsa), and is garnished with chopped onions, chiles, cilantro, and often with lime juice; it is often prepared communally and eaten at a feast.
Documents from the AmericanWorks Progress Administrationindicate that in the 1930s, among migrant workers inArizona, menudo parties were held regularly to celebrate births, Christmas, and other occasions.
It is typically served with chopped raw onions, oregano, diced chiles (usually serrano), and lemon or lime segments along with corn or flour tortillas.