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Home » Recipes » Beef » Menudo (or Pancita) + VIDEO

Menudo (or Pancita) + VIDEO

Last Updated February 14, 2022. Originally Posted June 16, 2019 By Maggie Unzueta

This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Menudo (or Pancita) - This soup is rich and deeply satisfying. An authentic Mexican recipe that is truly delicious and comforting with each spoonful.
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Menudo, or Pancita, in a brown bowl topped with lime, onion, and cilantro.

Sunday mornings in Mexico always started the same way – with a big pot of Menudo. In Durango, the entire city would practically shut down.

Even the kids would go inside to spend time with their families and less time outside playing fútbol.

Church was a must. Maybe a walk later around the Plaza de Armas for a paleta or a visit to a relative who might or might not know that we were coming over (“Surprise!”).

What is Menudo?

Menudo is a Mexican stew made of beef tripe (or stomach). It is cooked in a red chile broth with hominy and topped with lime, onion, cilantro, and oregano. It is one of Mexico’s most traditional stews just like Pozole Rojo, Birria de Res, Chile Verde.

How to Cook Honeycomb Tripe:

A collage showing how to cook tripe.

The Menudo meat, or Pancita de Res, has a distinct smell, and there are several ways to minimize the smell.

Tips to Reduce the Smell of the Honeycomb Tripe:

  • Put the tripe in a large stockpot.
  • Cover with water.
  • Add juice of 2 limes.
  • Let sit in the fridge for at least 1 to 1 1/2 hour. Discard water. Continue with recipe.

Instead of lime, you can also use 2 tablespoons vinegar.

OR

  • Put the tripe in a large stockpot.
  • Cover with water.
  • Bring to a boil.
  • Turn heat off.
  • Add 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar and 2 garlic cloves.
  • Let sit for at least 30 minutes. Discard water. Continue with recipe.

If you are using the same pot as when you were trying to take the smell away, you will need to WASH the pot. The odor lingers.

Different Ways to Cook Tripe:

For Stovetop:

  • Place the honeycomb tripe inside the pot
  • Add onion, garlic, and bay leaves.
  • Cover with water (4 inches above the meat), and let simmer for 2 ½ hours.

For Instant Pot:

  • Place the honeycomb tripe inside the pot
  • Add onion, garlic, bay leaves, and add water to max level.
  • Add lid, move valve to SEALING, press High Pressure 45 minutes, full natural release.
  • Note: Change to a bigger pot. You also need to add 4 cups beef broth when adding the sauce.

For Slow Cooker:

  • Place tripe inside the pot along with onion, garlic, and bay leaves. Cover with water.
  • Set on low for 6 hours.
If you don’t live anywhere close to a Mexican market, buy Beef Honeycomb Tripe online.

How to Make the Red Chile Sauce

Reconstituting guajillo chiles in a pot
  • Remove stems and cover with water.
  • Bring to a boil and turn off heat.
  • Let sit in the hot water for 5 minutes to rehydrate the chiles.

The Name Game:

“Menudo” is the most common name for this dish. Depending on where you come from in Mexico, some people call it “Pancita.” In other countries, people also call it “Mondongo.”

In some parts of Mexico, the recipe for Menudo, or Pancita, would stop right here. This is an authentic Menudo recipe from Northern Mexico.

In Durango and several northern states, we also add hominy and a red chile sauce.

Note: If you do not add the red chile sauce, it is then referred to as “menudo blanco,” or “white menudo.”
A collage showing how to make the red chile sauce for the tripe stew.
  • Add all the sauce ingredients to a blender.
  • Blend until smooth.

To make the red chile sauce, we needs lots of guajillo chile and chile de árbol.

Don’t worry. The sauce is not spicy. Remember that there is a lot of water in the big pot.

The chiles will add a robust and deep flavor to our tripe soup.


Fun Fact: Because it’s such a hearty soup, some people also refer to it as a hangover cure.

A collage showing how to assemble menudo.
  • Take out the whole onion, garlic, bay leaves from the pot.
  • Add the red sauce to the pot and cook for another ½ hour.

It is not hard to make this dish. It just takes a long time. Look for ways to cut your cooking time.

Tips for Easy Cooking:

  • Make this recipe in an instant pot. The Mexican tripe soup will be ready in no time.
  • Make the chile sauce ahead of time. You can make it days before, or use frozen sauce from months ago.
  • Cook the tripe a day, two days, even three days before.
  • Ask the butcher to chop the tripe for you.

Is Mexican menudo healthy?

Believe it or not, menudo is good for you. 1-cup of serving has 210 calories and 13 grams of lean protein.

Menudo, or Pancita, served in a brown bowl and surrounded by the toppings.

How Long does it last?

In the fridge, Mexican Menudo will last 3-4 days. It actually tastes better when it’s reheated.

In the freezer, it lasts 3-4 months. It will have lost some of its freshness and texture, but the taste will still be there.

Ideas for Toppings:

  • Raw, diced white onion
  • Chopped cilantro
  • Lime wedges
  • Dried oregano
  • Crushed Chile de Arbol or New Mexico Chile

Some people will serve dried chile de árbol, crush it open slightly, and put it in their soup bowls for some extra heat.

Mexican Menudo tripe soup served in a white bowl and topped with cilantro.

What does it taste like?

Menudo tastes like a robust, red chile stew with rich flavors. The tripe itself is mild in taste but has a texture of clams or calamari. There are yummy bites of corn hominy and an earthiness from the broth.

This is truly the best Menudo recipe, if I say so myself. It is pure Mexican comfort food. Perfect for special occasions and large family gatherings.

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Did you make this recipe? Please rate the recipe below!
Menudo, or Pancita, is Mexican comfort food at its best. Served for Sunday brunch and shared with lots of love. By Mama Maggie’s Kitchen

Menudo (or Pancita)

Menudo (or Pancita) – This soup is rich and deeply satisfying. An authentic Mexican recipe that is truly delicious and comforting with each spoonful.
4.91 from 22 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 10
Calories: 210kcal
Author: Maggie Unzueta

Ingredients

  • 6 lbs Beef Honeycomb Tripe chopped into 2-inch pieces
  • Water
  • 1 onion + ¼ onion divided
  • 7 garlic cloves divided
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 6 cups Hominy
  • 8 chile guajillo stem removed, deveined, and seeded
  • 3 chile de árbol stem removed, deveined, and seeded
  • Pinch whole cumin
  • Salt
  • Toppings:
  • Diced raw onion
  • Chopped Cilantro
  • Lime
  • chile de árbol

Instructions

  • Rinse the beef honeycomb tripe well.
  • Add honeycomb, 1 whole onion, 5 garlic cloves, and 2 bay leaves to a large stockpot.
  • Add water. About 6 inches above the honeycomb.
  • Cover and bring to a boil for 2 ½ hours.
  • In the meantime, make the red chile sauce.
  • In a smaller stockpot add the chile guajillo and the chile de árbol.
  • Add water. Enough to cover all the chiles.
  • Bring to a boil.
  • Turn heat off and let sit for 5 minutes until soft.
  • Add all the chiles, ¼ onion, 2 garlic cloves, pinch of cumin, and salt to the blender.
  • Using the water from which the chiles cooked in, add it to the blender.
  • Blend until smooth.
  • Before adding the chile sauce, remove and discard the onion and bay leaves from the pot.
  • Add the red sauce and 2 tablespoons salt to the honeycomb tripe pot.
  • Add 1 cup of water to the blender to get any remaining red sauce and pour into the pot.
  • Rinse the hominy.
  • Add the hominy to the pot.
  • Stir to combine.
  • Cover and let simmer for an additional 30 minutes.
  • Serve with toppings and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Trim any fatty areas before cooking tripe. 
Some people strain the chile sauce before adding to the pot. 
OTHER WAYS TO COOK THE TRIPE:
For an instant pot: High Pressure 45 minutes with full natural release.
For a slow cooker: Set on low for 6 hours.
If you are using the same pot as when you were trying to take the smell away, you will need to wash the pot. The odor lingers.
HOW LONG WILL 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.

Nutrition

Serving: 471g | Calories: 210kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 6.5g | Saturated Fat: 1.5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 2641mg | Potassium: 441mg | Fiber: 9.8g | Sugar: 3.8g
Tried this recipe?Mention @MamaMaggiesKitchen or tag #MamaMaggiesKitchen!
Menudo, or Pancita, in a brown bowl and topped with onion and cilantro.

Filed Under: Beef, Holiday Recipes, Mexican, Popular Recipes, Recipes

About Maggie Unzueta

Maggie Unzueta is the writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer, videographer, and creator of In Mama Maggie's Kitchen. She has been developing easy and authentic Mexican food, Mexican-inspired recipes, and traveling tips since 2010. From family recipes to her extensive travels throughout Mexico, she brings traditional Mexican flavors from South of the Border and into your kitchen. Maggie has been featured in notable culinary websites and other media outlets. For more details, check out her About page.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kathy

    March 17, 2021 at 10:52 am

    I’ve never heard of this kind of dish before. It looks amazing though. I’m always up to trying out new foods. I really would like to give this a try.

    Reply
    • Maggie U

      March 30, 2021 at 1:45 pm

      Hope you try it! It’s delicious

      Reply
      • Isabel

        February 6, 2022 at 8:11 am

        Hi Maggie, this recipe is how my mom makes her Menudo. She is from the city of Durango and reading your blog reminded me of my childhood days when we spent our Christmas break in Durango. Having menudo for Christmas Eve was the best with fresh bake “pan de agua” or bolillos.

      • Maggie Unzueta

        February 7, 2022 at 10:41 am

        My family is from Durango too. My dad currently lives in Durango, Durango. Love writing down our recipes.

  2. solrazo.com

    March 18, 2021 at 10:44 am

    Looks yummy! We Filipinos have a different version of Menudo, I’ll try this recipe soon !

    Reply
    • Maggie U

      April 8, 2021 at 10:54 am

      Hope you try it. It’s really good!

      Reply
  3. Margarita

    June 6, 2021 at 10:15 am

    If I want to make it in the instant pot how many pounds of meat would you recommend?
    Thanks

    Reply
    • Maggie Unzueta

      June 28, 2021 at 12:24 pm

      I’ve never made it in the instant pot, and it really depends on the size of your IP. Sorry, I wish I could be of more help.

      Reply
  4. Christal

    November 10, 2021 at 6:44 pm

    How many servings can you get with the ingredients noted above?

    Reply
    • Maggie Unzueta

      November 11, 2021 at 10:32 am

      Hi. Everything is noted on the recipe card. This recipe calls for 10 servings.

      Reply
  5. Carol

    December 16, 2021 at 4:05 pm

    I have beef tripe but it’s not honeycomb tripe. Can I use it.

    Reply
    • Maggie Unzueta

      December 18, 2021 at 8:58 am

      Yes, you can use it.

      Reply
  6. Carol

    December 16, 2021 at 4:07 pm

    At what point do I need to clean the pot to eliminate odor?

    Reply
    • Maggie Unzueta

      December 18, 2021 at 8:58 am

      After you have cooked the tripe, clean the pot.

      Reply
  7. Tad

    January 9, 2022 at 10:40 am

    4 stars
    Also, helps to add a couple of beef and pork bones (even cjicken) to tripa boiling water for gelatin and flavor.

    Reply
    • Maggie Unzueta

      January 15, 2022 at 9:02 am

      Yes, if you can find them, they make a great addition. Thanks for mentioning this.

      Reply
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iBienvenidos! I'm Maggie. Welcome to my blog! My passion is authentic Mexican food and traveling throughout Mexico to bring you the very BEST in culture and cuisine.

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