Menudo (Tripe and Hominy Soup)

This is also known as Menudo de la Frontera (Border Menudo), a simple, but delicious, Texas-style menudo. There are little hole-in-the-wall carryout places in Arizona where you can order menudo, and you walk out with a huge Styrofoam cupful of it with a spoon. Menudo is traditionally used as a cure for a hangover, effectively also making it a breakfast item.

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 3 pounds cow stomach (tripe)
• 1 gallon water
• 1 (16 ounce) can white or yellow hominy
• 1 package menudo seasoning mix (or 8 tablespoons each red chili powder and cumin)
• Chopped onion (optional garnish)
• Lemon juice to taste (optional flavoring)

Instructions

1. Remove the fat from the cow stomach and cut it into chunks.
2. Fill a pot with about a gallon of water. Add the chunks, bring the water to boil, and continue boiling for 4 hours until the stomach is soft.
3. Add the hominy, cook for another hour, adding water as needed.
4. Add menudo seasoning mix or chili powder/cumin combination. Cook for five minutes.
5. Add chopped onion and lemon juice if you wish.
6. Serve with half lime slices, and top with chopped onion and chopped cilantro.

Attribution

Shared with recipegoldmine.com by Diane Maestas, San Antonio, Texas