Menudo Rojo (Red Menudo)

This is the perfect red menudo. It takes a long time to cook so you may want to try this on a weekend if you work outside the home, but believe me, it so very good and actually quite simple to prepare. This is a meal in itself. This is fairly spicy, but you can adjust the heat level by reducing the amount of ground red pepper. Enjoy!

• Ready In: 8 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 3  gallons water, divided
• 2 1⁄2 lbs  beef tripe, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 6  garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1  large  white onion, finely chopped
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons salt
• 1  tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 2  tablespoons  ground red pepper (cayenne)
• 5  chili peppers, de arbol
• 6  chili peppers, japones (seeds removed)
• 6  cups hominy, canned drained (yellow or white)

• Condiments

• 1⁄2  white onions, chopped and or 1⁄2 green onion, sliced
• 1⁄4 cup  chopped fresh cilantro
•  lime wedges or  lemon wedge
•  crushed red pepper flakes
•  dried oregano
•  corn tortillas (to accompany) or  flour tortilla (to accompany)

Directions

1. In a large pot, bring 1 gallon water to a boil.
2. Place tripe in the pot, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours.
3. Periodically skim off fat with a spoon. Drain water, reduce heat, and pour in a fresh gallon of water.
4. Continue to simmer tripe for 2 hours; drain.
5. Pour remaining 1 gallon water into the pot with tripe, and bring to a boil.
6. Stir in garlic and 1 chopped white onion. Season with salt, pepper, oregano, and red pepper.
7. Reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour.
8. Preheat the broiler.
9. Arrange the de arbol chile peppers on a baking sheet, and broil about 2 minutes, just until they begin to scorch.
10. Remove from heat, slit lengthwise, and remove seeds.
11. In a blender or food processor, blend the de arbol chile peppers and japones chile peppers until very finely chopped. Mix into the pot, and continue cooking 2 hours over low heat.
12. Mix the hominy into the pot and continue cooking 1 hour.
13. Serve with condiments as listed under ingredients.
14. Menudo is at it's best made a day ahead of time to allow the ingredients to "marry.".