Menudo Rojo (Red Tripe and Hominy Soup)

Rinse the tripe well under cold water, then cut it into bite-sized 3 cm pieces. Rinse again until the water runs clear.

💡 Even 'cleaned' tripe benefits from a thorough rinse and, if you like, a 10-minute blanch in boiling water that you then discard — it takes the edge off the smell before the long cook.

Put the tripe and beef foot in a large pot with the halved onion, garlic, bay leaves and 4 L of water. Bring to a boil, skim the foam, then simmer, partly covered, for about 3 hours.

Meanwhile, stem and seed the guajillo and ancho chilies, toast them briefly in a dry pan, then soak in hot water for 20 minutes. Blend to a smooth purée and pass through a sieve.

💡 Sieving the chili purée is worth the extra minute: guajillo skins stay as gritty flecks otherwise, and menudo broth should be smooth and glossy red.

When the tripe is tender to the bite, lift out the beef foot, pull off its meat and return it, discarding the bone. Stir the chili purée into the pot with half the oregano and the salt.

Add the drained hominy and simmer everything together, uncovered, for a final 45 minutes, until the broth is deep red and the tripe is fully soft. Top up with hot water if it reduces too much.

💡 The dish only tastes right when the tripe is genuinely tender — soft with a gentle chew, never rubbery. If it still resists at 3½ hours, keep simmering; some tripe simply takes longer.

Serve in deep bowls and let everyone finish their own with raw diced onion, a pinch of oregano crushed between the palms, lime and dried chili flakes.