Menudo

Instructions

1. Clean and prepare the tripe
   Rinse the tripe thoroughly under cold water. Place in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then drain and rinse again. This helps remove any strong odors.
2. Cook the tripe
   Return the cleaned tripe to the pot along with beef feet (if using), quartered onion, 4 whole cloves of garlic, bay leaves, and 1 tablespoon salt. Cover with water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer covered for about 2-3 hours until the tripe is tender but still has a slight chew.
3. Prepare the chili sauce
   While the tripe is cooking, place the dried guajillo and ancho chilies in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes until the chilies are soft and pliable. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
4. Blend the sauce
   Transfer the softened chilies to a blender with 1 cup of their cooking liquid, minced garlic, oregano, and cumin. Blend until completely smooth, about 2 minutes. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any remaining skin or seeds.
5. Complete the soup
   When the tripe is tender, remove and discard the onion, garlic, and bay leaves. Add the strained chili sauce and hominy to the pot. Simmer for an additional 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Season with additional salt if needed.
6. Serve with garnishes
   Ladle the hot menudo into large bowls. Serve with small bowls of garnishes including chopped onion, cilantro, dried oregano, lime wedges, and crushed red pepper flakes, allowing each person to garnish their soup according to taste.