How To Cook Fresh Tripe

Need to know how to cook fresh tripe? Tripe is the fleshy white food you see lying behind the glass at the meat counter. It is not in the deli section, nor will it be found at all meat counters. Ethnic and specialty stores tend to stock this delicacy. If you have a Latin market in your area, check out the meat section. Fresh tripe should be there. Tripe is made of the first three stomachs of a cow, but sometimes comes from a pig or sheep. The smooth or blanket tripe comes from the first stomach, honeycomb from the second and the third stomach produces leaf tripe. Most times it is passed up for more recognizable foods, but learning how to cook fresh tripe can change your whole outlook on what is edible. Menudo is a spicy, savory soup that uses fresh tripe as an ingredient. It may be the first recipe you use to cook fresh tripe. Those in the know line up Saturday and Sunday mornings to gulp down bowlfuls of this miraculous concoction, and now you can, too.

To cook fresh tripe in menudo, you will need:

• 3 lbs. honeycomb tripe, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped (set some aside for garnish)
• 4 de arbol chiles, chopped and seeded
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 1 tablespoon pepper
• 1 large 26 to 28 oz. can of hominy
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 2 bay leaves
• Red pepper flakes and lemon or lime wedges (for garnish)

1. Clean the tripe thoroughly. Rinse it under cold water.
2. Chop the tripe into bite-sized pieces and place them in a large stockpot filled with water at least four inches over the tripe. Place on a stove over high heat and bring to a boil.
3. Once the tripe comes to a boil, add the rest of the ingredients, except garnishes. Check the water level; it should cover the ingredients. Simmer for 3-4 hours.
4. Ladle into bowls and serve with red pepper flakes and chopped cilantro. Squeeze a lemon wedge over the soup. Serve with hard rolls. This recipe can be frozen.