National Menudo Month is January, and in our opinion, it’s the perfect month to enjoy this hot Mexican soup. For anyone who’s not familiar with the dish Menudo, it’s a soup made with tripe and hominy. It’s a soup that’s not often found in many restaurants but can be found in some Mexican restaurants across the U.S.

It’s a dish that’s often served at wedding receptions and for other social occasions, and rumor has it that it’s good for hangovers. And that just might be the case considering that this dish is chock-full of B vitamins and minerals such as zinc, magnesium, and selenium.

The History of National Menudo Month

This month was created by Juanita’s Food sometime during the 2000s, although we have to be honest that we’re not really sure about the timeframe. We do know that this company makes a variety of different types of Menudo, including Original, Hot & Spicy, and Extra-Hot Menudo.

Our Favorite Menudo Recipe

Below is our favorite recipe for Menudo; we hope it serves everyone reading this well.

Ingredients:

The Broth:

• 3 pounds of tripe, cut into small pieces
• 1 pound of marrow bones
• 1 cow’s foot
• 4 large garlic cloves
• 1 medium yellow onion, cut into thick pieces
• Approximately 1.5 teaspoons of salt
• Approximately 2 teaspoons of dry oregano
• Approximately 1 teaspoon of basil

The Sauce:

• 6 Poblano peppers, deseeded, cleaned, and cut open
• 1 teaspoon of paprika
• 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 3 garlic cloves

Directions:

The Broth:

• Simmer the marrow bones and cow’s foot in 6 quarts of water with the onion and 4 garlic cloves
• Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes over medium-high heat
• Skim off the foam that forms
• Add the tripe, oregano, and basil
• Cook for 2 to 2.5 hours, making sure not to overcook
• The soup is done when the tripe is firm but tender
• Remove the marrow bones and cow’s foot from the pot
• Skim the foam off the soup again
• When the cow’s foot is cool, remove the meat from it and add it to the pot

The Sauce:

• Soak the peppers for 25 minutes in water, then drain them
• Place the peppers in a blender with garlic, ½ cup of broth, cumin, and paprika
• Blend until smooth and then strain
• Pour the sauce into the pot with the broth and simmer for another 30 minutes
• Serve with warm corn tortillas

Observing National Menudo Month

The best way to observe this month is by adding at least a few bowlfuls of Menudo to your diet. This soup can be found in some specialty markets and supermarkets across the U.S., or you can make your own from scratch if you have access to tripe, hominy, and the other ingredients needed to make it. Once you’ve made your bowl of steaming Menudo, be sure to use the hashtag #NationalMenudoMonth to spread the word about it.