Mondongo (Tripe Stew)

Mondongo (Tripe Stew) might not be of the liking of many people, especially outside the Dominican Republic, but in the DR it is still a very popular dish--and with good reason.

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We once took a poll amongst our readers called “Mondongo (Tripe Stew): Yucky or Yummy?”, which sparked in me some reflection. My money was on a landslide victory for the Yuckies. I admit it, I voted more than once, in order to better register my enormous dislike.

The Yuckies lost. By a lot.

For those innocently unaware, “mondongo” is a cute name for cow or pig intestines, a supposed delicacy, usually boiled and then served in a tomato sauce on rice. Although in my opinion of little esteem it resembles a smooth mass of rotini-shaped viscera in form, and a worn rubber bicycle tire in texture, it remains a savory delight to many others. Unfortunately, my own intestines cringe at the thought of processing their own kind. They go tense at the pervasive and instantly recognizable smell of cooking mondongo.

Mondongo is not unique to the DR – my British Dad calls it “tripe” – and although it is by far the most popular edible innard, it is not the only one. Butifarra, bofe, and pico y pala are some other beloved names designed to mask a food’s dubious origins. (You can see that much more thought and wit go into naming these foods than those that are plainly called exactly what they are.)

But don’t get me wrong: I am not a vegetarian. I will enjoy a juicy steak, devour a pica pollo, and during pregnancy even craved liver. My diet is diverse and colorful, which is why it rankles me to be cast in the role of “picky eater”. While it’s only a small group of issues that dictate what I will not or cannot eat, they have occasionally caused my husband’s Dominican family to mock me and view me as delicada (read:weird).

My refusal to eat certain items has also left me excluded from many a late night cocina’o or celebratory meal. The finicky outcast.

My mother-in-law was a commanding figure and a fearless eater; nothing off-limits and no understanding of squeamishness whatsoever. One day, I observed my little son nibbling on something in her company, something foreign and suspicious-looking. I asked what it was. “Nervios de vaca, mi hija.” Cow nerves.

My instinct was to tear it from his little hands and throw it into the gutter. Alas, I didn’t have the guts.

So I do not like foods that too closely resemble a recent past in which living and breathing were involved. I do not hunger for meat that I have to gnaw down to a bone, nor do I like to discern shapes that belie a previous function; a chicken’s wing or a pig’s foot on a plate is, to me, unnerving. My critics will say, “If you can eat one part of an animal, then why not the rest?” I know – it’s a quirk, but I do recycle my bottles and cans.

Jill Wyatt

Jill, a member of our original team (where we knew her as Aunt Jane), and contributor to our book, is Canadian, mom to two Canadian-Dominican boys and resided in the Dominican Republic for several years.

5 from 5 votes

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Mondongo – Recipe & Video (Dominican Tripe Stew)

Prep Time

1 hr

Cook Time

35 mins

Total Time

1 hr 35 mins

 

Mondongo – Recipe & Video (Tripe Stew): might not be of the liking of many people, especially outside the Dominican Republic, but in the DR is still very popular.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Dominican, Latino

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 560 kcal

Author: Clara Gonzalez

Ingredients

• 2 lb pork or beef tripe clean and stripped of fat [0.9 kg]
• 1/2 gal water [2 liters]
• 4 limes
• 3 cilantro sprigs
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 tbsp oil corn, peanut or canola
• 2 red onions chopped into small cubes
• 1/2 tsp garlic mashed
• 1/2 cup celery chopped
• 4 green bell peppers cut into small pieces
• 6 plum tomatoes cut into 4 quarters
• 6 cup water may not need it all
• 3 potatoes large, cut into cubes
• 1 carrot large, diced
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 tsp agrio de naranja or hot sauce, may be omitted
• 1/4 tsp oregano

Instructions

1. Boil the tripe in half a gallon of water until tender, adding the juice of two limes, cilantro, a teaspoon of salt and a pinch of pepper to the water. Cool to room temperature, remove from the water and cut into small pieces.

2. In a pot heat the oil, add the onions, and garlic. Cook and stir until the onions become transparent. Add celery, peppers, and tomatoes. Cook covered over low heat for a minute. Add the tomato sauce and oregano and stir. Add the tripe. Simmer over medium heat for five minutes.

3. Add 3 cups of water, potatoes, and carrots. Simmer covered over low heat until the potatoes and carrots are cooked. Season with salt to taste.

4. Serve hot with arroz blanco. Garnish with the remaining limes cut into wedges and serve with hot sauce.

Notes & Nutrition Facts

Mondongo (tripe stew) is a popular dish in the Dominican Republic. Learn how to make it with our easy-to-follow recipe and handy video.

Nutrition Facts

Mondongo – Recipe & Video (Dominican Tripe Stew)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 560 Calories from Fat 153

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 17g 26%

Saturated Fat 3g 15%

Cholesterol 142mg 47%

Sodium 1717mg 72%

Potassium 2369mg 68%

Total Carbohydrates 46g 15%

Dietary Fiber 11g 44%

Sugars 12g

Protein 58g 116%

Vitamin A 84.4%

Vitamin C 190.4%

Calcium 15.9%

Iron 45.8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.