Mondongo Soup (Tripe Stew)

Mondongo (Dominican tripe stew) might not be some people's cup of tea, but in the Dominican Republic, it is a very popular dish.

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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 opinion on the matter.

The Yuckies lost. By a lot.

What is it?

For those innocently unaware, tripe is a cute name for cow, pig, or goat intestines (stomach, intestines, and honeycomb tripe), a supposed delicacy, usually boiled or stewed. Mondongo is the name for tripe in Spanish, Dominican Spanish that is. Elsewhere it is called callos, menudo, and other equally non-descriptive names. Tripe is also known as chitterlings in certain parts of the US.

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 and in more countries than I can imagine.

Mondongo soup is not unique to the DR, 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 some Dominican food’s dubious origins.

About our recipe

Whether you're a fan or not, it doesn't really matter, this sopa de mondongo is very popular amongst Dominicans and the occasional adventurous foreigner. This is Aunt Clara's family recipe, but everyone swears by their own secret ingredient and method, so there are about as many recipes as there are Dominican home cooks.

There are some versions where it is mixed with pork or beef trotters, but we have a separate recipe for the solo dish. Some call a mixture of these two dishes "Patimondongo", a mouthful, in more than one sense.

Different vegetables are added to Mondongo depending on the cook's taste, and family tradition. Is your Mondongo recipe different? We'd love to hear about it.

Our guest: Jill is Canadian, mother of two Dominican-Canadian children. She lived in Sosua, Dominican Republic for many years, so she gives us an unusual insight into our culinary culture.

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[Recipe + Video] Mondongo Soup (Dominican Tripe Stew)

By: Clara Gonzalez

Mondongo Soup (Tripe Stew) might not be of the liking of many people, especially outside the Dominican Republic, but in the DR it is still very popular.

4.95 from 19 votes

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Prep Time 1 hr

Cook Time 35 mins

Total Time 1 hr 35 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Dominican, Latino

Servings 4 servings

Calories 560 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 pound pork or beef honeycomb, bleached and clean [0.45 kg]
• 3 cilantro sprigs
• 1 tsp salt, divided (or more, to taste)
• ¼ tsp pepper
• 1 gallon water, [4 liters], divided, may need more
• 2 limes
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 large red onion, chopped into small cubes
• 1 tsp mashed garlic
• ½ cup chopped celery stalks
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 6 plum tomatoes, diced
• ¼ tsp oregano
• ½ cup tomato sauce, (or 3 heaping tbsp of tomato paste)
• 3 potatoes, large, cut into cubes
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1 tsp agrio de naranja, or hot sauce (may be omitted)

Instructions

 

• 
  Cleaning the honeycomb: Peel off fat and lining. Wash with abundant cold water.
• 
  Boiling the honeycomb: Place the honeycomb in a large pot. Add cilantro, a teaspoon of salt, and ground pepper. Pour in half a gallon [2 liters] of water and add the juice of two limes.

  Boil until the honeycomb is fork-tender, adding water as it becomes necessary to maintain the same level. This may take a long time: 1 to 3 hours in a conventional pot. You can shorten this by using a pressure cooker, where it may take 30 to 60 minutes.
• 
  Chopping the honeycomb: Remove the honeycomb from the heat and discard the liquid. Cool to room temperature. Cut into spoon-sized pieces.

  Set it aside.
• 
  Cooking the vegetables: In a pot heat the oil over medium-low heat. Stir in the onion and garlic. Cook and stir until the onions become translucent. 

  Stir in celery, peppers, and tomatoes. Cook covered for a couple of minutes. Add oregano, and pour in the tomato sauce and stir. 
• 
  Cooking the mondongo: Add the honeycomb, carrot, and potato. Cook stirring for a couple of minutes. Pour in Add 3 cups of water. Simmer covered over low heat until the potatoes and carrots are cooked through (about 15 minutes). Taste and season with salt and hot sauce to taste. Remove from the heat.
• 
  Serving: This should be served as soon as it comes off the stove. If you are not going to eat it right away, reheat right before serving. Serve with arroz blanco and avocado.

Video

Tips and Notes

Mondongo (tripe stew) is made from either beef, pork or goat. The first two are easier to find, thus more common.

As we mention above, mondongo refers to any or all of stomach, intestines, and honeycomb tripe. For this recipe, I have used honeycomb tripe because it's easier to find. The same process will be used if you add or substitute these cuts.

The honeycomb should be cleaned and bleached before starting, this is already done if you buy it in the supermarket. For extra precaution and peace of mind, you can scrub with salt and white vinegar when you wash it, then rinse it thoroughly. I did not do this for the video because I didn't find it necessary. Bear in mind that any surviving germs will be killed during the lengthy cooking process.

I am not entirely sure why, but I have found that the boiling process varies wildly every time I make this. Sometimes I have it boiled tender in less than an hour, one time it took four! I don't know how long this will take for you, so do this in advance if you're cooking for guests.

Nutrition

Calories: 560kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 58gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 142mgSodium: 1717mgPotassium: 2369mgFiber: 11gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 4220IUVitamin C: 157.1mgCalcium: 159mgIron: 8.2mg

Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutritional information.

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