Recipe Manuscript

Menudo En Blanco

Name: Menudo En Blanco
Prep time: PTPT30M
Cook time: PTPT1H15M
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 kg beef tripe (menudo); 2 medium ripe tomatoes (about 250 g, or substitute 1 can chopped tomatoes); 2 garlic cloves; 2 tablespoons (30 g) butter or lard; 2 thick slices (80 g) white bread, crusts removed, soaked in water; 10 g fresh cilantro; 0.5 g saffron threads (or 0.5 g turmeric as substitute); 2 g ground cumin; 1 whole clove (or 0.5 g ground clove); 1 g black pepper; 1 g ground cinnamon; 50 g fresh parsley; 3-4 green chilies (jalapeño or serrano recommended); 2 tablespoons (30 ml) vinegar (apple cider or white); Green olives in vinegar for garnish; Salt as needed

"Menudo En Blanco"

1890

From the treasured pages of La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 9

Written by Antonio Vanegas Arroyo

Age of Gastronomy (1800 - 1900)American Intermediate Dinner Lunch

Original Recipe • 1890

Original Manuscript(circa Age of Gastronomy, 1800 - 1900)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

Menudo En Blanco

"Se deberá cocer muy bien el menudo y luego se muele gitomate, ajo frito en manteca, pan remojado en agua, culantro, azafrán, cominos, clavo, pimienta y canela; se fríe todo esto y después se pica bastante perejil y chiles verdes y se vuelve á freir echándose después sobre lo que se ha frito primero; se le pone un poco de vinagre y su agua correspondiente y se deja hervir y cuando se sirve á la mesa se le pone sus chiles y aceitunas en vinagre."

English Translation

"The tripe should be cooked very well and then you blend tomato, garlic fried in lard, bread soaked in water, cilantro, saffron, cumin, clove, pepper, and cinnamon; all this is fried and then plenty of parsley and green chiles are chopped and fried again, then poured over what was fried first; a little vinegar and the corresponding amount of water are added and it's left to boil, and when served at the table, chiles and olives in vinegar are added."

Note on the Original Text

The historic recipe is written in a narrative, instructional style, typical of the late 1800s, omitting precise measurements and assuming the cook’s familiarity with key techniques. Ingredients like 'gitomate' (a period spelling for 'jitomate,' i.e. ripe red tomato) and 'culantro' (an old spelling for cilantro), as well as regional or now less-common flavorings like saffron, display both Castilian and local Mexican influences. Spelling variations and casual punctuation abound, reflecting 19th-century norms and the non-standardized culinary language of affordable popular print. The steps are sequential but lack temperature, timing, or serving guidance—the cook fills in the blanks, relying on experience and taste.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 9 - Click to view recipe in book

Title

La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 9 (1890)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Antonio Vanegas Arroyo

Era

1890

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A delightful culinary companion from the late 19th century, 'La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 9' serves up a savory selection of recipes and kitchen wisdom, inviting readers to explore the flavors and techniques that charmed Mexican households. Pocket-sized but bursting with gastronomic inspiration, this volume is a tasteful blend of practicality and tradition.

Kindly made available by

University of Texas at San Antonio

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe is drawn from La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 9, published in 1890 by Antonio Vanegas Arroyo—a pioneer of popular Mexican publishing. The booklet reflects a time when printed pocket-sized recipe collections brought broader access to both European-inflected and classic Mexican home cooking. Menudo itself is an ancient dish, often reserved for gatherings and special occasions, and this 'en blanco' variant stands out for its delicate, aromatic sauce, distinct from the more famous chili-red versions. The blending of saffron, sweet spices, and vinegar channels a broader, Mediterranean-influenced palate seen in late 19th-century Mexican urban kitchens.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

The original recipe would have been prepared over an open fire or on a wood-fired stove, with sturdy earthenware or metal pots for boiling the tripe. Grinding or blending of the sauce components was likely done with a stone metate and mano, or with a mano de mortero in a large mortar. Frying would have been accomplished in heavy clay cazuelas or iron pans, using lard or rendered fat. Chopping herbs and chilies would require a sharp kitchen knife, and serving would be done with ladles and large ceramic or metal bowls.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 15 mins

Servings

We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!

Ingredients

2.2 lbs beef tripe (menudo)
2 medium ripe tomatoes (about 8.8 oz, or substitute 1 can chopped tomatoes)
2 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons (1 oz) butter or lard
2 thick slices (2.8 oz) white bread, crusts removed, soaked in water
0.35 oz fresh cilantro
0.02 oz saffron threads (or 0.02 oz turmeric as substitute)
0.07 oz ground cumin
1 whole clove (or 0.02 oz ground clove)
0.035 oz black pepper
0.035 oz ground cinnamon
1.8 oz fresh parsley
3-4 green chilies (jalapeño or serrano recommended)
2 tablespoons (1 fl oz) vinegar (apple cider or white)
Green olives in vinegar for garnish
Salt as needed

Instructions

Begin by thoroughly cooking 2.2 lbs of beef tripe (menudo) in plenty of water until tender, skimming any foam as needed.
Meanwhile, blend together 2 medium ripe tomatoes, 2 cloves of garlic (fried in 1 tablespoon of butter or lard), 2 thick slices (about 2.8 oz) of bread soaked in water, a generous handful (0.35 oz) of fresh cilantro, a pinch (0.02 oz) of saffron threads (or substitute with 0.02 oz turmeric for color), 1 teaspoon (0.07 oz) ground cumin, 1 clove (whole or ground), 1/2 teaspoon (0.035 oz) black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon (0.035 oz) ground cinnamon.
Fry this mixture in a large pan over medium heat until aromatic, about 8 minutes.
Finely chop 1.8 oz fresh parsley and 3-4 fresh green chilies (jalapeño or serrano recommended) and fry them separately in another tablespoon of fat, then combine them with the previous mixture for a final sauté.
Add 2 tablespoons (1 fl oz) vinegar and enough of the reserved tripe-cooking water to cover everything; simmer together for 10-15 minutes to meld the flavors.
To serve, transfer the menudo to bowls, garnish with additional chopped green chilies and a handful of green olives in vinegar for a bright, briny finish.

Estimated Calories

350 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing and cooking menudo takes some time. You need to clean and cook the tripe until it is tender, which takes about 1 hour. Preparing the sauce and other ingredients adds another 30 minutes. The finished dish serves about 6 people, with each serving containing around 350 calories.

As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.

We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.