Entree: Venezuela – National Cuisine – Mondongo (Hearty Venezuelan tripe stew simmered with aromatics, root vegetables, and savory broth)

Food safety reminder: Follow safe food-handling practices and use a food thermometer to verify safe internal cooking temperatures.

Serving Size: 6

Approximate Time

Prep 30 min

Cook 2 hrs 30 min

Total 3 hrs

Ingredients

- 2 lb (900 g) beef tripe, cleaned and cut into 1 in (2.5 cm) pieces
- 1 lb (454 g) beef shank or ham hock with bone for flavor, approx. 1 piece
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) white vinegar for cleaning
- 10 cups (2.4 L) water or low-sodium beef broth
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, diced, approx. 7 oz (200 g)
- 1 green bell pepper, diced, approx. 5 oz (150 g)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced, approx. 12 g
- 2 medium tomatoes, diced, approx. 10 oz (300 g) or 2 tbsp (30 g) tomato paste
- 2 medium carrots, sliced, approx. 5 oz (140 g)
- 1 lb (450 g) yuca (cassava), peeled and cut into 1 in (2.5 cm) pieces
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks, approx. 14 oz (400 g)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin
- 1 tsp (1 g) dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) smoked paprika or sweet paprika
- 1 bunch cilantro, stems chopped and leaves reserved, approx. 1/2 cup (20 g) leaves + stems
- 1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) black pepper
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lime or lemon juice
- Hot sauce or chopped fresh ají and white rice for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Rinse tripe thoroughly under cold water. Place tripe in a large pot, add 1/4 cup (60 ml) vinegar and enough cold water to cover, bring to a boil for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse again to remove impurities.
2. Return cleaned tripe to the pot with the beef shank or ham hock, 10 cups (2.4 L) water or beef broth, bay leaf, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook gently 1.5–2 hours until tripe is tender. Skim foam as needed.
3. Remove shank/ham hock, reserve meat if desired (shred and add back later). Remove bay leaf. Cut any large tripe pieces to bite-sized if needed.
4. In a separate large skillet, heat 3 tbsp (45 ml) vegetable oil over medium heat. Add diced onion, green pepper, and chopped cilantro stems and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
5. Add minced garlic and diced tomatoes (or tomato paste) to the skillet and cook 2–3 minutes until tomatoes break down and mixture becomes a loose sofrito. Stir in cumin, oregano, and paprika.
6. Transfer the sofrito into the pot with the simmering tripe. Add carrots, yuca, and potatoes. If you reserved shredded meat from the shank, add it now. Simmer uncovered 30–45 minutes until root vegetables and yuca are tender and flavors meld; add water or broth if necessary to maintain a stew-like consistency.
7. Stir in chopped cilantro leaves, lime or lemon juice, and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Simmer 2–3 more minutes.
8. Serve hot with white rice, fried plantains, arepas, and a side of hot sauce or fresh ají.