Tripe Tacos

History & Origin

Tripe tacos are one of the jewels of the Mexican street taqueria, especially in Mexico City and the State of Mexico. Tripe, referring to the small intestine of the cow, is one of the most popular offal cuts at the suadero and tripa taco stands that set up on every corner of the capital. Their origin is deeply linked to the tradition of using every part of the animal that Mexicans inherited from both pre-Hispanic cultures and colonial slaughterhouses. Preparing tripe is an art that requires patience: first it is meticulously cleaned, removing any excess fat, then boiled to soften it and finally fried in pork lard or its own fat until it reaches that perfect golden crunch. The best tripe taqueros know exactly when to remove each piece from the griddle: it should crunch when you bite but maintain a slightly chewy centre. The tripe is served chopped on sweetcorn tortillas, bathed in green salsa and accompanied by onion, coriander and a generous squeeze of lime. In the taqueria hierarchy, tripe tacos hold a special place: they are for connoisseurs, for those who appreciate complex textures and the intense flavours of Mexican offal cookery.