Pancita: what it is, recipe and how it differs from menudo

What is it?

Pancita is the name by which, in Mexico City, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala and the State of Mexico, the beef tripe broth stewed with dried chillies is known. Unlike northern menudo, Mexico City pancita carries no hominy and is seasoned with epazote, guajillo or ancho chilli, garlic and cumin. The tripe is cut finely and cooked until tender in a thick brick-coloured broth. It is served with chopped onion, oregano, piquín chilli, lime and hot tortillas. It is a classic breakfast of tianguis and markets such as La Merced, Mixquic or Xochimilco, where it opens from five in the morning and is considered a restorative dish after long nights. Larousse Cocina and In Mama Maggie's Kitchen record it as one of the most deeply rooted soups in popular Mexico City life.

Origin and history

Pancita has a mestizo colonial origin: beef tripe (callos in peninsular Spanish) was a cut discarded by the viceregal elite and used by indigenous and mestizo workers, who combined it with dried chillies from the highlands. Pulso SLP and books such as Cocina prehispánica y colonial document that by the seventeenth century 'tripe broths' already existed in the markets of New Spain. By the nineteenth century, the dish was common in the pulquerías and eateries of central Mexico City, where it was served with tortilla and chilli as a workers' lunch. The present form —with guajillo or ancho mole and epazote— became established towards the end of the nineteenth century, when urban cooks incorporated spices such as cumin and clove brought by migration from the Bajío. Cocina Delirante and México en mi Cocina mention it as one of the identity broths of the Valley of Mexico. Its diminutive name, 'pancita', comes from popular affection for a neighbourhood dish.

Characteristic ingredients

The tripe used is beef tripe, mainly the parts of the honeycomb and the book, which are cleaned with lime, salt and boiling water. Unlike menudo, in pancita the tripe is cut into small pieces, almost julienned, which gives a more manageable texture. The broth is prepared with a light mole: guajillo chilli, ancho chilli, tomato, garlic, onion, clove, cumin and pepper, all ground and strained, then incorporated into the broth where the tripe was cooked. The fresh epazote is added at the end and provides the herbal touch characteristic of central Mexico. Some versions, such as the one documented by Cocina Delirante, add beef trotter for extra gelatine or incorporate chipotle chilli for smokiness. Unlike northern menudo, in pancita neither hominy nor ground dried oregano is used as a star ingredient. It is served with chopped white onion, lime, dried oregano and piquín chilli; it is accompanied by maize tortillas and, optionally, pot beans.

Cultural significance

Pancita is one of the iconic breakfasts of the popular cuisine of the Valley of Mexico and represents the circular economy of ranch cooking: it makes use of cheap cuts and transforms them into a desired dish. In Xochimilco, Mixquic and the original peoples of the south of CDMX, pancitas are served in clay pots from dawn at Sunday tianguis. In La Merced and other large markets there are specialised stalls that have kept the same family recipe for decades. It is famous as a hangover remedy for its density and moderate heat, and is considered a 'fright cure' food in traditional medicine. The 2010 UNESCO declaration of traditional Mexican cuisine implicitly includes this type of broth as part of the milpa-maize-chilli gastronomic system that sustains the culinary culture. Today, chefs such as Yuri de Gortari and Eduardo García have included versions of pancita on their menus, reclaiming it as an example of neighbourhood cuisine worthy of fine dining.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between pancita and menudo?

Pancita is the name given to the beef tripe broth in Mexico City and the centre: it carries guajillo or ancho mole, epazote and does NOT include hominy. Menudo is the northern name: the same tripe broth but with hominy (cacahuazintle), dried oregano, and it is served with flour tortilla. The presence of hominy is the key difference.

What does pancita taste like?

It tastes of deep beef broth with a reddish guajillo and ancho mole —sweet, earthy, slightly spicy— and herbal notes of epazote. The texture of the tripe is chewy and gelatinous from the collagen. The lime and raw onion when served provide freshness, and the powdered piquín chilli adds dry heat. It is dense, spiced and comforting.

How is pancita served?

It is served very hot in a deep bowl or clay pot. The finely cut tripe goes in the brick-coloured broth. It is accompanied with chopped white onion, halved lime, ground dried oregano, piquín chilli to taste and freshly made maize tortillas. It is a market breakfast or lunch, especially popular at Sunday tianguis in the south of CDMX such as Xochimilco and Mixquic.

Where does pancita come from?

It is native to central Mexico: Mexico City, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala and the State of Mexico. Its present form with dried-chilli mole and epazote became established at the end of the nineteenth century in markets and pulquerías of the capital's Historic Centre. It is a colonial mestizo broth that makes use of cheap beef cuts combined with chillies from the Mexican highlands.