Tripas Taco
intro
Crispy, savory beef tripas tacos are a beloved street food staple, pairing tender-crisp seasoned offal with bright, zesty fresh toppings for bold, satisfying handheld flavor.
Ingredients
Steps
Scrub Tripas in Vinegar Brine
Place 900g pre-rinsed beef tripas in a large non-reactive glass bowl, add 60ml white vinegar and 1 tbsp (15g) kosher salt, then cover with 1 liter cold water. Scrub each section of tripas thoroughly inside and out to remove residual debris, then rinse 3 times with fresh cold water to wash away vinegar and salt. Cut cleaned tripas into uniform 5cm (2in) pieces and set aside.
Boil Tripas with Seasonings
Transfer cut tripas to a 6-liter stockpot, add 12g crushed garlic, 1g Mexican dried oregano, 1 tbsp (15g) kosher salt, 2g ground black pepper, and 2 liters cold water. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high stovetop heat (190°C/375°F), then reduce heat to medium-low (120°C/250°F), cover the pot, and simmer for 90 minutes until tripas are fork-tender with no tough, rubbery resistance when pierced. Drain tripas completely in a colander, then pat every piece dry with paper towels to remove all surface moisture.
Crisp Tripas in Hot Lard
Heat 42g (3 tbsp) rendered lard in a 30cm (12in) cast-iron skillet over high heat (220°C/425°F) until lard shimmers and just begins to release a faint wisp of smoke. Add dried tripas in a single, even layer (cook in 2 separate batches if needed to avoid overcrowding the pan) and fry for 4-5 minutes per side, stirring occasionally with tongs, until edges are deep golden and crispy while centers remain soft and tender. Season fried tripas with the remaining 1 tsp (5g) kosher salt, then transfer to a paper-towel lined plate to drain excess grease.
Warm Corn Tortillas
Reduce stovetop heat to medium (160°C/320°F). Working one tortilla at a time, place 8 corn tortillas directly on the stovetop burner grate for 15-20 seconds per side, until soft and pliable with light char marks along the edges. Stack warmed tortillas inside a folded clean cotton kitchen towel to trap heat and keep them soft for assembly.
Assemble Crispy Tripas Tacos
Assemble tacos immediately while tortillas and tripas are hot: fill each tortilla with ~45g (1/4 cup) crispy tripas, then top each with 2 tbsp (19g) finely diced white onion, 1 tbsp (2.5g) chopped fresh cilantro, and 2 tbsp (30ml) salsa verde. Arrange assembled tacos on a large serving platter, placing 1 lime wedge alongside each taco for squeezing over top right before eating.
Tips
2.Avoid overcrowding the skillet when frying tripas; cook in small batches to ensure each piece crisps evenly instead of steaming from trapped pan moisture.
3.If using an electric stovetop, warm tortillas in a dry skillet for 30 seconds per side instead of placing them directly on coils to prevent burning or uneven heating.
OMG, I grew up eating tripas tacos at my tío’s taqueria in East LA and I’ve been so scared to make them at home because I thought I’d mess up the perfect crisp! This recipe was so straightforward even with the 2 hour cook time — the tip to drain them twice and crank the heat at the end? Total game changer. Served these at my Sunday family dinner and everyone went back for seconds, even my picky 14 year old who swears he only eats fast food chain tacos.
SO good. I brought these to my office potluck last week and people were hounding me for the recipe before I even set the platter down. Cooked them a little extra crispy like I prefer, topped with fresh cilantro, diced white onion, and a squeeze of lime, no fancy toppings needed. Will absolutely be making these again for our next backyard BBQ next month.
This was my first time ever cooking tripas and I was super intimidated by the medium difficulty rating, but the step-by-step instructions made it totally doable! My only note is that it took me about 20 minutes extra to get them as crispy as my family likes, so next time I’ll budget a little extra cook time. My husband said these taste just like the tripas his abuela made growing up in Chihuahua, so that’s the highest compliment I could possibly get!
I’m giving this 4 stars for now since I haven’t tested it yet, but it looks exactly like what I’ve been craving! Quick question before I make these this weekend! Has anyone tried prepping these ahead for the week? I’m always looking for high-protein taco fillings for my weekly meal prep, but I’m worried they’ll get soggy if I store them in meal prep containers in the fridge. Also, do these freeze well at all?
OMG y’all, I made these for my partner’s birthday taco night and they were the absolute star of the show! I added a little squeeze of lime and a dash of my homemade chile de arbol salsa on top, and we ate way too many between the two of us. The crispy texture is unreal — I’ve had tripas at sit-down Mexican restaurants that weren’t half this crunchy. 10/10, will be making these monthly from now on.
Made these on my cast iron griddle out on the back patio last weekend to avoid any lingering smell in the house, and they turned out absolutely perfect. Used warm corn tortillas I picked up from the small family Mexican market down the street, topped with quick pickled red onion and a little drizzle of crema, and my roommates are already begging me to make them again this coming weekend. The 2 hour cook time is totally worth it for how good these turn out, don’t let that scare you off!
I’ve been searching for a solid tripas taco recipe forever since the little bodega by my old apartment in Queens closed down, and this hit so close to home! My only mistake was not buying enough corn tortillas — I cooked 2 lbs of tripas and my roommates and I polished all of it off in one sitting. Next time I’m making a double batch for sure, and I might add a little extra cumin next round for a deeper, smokier flavor.