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[1] Menudo, a classic Mexican stew made with tripe, (photo © Daniel Alejandro Jaime Ayala | Unsplash).
[2] Chuck roast can be substituted for the tripe (photo © No Recipes).
[3] A squeeze of fresh lime adds brightness to the dish (photo © Odin Reyna | Pexels).
[4] While tripe is not popular in the U.S., it’s common in other cuisines (French, Latin American, Italian, Spanish, Vietnamese) for its unique texture and flavor. A type of offal, it’s the edible lining of a ruminant’s stomach (cow, goat, sheep) and is used in various cuisines.
[5] This is maiz, also called choclo in Peru and Peruvian corn in the U.S. (photo © Peruvian Delights).
[6] Fresno chiles (photo © Melissa’s Produce).
[7] One of our favorite snacks is Inka corn. It’s giant Peruvian corn that’s roasted, not popped, very crunchy, and an excellent garnish for menudo and many other dishes (photo © Inka Crops).
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Chef Johnny Gnall’s mother grew up in Mexico City. She discovered her talent for cooking at a young age, and amassed recipes from friends and family while still a young girl.
Her greatest teacher, however, was her nanny, Eulalia, a native Mexican. A tremendous source of knowledge on authentic Mexican cooking, many of Eulalia’s recipes dated back several hundred years. In honor of Cinco de Mayo, Johnny shares this one.
“Menudo is a traditional Mexican soup made from tripe (cow stomach). It is very hearty and lore suggests it as a hangover cure. Foreign to most Americans, tripe is actually a lot better than it sounds. If cooked right, its flavor and texture become like that of great pot roast.
“Buttery and velvety on your palate, the meat almost melts in your mouth and gives an unmistakable richness to the whole dish. If you’re still not convinced and the thought of stomach is a bit much (or your butcher doesn’t have any on hand), you can substitute chuck roast for a more American-friendly menudo.
“Traditionally, you would use a casuela, a large earthenware pot; but any pot will do if you’re short on Mexican earthenware.”
There is also an unrelated Philippine menudo, a stew made with sliced pork and calf’s liver in tomato sauce.
January is National Menudo Month.
The recipe follows. Also below:
> The history of menudo.
> The year’s 25+Mexican food holidays.
> What is Peruvian corn.
Elsewhere on The Nibble:
> The year’s 15 soup holidays.
RECIPE: MENUDO, A RICH, VELVETY SOUP
Ingredients
2 pounds chuck roast or tripe
1 large onion, sliced
1 bulb of garlic, cloves peeled
1 tablespoon each: marjoram, oregano and thyme
1 bay leaf
A few pinches of salt
4 cups of Peruvian corn (maiz—see note below)
For The Chile Sauce
5 fresno chiles
3 cloves of garlic
5 cloves
5 peppercorns
1 teaspoon cumin
Salt to taste
Garnishes
Chili powder
Chopped white onion
Lime wedges
Oregano
Salsa(s)
Plus
Warm tortillas or tortilla chips
Preparation
1. PLACE the bay leaf, garlic and onion in a piece of cheesecloth tied with kitchen twine, or other device for easy removal.
2. DICE the beef into half-inch pieces and place in a large pot. Add the onion, garlic, herbs and salt and fill the pot the remainder of the way with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 4 hours, or until the meat is fall-apart tender. Then turn off the heat and remove the bay leaf, garlic and onion.
3. BOIL the corn in a separate pot until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain.
4. COOK the corn. Cover to keep warm and set aside.
5. MAKE the chile sauce. Soak the chiles in hot water for 20 minutes. Then combine them in a blender with the other ingredients plus enough of the beef broth to keep things spinning with ease. Once blended, strain and add to the pot of beef. Simmer for 20 more minutes, then add the corn.
6. SERVE with the garnishes on the side so people can add what they like. Add some warm tortillas into the mix and you are good to go!
THE HISTORY OF MENUDO
Menudo, the hearty Mexican soup or stew known for its distinctive flavors and reputed hangover-curing properties, has a rich history spanning several centuries.
Menudo originated in northern Mexico, in the states of Sonora and Chihuahua, in the Spanish colonial period, the late 16th or early 17th century.
It began as an economy measure, to utilize all parts of a slaughtered animal. Tripe, the lining of the cow’s stomach lining, was the key ingredient.
It provided pural and working-class families with an affordable way to feed large gatherings. The long cooking time required to tenderize the tripe (7-8 hours) made it ideal for communal weekend meals when families had time for extended preparation.
In the original recipe, tripe was joined by hominy (nixtamalized corn kernels known in Spanish as pozole, red chile peppers, onions, and various herbs and spices (cilantro, lime, oregano).
Invariably, regional variations emergedme. In northern Mexico, the original “red” version with red chile peppers predominates, while in central Mexico, a white version without chiles (menudo blanco) is common.
Some areas add pigs’ feet or calves’ feet for additional texture and flavor.
Mexican-American communities brought menudo to the U.S., but unlike other standards of Mexican cuisine, it hasn’t taken off in the mainstream.
Menudo remains an important cultural dish in both Mexico and Mexican-American communities, where it’s often available in restaurants on widely available in Mexican restaurants, particularly on weekends. It can also be found at festivals, and is made for special occasions.
WHAT IS PERUVIAN CORN
Most historians believe that maize was domesticated in the Tehuacan Valley of Mexico. Numerous varieties were cultivated by the Olmecs and Mayas. Corn had spread throughout Mesoamerica by 2500 B.C.E.
In a region with so many varieties of corn, names evolved. The type of corn grown in the U.S. is called elote (ee-LO-tay). Peruvian-style corn, with giant white kernels, is called maiz (ma-EES), spelled maize and pronounced MAYS in English.
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It is also called choclo in Peru (more than 30 varieties of corn are grown in every color and size imaginable). These jumbo kernels have a different texture than American corn varieties and are less sweet. They were first cultivated in Cusco, the city high in the Andes that was once the capital of the Inca empire.
Choclo has been a staple of the Peruvian diet for thousands of years. It is used to make everything from tamales to soups and pastries.
It can typically be found frozen or dried at Latin markets and online.
THE YEAR’S 25+ MEXICAN & TEX-MEX FOOD HOLIDAYS & OTHER REASONS TO CELEBRATE
January: National Menudo Month
January 25: National Fish Taco Day
January 29: National Corn Chip Day
February 4: Flag Day (Día de la Bandera)
February 24: National Tortilla Chip Day
March 23: National Chip & Dip Day
March 23: National Tamale Day
April, 1st Thursday: National Burrito Day
April 16: Selena Quintanilla Perez Birthday
May: National Salsa Month
May 5: Cinco De Mayo
May 5: Totally Chipotle Day
May, 2nd Sunday: Mother’s Day
May 14: International Chihuahua Appreciation Day
July: National Beans Month
August 18: National Fajita Day†
September 5: National Jalapeño Popper Day
September 16: Mexican Independence Day
September 15-October 15: Hispanic Heritage Month
September 24: National Horchata Day
September 25: National Quesadilla Day
September 26: National Chimichanga Day
October 4: National Taco† Day
October 12: Day of the Pluricultural Nation (Dia de la Raza, The Day of the Races)*
October 21: International Day of the Nacho/International Nacho Day
November 1-2: Día De Los Muertos
November 6: National Nachos Day
December 8: Diego Rivera Birthday
Plus, every Tuesday is Taco Tuesday and every Friday is Fajita Friday†!
TEQUILA HOLIDAYS
February 22: National Margarita Day
May 5: Cinco De Marcho†
May 22: World Paloma Day
July 24: National Tequila Day
September 14: National Rosa Tequila Day
And every Friday is Fajita Friday†!
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*Dia de la Raza and is celebrated across Mexico to mark the official recognition of the indigenous people of the country.
†Cinco de Marcho is celebrated every year, 12 days before St. Patrick’s Day. A play on the Mexican holiday name, Cinco de Mayo, this made-up holiday was created by revelers to prepares their livers for all the drinking that happens on St. Patrick’s Day. All participants are advised to drink safely and in moderation.
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[1] Today’s featured recipe: Carne Asada Fries (recipe and photos #1, #3, #6 © Idaho Potato Commission).
[2] Very popular: steak frites, steak with a side of fries (photo © LT Bar & Grill | Hackensack, New Jersey).
[3] Baked fries with bacon, cheddar and scallions. The recipe link is below.
[4] Trending: shoestring fries atop a burger (photo © Chef Eric Levine).
[5] Why do chefs love their fries in duck fat? The rich and elegant duck fat flavor adds a hint of delicious “duckiness.” The recipe link is below. (photo © Benjamin Zanatta | Unsplash).
[6] National Cook A Sweet Potato Day is February 22nd, but you can cook sweet potato fries today—shown here with a Green Goddess dip (photo © Good Eggs).
[7] Carne asada tacos, the most popular version of carne asado in the U.S. (photo © Good Food).
[7] Carne asada quesadillas (photo © Good Food).
[8] Homemade flour tortillas. Here’s the recipe (photo © Five Heart Home).
[9] Hot off the grill and ready to roll (photo © The Nibble).
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Updated August 2026
July 13th is National French Fries Day, a cause for celebration because it’s another reason to have fries—maybe for all three meals!
How many types of French fries have you had? Crinkle cut and curly fries, sure. But how about Boardwalk Fries? Carne Fries? Elvis Fries? Newfie Fries ?.
Each year we like to serve up a different way to serve French fries. This year, start with the American version of Poutine: Carne Asada Fries.
After the recipe, we’ll delve into carne asada itself, the popular Mexican grilled steak that can be the centerpiece of a cookout or warm-weather gathering.
Below:
> Carne asada fries recipe.
> More fries recipes.
> How carne asada is enjoyed in Mexico.
> More ways to serve carne asada.
> Drinks to serve with carne asada.
> The history of carne asada.
Elsewhere On The Nibble:
> The history of French fries.
> The different types of fries: more than 40!
> Top 10 favorite dips for fries.
> How to make the best French fries.
> Make your own signature fries.
> French fry styles around the world.
> Non-ketchup dips for fries.
> The history of potatoes.
> The different types of potatoes: a photo glossary.
> The year’s 30 potato holidays.
> The year’s 24 fried food holidays.
> The year’s 30 potato holidays.
> The year’s 25+ Mexican and Tex-Mex food holidays.
> Food fun: The world’s largest French fry.
1. RECIPE: CARNE ASADA FRIES
Carne asada, which means “grilled steak” in Spanish, is a Mexican dish of grilled and sliced beef (skirt steak, sirloin steak, tenderloin steak, or rib steak). It’s served as a main dish with rice and beans, or as an ingredient in other dishes you’ll find below.
This recipe was developed by Jonathan Melendez, food blogger from The Candid Appetite, for the Idaho Potato Commission, a source for great potato recipes.
Ingredients
You can save time by purchasing the salsa and guacamole.
1 pound Idaho® potatoes, peeled and cut into thin fries
Vegetable oil for frying
2 pounds flap steak or skirt steak
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons black pepper
1 ½ teaspoons granulated garlic
1 ½ teaspoons granulated onion
1 ½ teaspoons paprika
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 ½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 ½ cups Monterey jack cheese, shredded
2 tomatoes, diced
1 cup guacamole
¾ cup sour cream
Optional: ¼ cup sliced pickled jalapeños
Optional: ¼ cup crumbled queso fresco (substitute feta, goat cheese, paneer, queso blanco, ricotta salata)
Preparation
1. MAKE the fries. Heat a large pot (a Dutch oven is great here) over medium-high heat. Fill it a bit less than halfway with vegetable oil. Attach a deep fryer thermometer and heat the oil to 350°F.
2. PEEL the potatoes and cut them into thin fries. Immediately place the fries into a bowl of cold water to prevent them from turning brown and to rinse away the excess starch. Drain the potatoes and dry them thoroughly with a clean kitchen towel. Make sure they’re completely dry; you don’t want any moisture in the oil.
3. FRY the potatoes in batches until light golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir with a slotted spoon and transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Continue frying the rest of the fries.
4. HEAT the oil to 375°F and fry the potatoes a second time (in batches as well), until deep golden brown and crispy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer back to the wire rack and sprinkle with salt to taste.
5. GRILL the steak. First, heat an outdoor grill or a stovetop grill pan, over medium-high heat until hot.
6. COMBINE in a large bowl combine the flap steak with the salt, pepper, granulated garlic, onion, paprika, oregano, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix until evenly seasoned. Cook the meat until charred on both sides, about 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and allow to rest for a few minutes before chopping into cubes.
7. ASSEMBLE the fries on an oven-safe platter, baking sheet, or individual ramekins. Sprinkle with the shredded cheese and place in a 350°F oven for about 5 minutes to melt the cheese.
8. REMOVE from the oven, top with the chopped carne asada, sour cream, guacamole, tomatoes, pickled jalapeños, cilantro, and queso fresco, as desired. Serve right away.
2. 15 MORE FRENCH FRY RECIPES
Baked Cheese Fries With Bacon & Scallions
Baked French Fries With Italian Herb Seasoning
Baked Fries With Spicy Ras El Hanout
Beef Tallow French Fries
Better Than Fries: Crispy Potato Skewers
Daigaku Imo Fries From Japan
Duck Fat French Fries
French Fries With Peanut Butter & Jelly
Guinness-Battered Fish & Chips
Green Fries With Tzatziki Sauce
Grilled Cheese & Fries Sandwich
Loaded Bacon Cheese Fries
Oven Fries
Panko-Coated Oven Fries
Poutine Recipes (Canadian Fries)
Truffle Fries
Non-Potato Fries
Avocado Fries
Chickpea Fries
3. HOW CARNE ASADA IS SERVED IN MEXICO
Carne asada, Spanish for grilled or roasted meat, is served in numerous ways (see the next section).
In northern Mexico, carne asada is also very often served simply as grilled beef on a shared platter, with tortillas and accompaniments so everyone can assemble their own tacos.
The steak is marinated in lime juice, garlic, salt, and spices, then charred over an open flame. It’s then sliced thin across the grain or chopped.
In Mexico, a home cookout or carne asada gathering is always festive. How’d you like to host your own gathering?
To start with, you need a grill for that open flame (you can also make it in a skillet on the stove top, but you won’t get that great grilled flavor). Here’s the rest:
Skirt steak, (arrachera) is considered the gold standard: highly flavorful with a distinct grain that holds onto marinades well. In Mexico, it is often mechanically tenderized (pitted with small needles) or marinated in citrus to break down the tough fibers.
Flap meat (sirloin bavette or ranchera), is a second choice. It’s similar to skirt steak but often a bit more affordable and very tender when grilled quickly over high heat.
Flank steak is popular in the U.S., because it’s leaner and easier to find in grocery stores. It’s a much thicker, wider muscle than skirt steak so it can be tougher and more ““chewy” if it isn’t marinated thoroughly and sliced very thinly across the grain.
Sides
Avocado. Sliced avocado or guacamole.
Beans. Typically often refried beans or frijoles charros—pinto beans cooked with onions, garlic, tomatoes, salted pork/bacon, and chiles (this is a great dish to assign if someone asks, “What can I bring?).
Chiles. Char or grill green chiles, such as jalapeños (if it’s Hatch season, go for it).
Cilantro. Finely chopped, it’s used as a garnish. Here’s a technique: Gather the leaves and tender upper stems together and run a sharp knife through them to create a neat, uniform mince.
Cotija cheese. Crumbled, this Mexican cheese, similar in texture to feta, is popular garnish.
Grilled nopales or rice. Nopales (cactus leaves) are popular in Mexico, and you can find them in Latin markets in many cities. You can also buy them in jars, cut into strips to top a green salad.
Lime wedges. A squeeze of juice heightens the other flavors.
Onion. Grilled onions, scallions or spring onions.
Salsa. Pico de gallo, salsa roja, salsa verde, or your favorite (the different types of salsa).
And most important:
Tortillas. Warm flour tortillas are popular in much of northern Mexico. Corn tortillas are also widely used, and they provide more flavor.
People then “roll their own” with the other ingredients.
Eating the individual components on a plate is also conventional.
It also offers the option of avoiding gluten and carbs from the tortillas, and is potentially less drippy. Mission and other tortilla manufacturers do make gluten-free versions.
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[10] An elevated presentation of carne asada at Eddie Merlot’s (photo © Eddie Merlot’s).
4. MORE WAYS TO SERVE CARNE ASADA
Burritos. Especially familiar in California and the U.S. Southwest, in addition to the meat, they may include beans, cheese, guacamole, rice, and salsa. San Diego-style carne asada burritos roll in French fries, too.
Fajitas. To turn carne asada into fajitas, just cook the steak alongside sliced bell peppers and onions, then wrap them in warm tortillas. (August 17th is National Fajita Day, and every Friday is Fajita Friday.)
Nachos, fries, and bowls topped with carne asada are largely a Mexican-American creation. In addition to nachos, carne asada tops fries, loaded baked potatoes, rice bowls, and salads.
Platters with tortillas. Especially traditional at a northern Mexican cookout, the steak is the centerpiece, and diners combine it themselves, with tortillas and the side dishes at the table.
Quesadillas are also very popular in the U.S., particularly in Mexican-American cooking and taquerias. A melting cheese such ase Monterey Jack, mozzarella, Oaxaca, are melted in a tortilla with the meat.
Tacos are probably the single most common use, especially in Mexico and the U.S. Southwest. Small tortillas filled with chopped or thinly sliced beef are the signature preparation. In food venues, the accompaniments are typically simple: meat, onion, cilantro, salsa, and lime. That’s why a home gathering is so exciting.
Tortas are a Mexican sandwich on a crusty roll, commonly layered with carne asada, avocado, beans, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and chiles.
[11] Carne asada beverage pairings. From left, Margarita, Michelada, Mexican beer, Tequila, plus non-alcoholic agua de jamaica, horchata, and agua de limón (photo © The Nibble).
5. DRINKS WITH CARNE ASADA
Alcoholic Drinks
Beer. You can make it authentic with Mexican beers, which are light, crisp lagers such as Corona Extra, Dos Equis, Modelo Especial (currently a top-selling beer in the U.S.), Pacífico, and Tecate.
Margaritas. Tangy tequila drink with lime juice and orange liqueur.
Micheladas. Cold beer mixed with lime juice, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce, often with a salted or Tajín rim.
Tequila or mezcal. Slow sipping with a slice of lime or orange and salt.
Iced Non-Alcoholic Drinks
Agua de horchata, a blend of rice and almond milk blended into a liquid, with a touch of cinnamon.
Agua de jamaica, tart hibiscus iced tea.
Agua de limón, fresh lime water with sugar (i.e., limeade).
Mexican cokes, made with real cane sugar in glass bottles.
[12] No grill? Make carne asada in your slow cooker. It won’t have that grilled meat flavor, but it will still be delish. Here’s the recipe (photo © Taste Of Home).
6. THE HISTORY OF CARNE ASADA
Carne asada, literally “grilled meat” in Spanish, was not originally the name of one fixed recipe or a particular steak cut. Rather, it simply described beef cooked over high heat, traditionally over charcoal or wood.
Today, thanks to the expansion of Mexican cuisine in the U.S., it usually refers to thin, grilled beef—often skirt, flap, or flank steak—served sliced or chopped. It’s a popular meat for tacos.
Its roots are in northern and northeastern Mexico, where cattle ranching developed after Spanish colonization. Cattle did not exist in pre-Columbian Mexico; they arrived with the Spanish in the 16th century.
In the ranching regions that became especially associated with carne asada—such as Sonora and Nuevo León*—beef became an important food, and open-fire grilling suited working ranch life as well as outdoor celebrations.
Early carne asada was likely quite simple: a flavorful but economical cut of beef, grilled over fire and seasoned primarily with salt. Lime, garlic, chiles, herbs, and more elaborate marinades are now common, but they vary substantially by household, butcher shop, and region. The characteristic smoky flavor is often associated with charcoal or mesquite grilling. The finished meat may be served with tortillas, beans, grilled onions, salsa, and guacamole—or diced for tacos, burritos, tortas, and other dishes.
Importantly, in northern Mexico, “a carne asada” can mean the gathering as well as the food: a family-and-friends cookout centered on a grill, rather like an American backyard barbecue. Beef may be the centerpiece, but chicken, chorizo, seafood, vegetables, beans, rice, salsas, and beer are also often part of the occasion.
Mexican immigrants carried these grilling traditions to the United States in the early 20th century. Carne asada became especially important in California, Arizona, Texas, and other Southwestern communities, where carnicerías sold prepared marinated meat and taquerias turned it into a familiar taco filling. The BBC notes that printed references to U.S. carnicerías selling marinated meats go back to 1930.
Over time, it moved from Mexican and Mexican-American home cooking and neighborhood taquerias into mainstream American restaurant menus.
So the short version is: Carne asada began as northern Mexican ranching food, evolved into a beloved communal grilling tradition, and became a cornerstone of Mexican-American taco culture—not merely “marinated steak.”
If you’re a beef lover, plan to have some soon.
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*While cattle are ranched throughout the country, Mexico’s most historically important cattle-ranching regions are largely in the north and northeast, where broad grasslands, a drier climate, and proximity to the U.S. Southwest supported large-scale livestock raising. The regions best known for cattle include Sonora, perhaps Mexico’s best-known beef state, with a strong tradition of wood- or charcoal-grilled beef; Chihuahua, historically associated with cattle and open-range ranching; Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas, northeastern states where beef cookouts and carne asada are especially important socially and culinarily; and Baja California, also known for its excellent beef and grilled-meat traditions, although its ranching and food culture developed somewhat differently from the older mainland northern traditions.
†Every Friday became “Fajita Friday” following an advertising campaign by Mexican-food brand Old El Paso in 2022. It was promoted as a Friday-night, at-home fajita ritual in the U.S., and a major 2023 campaign in the U.K. followed. Fajita Friday echoes Taco Tuesday: Tuesday taco specials appeared in U.S. newspaper ads as early as the 1930s, while the phrase “Taco Tuesday” emerged in the 1970s. Gregory’s Restaurant & Bar in New Jersey began a Taco Tuesday promotion in 1979 and later held a state trademark; regional fast-food chain Taco John’s helped popularize the phrase nationally and received a federal trademark in 1989.
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CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.
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