A Northern Mexico Tradition
Tripas cooked in the disco (a plow disc turned into a cooking surface) is an iconic dish from Tamaulipas and South Texas. The disco gets incredibly hot, creating perfectly crispy tripas with that signature texture that taco lovers crave.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs beef small intestine (tripas), cleaned and cut into 3-inch pieces
- 1/2 lb beef fat or lard
- 1 large white onion, quartered
- 6 cloves garlic, whole
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- Water for boiling
For Serving:
- Corn tortillas, warmed
- Salsa verde
- Diced white onion
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Clean tripas: Rinse thoroughly under cold water. Some prefer to soak in lime water for 30 minutes to reduce any strong smell.
- Boil first: Place tripas in a large pot with onion, garlic, bay leaves, and salt. Cover with water and boil for 1.5-2 hours until tender.
- Drain: Remove tripas and let cool slightly. Discard cooking liquid.
- Heat the disco: Place your disco over high heat. Add beef fat or lard and let it get very hot.
- Fry tripas: Add boiled tripas to the hot disco. Season with salt, pepper, and cumin. Stir occasionally and let them get crispy – this takes 20-30 minutes.
- Crisp to preference: Some like them chewy, others like them extra crispy. Cook to your liking.
Serving
Serve immediately in warm corn tortillas with salsa verde, onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. The tacos de tripas should be assembled right off the disco for the best experience.
No Disco? No Problem!
You can achieve similar results in a large cast iron skillet or on a flat-top griddle. The key is high heat and patience to get that crispy texture.
Fresh, cleaned tripas available at Ruiz Custom Meats – call ahead to ensure availability!
