Make Callos Madrilenos, a Traditional Madrid-Style Tripe Recipe (2024)

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Lisa & Tony Sierra

Lisa and Tony Sierra are freelance writers and Spanish food experts who lead culinary tours of the country.

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Updated on 07/28/21

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Make Callos Madrilenos, a Traditional Madrid-Style Tripe Recipe (1)

Beef tripe, which is the lining of ​the beef stomach, is called callos in Spanish. It is used to make a very traditional dish in Madrid and has been served in taverns and on family dining tables for centuries.It is a hearty mealperfect for cold winter days.

Like all traditional dishes, there are many variations. This recipe includes serrano ham and morcilla (Spanish blood sausage), while others might use ox cheek and a splash of white wine. It also has the option of adding garbanzo beans; although not traditional in this tripe dish, the beans thicken the broth a bit.

You can find beef tripe in most markets. There are three kinds of tripe―honeycomb (the most tender), pocket tripe (less tender), and plain or smooth tripe (the least tender). If you can, buy the honeycomb tripe. This recipe also features calf or pig foot—when purchasing, make sure it is cut in half. The local butcher can cut it in seconds with their sharp tools.

Serve callos hot with crusty bread on the side for a hearty meal.

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Clean the tripe well under cold running water. Set in a bowl of cold water mixed with the vinegar for 20 minutes, then rinse thoroughly.

  3. Cut the tripe into pieces approximately 3-inches square. Set aside.

  4. Coarsely chop 1 onion. Set aside.

  5. Remove and peel each clove from the bulb of garlic. Set aside.

  6. In a large heavy-bottomed pot, place the tripe pieces and the split calf or pig foot.

  7. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Allow to boil for 1 minute.

  8. Drain into a colander and rinse the froth from the meat.

  9. Return the tripe and foot to the cooking pot and add 4 to 6 cups of water, or enough to cover.

  10. Put chopped onion and all but 3 peeled cloves of garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns in​ thepot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer for 3 hours.

  11. Finely chop the remaining onion and 3 cloves of garlic.

  12. Slice the chorizo sausage into rounds. Cut the serrano ham into small squares.

  13. In a skillet, heat the olive oil and sauté the chopped onion, garlic, chorizo, and ham for 5 minutes, or until onions are translucent.

  14. Remove from heat and stir in the paprika.

  15. Add the mixture to the pot with the tripe.

  16. Cut the morcilla into rounds and place in the pot. If using the optional garbanzo beans, add them now. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

  17. The traditional way to serve callos is in earthenware bowls. Enjoy.

How Do You Get Rid Of the Smell of Tripe?

Tripe is a delicious addition to soups and stews, but if not prepared correctly it can have an unpleasant smell. It's important to clean tripe well before cooking. Soaking clean tripe in a vinegar and water solution can help counteract the smell, as can boiling, draining, and rinsing once or twice.

Can You Freeze Tripe?

Raw or cooked tripe can be frozen for up to three months. Store in an airtight container and defrost before using.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
509Calories
40g Fat
8g Carbs
28g Protein

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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories509
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 40g51%
Saturated Fat 13g66%
Cholesterol 136mg45%
Sodium 1519mg66%
Total Carbohydrate 8g3%
Dietary Fiber 2g7%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 28g
Vitamin C 2mg9%
Calcium 56mg4%
Iron 4mg24%
Potassium 452mg10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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Make Callos Madrilenos, a Traditional Madrid-Style Tripe Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is callos a la madrilena in english? ›

Callos a la Madrileña is a stewed tripe dish, cooked slowly for hours over low heat, that is a speciality of Spanish cuisine associated with the city of Madrid. Traditionally pig or cow tripe was used but modern recipes use lamb or even cod.

What is callos in english? ›

Beef tripe, which is the lining of ​the beef stomach, is called callos in Spanish.

Do I need to boil tripe before cooking? ›

When the tripe is completely clean of impurities, it must be boiled with salt for about 10 minutes and then rinsed with cold water. Tripe at the grocery store is bright white because it is soaked in a chlorine or bleach solution. Bleached tripe must also be parboiled before cooking to remove any remaining chemicals.

What food is callos in Spain? ›

Callos is a stew common across Spain, and is considered traditional to Madrid. In Madrid, it is referred to as callos a la madrileña. It contains beef tripe and chickpeas, blood sausage and peppers. Chorizo sausage may also be used.

Is callos and Menudo the same? ›

There are two versions of menudo served today: rojo or blanco, which depends on whether it contains chili peppers. Menudo with tripe can also be found in Spain's Andalusian region, where it is also known as callos de Cadiz.

Where did callos a la madrileña come from? ›

Callos a la Madrileña (cal-yos a la ma-dri-le-nya) is a tripe stew, and its origins stem from Madrid. The Filipinos have adopted this dish, among many other Spanish dishes, largely because the country was colonized by the Spanish in the mid-1500's, and remained under the Spanish rule until the late 1800's.

Are callos healthy? ›

Callos is hearty stew popularized during the Spanish occupancy. Made with DEL MONTE Tomato Sauce, a medley of vegetables, and meat, it's definitely both filling and healthy.

Is tripe good for you? ›

Tripe is an excellent and generally inexpensive source of lean protein. Protein helps keep you full and allows your body to repair damaged tissue and build muscle. A three-ounce serving of tripe contains 10 grams of protein, which is about 20% of average daily requirement.

What does callo mean in Spanish? ›

noun. corn [noun] a little bump of hard skin found on the foot.

Does tripe get more tender the longer you cook it? ›

Tripe is the lining of beef, hog or sheep stomach although most sold is from beef. This part of the animal is tough and requires long cooking for tenderness.

Why do you soak tripe in vinegar? ›

Cleaning and preparing tripe

In the past I've used vinegar and salt to clean the fresh tripe, or just some intense scrubbing under running water. Chris Cosentino suggests washing well and dipping in not-quite-boiling vinegar to remove any odor.

How long should tripe be boiled for? ›

Boil for 15-30 minutes. When you're done, discard the water and rinse the tripe. After boiling, tripe should be noticeably softer - it's now ready to cook in a variety of dishes.

How do you clean and cook tripe? ›

Start by cutting off and discarding all unwanted fat and anything that doesn't look like tripe. Next, rub the tripe all over with rock salt then rinse it with vinegar. Repeat this process until there are no visible impurities. Then, scrape the entire surface of the tripe with a long sharp knife.

What is callos tapas in english? ›

Callos (Madrid style tripe) is a very traditional dish in Madrid that has been served in taverns and family dining tables, for centuries.

Can you freeze callos? ›

Made a big batch of chicken callos? You can freeze the leftovers for up to a week and defrost and reheat when you're ready to eat it.

What is the edible stomach of a cow? ›

Tripe is the lining of beef, hog or sheep stomach although most sold is from beef. This part of the animal is tough and requires long cooking for tenderness. Beef tripe is most often obtained from the first three of the four stomachs of beef cattle (rumen, reticulum, and omasum).

What is callos de ronda in english? ›

Callos de ronda (Chickpeas with meat)

What is the history of callos? ›

Callos is a stew common across Spain and was brought to the Philippines by the Spaniards in the 1500s. It's a tomato-based stew with beef tripe, chorizo and olives. The beef tripe can also be replaced by beef cheeks if desired. It's a very special dish in the Philippines and is prepared with a lot of love.

References

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