Tacos de Tripas on the Grill

Friday evening, February 28, 2025 seemed like a great day to fire up my Weber "Smoky Joe" grill, and grill tripas for tacos, using locally grown and gathered Placer County oak wood for a delicious smoky flavor.

Photo: Native oak wood grows everywhere in western Placer County, and it works well for grilling or smoking, as it's nearly the same as hickory.

I simply gather up branches of oak wood, haul them home, and cut them to size with my sawsall. I think it makes the food taste better when you've put some effort into gathering the wood and cutting it to size.

I also use homemade oak charcoal that friends and I have made during camping trips in nearby Mariposa County.

Photo: Believe it or not, this is a bit over a pound of tripas - beef intestines - along with a jalapeno pepper, smoking on my Weber "Smokey Joe" grill. The tripas really cook down, so you need to use about a pound - at the minimum - per adult serving before you put them on the grill. As previously mentioned, locally gathered and grown oak wood was my fuel of choice.

To prepare the tripas for grilling, I washed them, dried them and cut them into about 8-inch long pieces. Then, I rubbed them with Pappy's Blue Label rub, a favorite rub on mine that's made in Fresno, CA. I let the rub sink in for about twelve hours before I put them in the marinade.

I didn't use an exact recipe for the marinade, as I simply relied on my countless culinary experiences I've enjoyed during many trips to Mexico. For the marinade I used:

* Valentina Mexican Hot Sauce
* Olive oil
* Lime juice
* Diced fresh garlic
* Diced fresh white onion
* Cumin

Note that you can use whatever hot sauce is your favorite, or whatever is in your pantry.

I simply placed the tripas in a plastic bag, added the marinade, and squished it all together so it was properly mixed. I let it all work together for 24 hours or so before throwing the tripas on the grill.

Photo: As the tripas were grilling, I brushed them with Valentina Mexican Hot Sauce. This hot sauce is my go-to favorite, as it's delicious, has robust flavor and it's readily available in local supermarkets. This delicious hot sauce doesn't contain any sugar, so you can add it to your heart's content and you won't have any worries about burning or carmelizing.

Photo: I uncover the grill and hold a tripa that's ready to be removed from direct heat. I swiveled the grate around so the meat and pepper were over indirect heat and allowed the oak smoke to work magic for another 20 minutes or so.

Photo: After the tripas cooled, I cut them into small pieces, ready for each taco.

Photo: I toasted each corn tortilla over a gas burner, just the way it's done in Mexico. The toasting brings out the earthy flavor of the tortilla and helps keep the taco together.

Photo: Three "Tacos de Tripas," garnished with diced fresh cilantro and white onion. I added a bit more Valentina sauce just because I love it.

Photo: Such a delicious taco! It's authentic, and it's EXACTLY the kind of tripe taco you'll find on the streets of any northern Mexican city or town, or on a cattle ranch. The marinade and sauce really worked wonders!

The tripas were crispy on the outside, yet tender and juicy on outside... simply bursting with flavor, thanks to the marinade and the oak smoke. The corn tortillas held together and added an "earthy" taste to the meal, while the cilantro and onion added contrast and a bit of a cooling effect.

Tonight, I didn't have to travel to Baja California to enjoy authentic "Tacos de Tripas" ... Cheers!