📝 About This Recipe
A cornerstone of Spanish tavern culture, Callos a la Madrileña is a luxurious, slow-cooked stew that transforms humble offal into a masterpiece of texture and depth. This authentic recipe marries tender honeycomb tripe and gelatinous calf's snout with the smoky punch of pimentón and the richness of traditional Spanish charcuterie. It is a dish that demands patience, rewarding the cook with a thick, collagen-rich sauce and a warming complexity that has comforted Madrileños for centuries.
🥗 Ingredients
The Offal Base
- 1 kg Honeycomb Tripe (cleaned and cut into 2cm squares)
- 250 g Calf's Snout (Morros) (cleaned and diced)
- 1 piece Calf's Foot (split lengthwise to release gelatin)
- 2 pieces Lemon (halved, for cleaning)
- 1/2 cup White Vinegar (for cleaning)
The Aromatics & Charcuterie
- 150 g Spanish Chorizo (semi-cured, sliced into thick rounds)
- 150 g Morcilla (Spanish Blood Sausage) (firm, sliced into thick rounds)
- 100 g Jamón Serrano (diced into small cubes)
- 2 large Onion (one halved, one finely diced)
- 6 cloves Garlic (4 smashed, 2 minced)
- 3 pieces Bay Leaves (dried)
The Spice & Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Pimentón de la Vera (Smoked Paprika) (sweet or bittersweet)
- 1-2 pieces Dried Guindilla Pepper (to taste for heat)
- 2 tablespoons Tomato Purée (concentrated)
- 4 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Spanish variety preferred)
- to taste Salt and Black Peppercorns
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Start by thoroughly cleaning the tripe and snout. Place them in a large bowl with the juice of two lemons and half a cup of vinegar. Rub the meats together, let sit for 15 minutes, then rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear.
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2
Blanch the offal: Place the cleaned tripe, snout, and calf's foot in a large pot. Cover with cold water, bring to a hard boil for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse again. This removes any remaining impurities.
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3
In a clean, large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, add the blanched meats, the halved onion, 4 smashed garlic cloves, bay leaves, and 10 peppercorns. Cover with fresh water by at least 5cm.
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4
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a very low simmer. Cover and cook for approximately 2.5 to 3 hours. The tripe should be very tender but not falling apart. Skim any foam that rises to the surface during the first hour.
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5
While the meat simmers, prepare the 'sofrito'. In a separate skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until translucent and soft, about 8-10 minutes.
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6
Add the minced garlic and the diced Jamón Serrano to the skillet. Sauté for another 3 minutes until the ham fat begins to render.
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7
Stir in the tomato purée and the dried guindilla pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, then remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the pimentón—the residual heat is enough to toast it without burning it, which would make it bitter.
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8
Once the tripe is tender, remove the halved onion, garlic cloves, and calf's foot from the main pot. Pick any meat from the calf's foot, dice it, and return it to the pot; discard the bones and boiled aromatics.
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9
Pour the sofrito mixture from the skillet into the pot with the tripe. Stir well to incorporate the vibrant red oil into the broth.
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10
Add the sliced chorizo and morcilla to the pot. Simmer uncovered for the final 30 minutes. This allows the sauce to reduce and thicken naturally from the gelatin in the meats.
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11
Taste the sauce. The ham and sausages are salty, so you may only need a small pinch of salt. The consistency should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
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12
For the best flavor, let the dish rest for at least 20 minutes before serving, though it is even better if made a day in advance and reheated.
💡 Chef's Tips
Always clean the offal with lemon and vinegar to ensure a clean, pure flavor profile. Never rush the simmering process; the gelatin needs time to break down to create that signature sticky, lip-smacking sauce. If the sauce is too thin after cooking, remove a ladle of the cooking liquid, whisk in a teaspoon of flour or cornstarch, and stir it back in, though natural reduction is preferred. Use high-quality Pimentón de la Vera; it provides the essential smoky backbone that defines the Madrileño style. Wait until the very end to season with salt, as the broth concentrates and the charcuterie releases its own saltiness.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve in individual clay pots (cazuelas) to retain heat and provide an authentic rustic feel. Accompany with plenty of crusty sourdough or baguette to soak up every drop of the gelatinous sauce. Pair with a bold Spanish red wine, such as a Ribera del Duero or a classic Rioja Reserva. A side of simple pickled guindilla peppers or a fresh green salad helps cut through the richness of the dish. Finish the meal with a crisp glass of dry Sherry (Fino or Manzanilla) to cleanse the palate.