Folk Hangover Cure from Mexico
Mexico is has a few interesting hangover cures that they swear by. This is in part due to how much they enjoy drinking, which is a central part of their culture. Most parties and business meetings consist of some kind of intoxicating brew, and it leaves them in the wake of some pretty hefty side effects, including the march of the Mexican loose bowels and the Mexican Mariachi migraine. Overindulgence is a pretty common thing in Mexico, so it is no wonder that they have looked for hangover cures in many places to get rid of the side effects of the dog that bit them.
Where’s the Beef?
One of the more interesting cures that Mexicans turn to may make your stomach turn. Considering that this is an issue they are trying to resolve, it may not make sense, but many Mexicans say that when you are feeling the Hispanic haze, a hearty helping of cow’s stomach is the best way to start feeling better.
They usually eat the cow’s stomach in a soup that they call Menudo, a soup that also contains snippets of beef feet and other tendons of the cow (recipe below). So if you have a stomach for the stomach, you’ll have no beef with this hangover cure.
Menudo has to be prepared 4 to 7 hours in advance, so if you don’t have Menudo on hand after a night of imbibing, you’re still pretty much screwed. To cook it, they cut up pieces of old Betsy’s stomach and feet and throw it in water with some herbs and spices until it is cooked through. In some places, it’s a bonus if the cow’s last meal gets cooked along with its stomach.
Can You Stomach It?
If you can stomach this cure, you may find some relief from your hangover, simply due to the fact that you are rehydrating 
yourself and restoring some electrolytes that were lost from your body, but it isn’t great with timing. The absorption rate is rather slow, and it furthermore would be equally effective with any other type of protein, so why they choose rubbery cow tripe is beyond us.
Though the way to man’s heart is his stomach, we may have a better approach for curing hangovers. Hangovers occur because you lose hydration, giving you Montezuma’s Revenge: diarrhea, a bad stomach ache, and a throbbing head that feels like it is going to explode at the drop of a pin. You are also missing essential electrolytes the body needs to function, so it sends out some intense stress signals to let you know something is wrong (as if you couldn’t tell).
How About a Better Way –
At Hangover Hospital in Key West, you don’t have to have a lot of guts to get rid of your hangover. We deliver hydration directly into your bloodstream with a blend of electrolytes that restore your body to its full balance. We also provide vitamin shots and oxygen therapy to make sure you are able to get back on your feet in less than an hour. Don’t have a cow, just call us to relieve your hangovers when you are in Key West.
CALL NOW: 305.912.4911
Menudo Recipe
Ingredients –
Broth:
3 lbs clean cow’s stomach or intestine, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cow’s foot
1 lb cow bones with marrow
5 garlic cloves
1 medium onion sliced thick
1 ½ tsp salt
2 tsp dry oregano
Sauce:
- 6 clean, seeded, deveined guajillo peppers
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 3 garlic cloves
Directions:
- Cook cow’s foot and bones in a large pot with 6 quarts of water, 5 cloves of garlic, and the onion slices for 15 minutes at medium heat. Don’t cover.
- While the cow’s foot and bone marrow cook, skim off the top foam that accumulates on the water’s surface.
- Add the stomach/intestines and oregano.
- Cook for about 2 to 2 ½ hours until meat is tender but firm. Overcooking makes the meat rubbery.
- Remove the cow’s feet and bones from the pot.
- After the foot cools, carve any meat or flesh off and add it back to the pot.
- Toast the Guajillo peppers in a griddle over medium heat.
- Place the peppers in a bowl and cover with water for 25 minutes. Drain.
- Place peppers in a blender with garlic, ½ cup of the broth, and cumin. Blend until very smooth.
- Strain the sauce and pour it into the pot.
- Simmer the broth for another 30 minutes, partially covered. Season with salt.
- Serve in bowls with lemon or lime wedges, oregano, and corn tortillas.