Costillas de Puerco al Horno(Oven Roasted Pork Ribs)
This recipe for Costillas de Puerco is my best memory of how my Mom would prepare them. My only addition to her version is the chile ancho powder that I preseason the ribs with. Other than that, it’s pretty much the same.
Servings 8 Servings
Ingredients
ngredients
- 4 pounds of bone-on or boneless country style ribs I find the bone-on ribs to be more flavorful
- 1 1/2 tsps of chile ancho powder
- 1 1/2 tsps of garlic powder
- 1 1/2 tsps black pepper
- 1 tsp of cumin
- Salt to taste
- 2 c water, plus more to soften chile ancho pods
- 6 large chile ancho pods stems and seeds removed
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano crushed
Instructions
Directions
- Combine dried chile ancho pods in a pot with enough water to cover. At medium heat, bring up to a simmer. Cook for 8 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine chile ancho powder, garlic powder, cumin, black pepper and kosher salt to taste. Stir to combine. Use this rub to cover the ribs evenly, set aside.
- Preheat oven to 325 F. Transfer ribs to a deep baking dish. Add 1 cup of water. Cover tight with foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours. Check ribs after 1 hour for water level.
- While the ribs are cooking, drain the dried chile ancho and transfer to a blender. Add garlic, oregano, salt and pepper to taste. Add just enough water (about 1 cup)to make a smooth, thick sauce. Taste for salt.
- After ribs have cooked for 1 1/2 hours remove from oven and add chile ancho sauce right over the top of ribs.
- Cover the ribs and roast for another 30 minutes or until they are easy to pull apart with a fork. Uncover and continue roasting for 20 minutes. Transfer to a serving. Brush tops of ribs with sauce from the bottom of pan.
- Serve with warm homemade flour tortillas a side of rice and beans.
Notes
The post includes images of two different style of pork ribs, country style ribs and spare ribs. Both are delicious in this recipe.
If you prepare your sauce a few days ahead it will be more flavorful. Season ribs as instructed. Pour in all of the previously prepared ancho sauce. Cover tightly with foil paper and roast in a preheated 325 degree oven for 90 minutes. Remove the foil and roast for 20 more minutes. If the sauce has thickened too much, mix in a little broth, orange juice or water.