Pork Ribs with Nopales in Salsa Verde
Are you ready to make a dish that will leave your plates clean? You will understand what I mean when you try these Pork Spare Ribs with Nopales in Salsa Verde, you will love them!
Today’s recipe is a staple in many homes, and that means that there are as many variations to this recipe as there are home cooks in Mexico. It is made with pork ribs, an inexpensive and popular cut of meat in Mexico (it is popular due to its affordability and flavor).
Pork was brought to the Americas by the first Spaniards that came to conquer America; they also brought fruits, seeds, and other types of animals that were not common on this continent. When these ingredients were mixed with the local cuisine, they created an exquisite fusion, rendering what is now the Mexican gastronomy.
This is what our actual Mexican cuisine is, a fusion of many cultures. Besides that of Spain, Mexican gastronomy has also had Chinese, Philippine, French, African, and Arab influences.
Our food just wouldn’t be the same without the addition of pork: there would be no pork tamales, no gorditas stuffed with chicharron in salsa verde, and none of this mouthwatering Pork Ribs in Salsa Verde!
I hope you enjoy this recipe and come back to let me know the results!
How to make Pork Ribs with Nopales in Salsa Verde
DIRECTIONS:
- Cut the spare ribs into small pieces and place in a saucepan. Cover with 2 cups of water and add the ¼ onion, one garlic clove, and the bay leaf. Bring water to a boil. (Please check the ingredients list below)
- Roast the tomatillos, peppers, 1/3 onion, and garlic cloves on a griddle. These two last ones need to be removed quickly since they take less time to roast.
- Place the roasted vegetables and chopped cilantro in your blender and process until you have a smooth salsa.
- Once the meat is cooked and lightly browned, pour the sauce into the pan. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Stir in the nopales.
Serve with rice and warm corn tortillas.
Today’s recipe is a staple in many homes, and that means that there are as many variations to this recipe as there are home cooks in Mexico. It is made with pork ribs, an inexpensive and popular cut of meat in Mexico (it is popular due to its affordability and flavor).
- 1¾ lb. pork spare ribs tips
- 1 garlic clove
- ¼ white onion
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups of water
- 1½ cup of cooked and diced nopales *
- 1 lb. tomatillos husks removed
- 4-6 serrano peppers**
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/3 white onion
- 1/3 cup cilantro chopped
- 2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil or rendered pork fat
- Salt and pepper to taste
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Cut the spare ribs in small pieces and place in a saucepan. Cover with the water and add the ¼ onion, one garlic clove, and the bay leaf. Bring water to a boil, and then reduce the heat to simmer. Cook for about 40 minutes until meat is tender and the water has reduced. The meat will start to brown with its own fat.
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Meanwhile, roast the tomatillos, peppers, 1/3 onion, and garlic cloves. These two last ones need to be removed quickly since they take less time to roast. Place all these ingredients in a large piece of aluminum foil and wrap them so they keep cooking in their own steam for about 5 minutes.
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Place the roasted vegetables and chopped cilantro in your blender and process until you have a smooth salsa.
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Once the meat is cooked and lightly browned, pour the sauce into the pan. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Stir in the nopales and reduce the heat to simmer for about 7-8 minutes.
• You can also use green beans or even squash for this recipe
• If you don’t find serrano peppers, use jalapeños.
• Sometimes, I also use avocado leaves when cooking the meat to add a different flavor.
PROVECHO!
Mely Martinez
Maybe you would also like our Braised short ribs with tomatillo sauce. The same recipe also in Spanish: Costillas de res en salsa verde.
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Mely,
Great looking recipe, except you mentioned in Instruction #2 to roast the “tomatoes”.. Shouldn’t it be “tomatillos”?
Other than that, looks great! Will try it very soon, as I love pork ribs!
Thank you for letting me know. Happy cooking!
I love your recipes and keep sending them, it’s far better than any other recipes I ever tried, thank you so much for best food to try 100% excellent… Stella Acosta
I made this last night. It was delicious! The only problem was the water didn’t cook out entirely. I had to pour it out and add oil to brown the meat. Think that was because I didnt chop the riblets into smaller pieces so added too much water as a result. Regardless, it was delicious! Will make again! Thank you for the recipe and the website!
OH DARN! I messed this up. When I read “cover with the water”, I covered…. When I got to the part where you are supposed to add the sauce after 40 mins, I still had liquid in there. I looked at the recipe again and noticed “2 cups”! Oui! (sound of palm hitting forehead). The good news is, I had 2 cups fresh pork stock to make your red rice! I am going to have to try this one again. Still good, but just not right. Back to the kitchen for me.
OK, An update.
The rice is killer, awesome, stupendous! Adding the extra pork stock from the recipe was a great idea on my part.
The pork. Well, my simmer is not the same as yours. My pork was not done, and I thought about starting all over again. BUT…
I continued to simmer the pork in the Salsa Verde, covered, for about another 1/2 hour. BINGO!
Fall off the bone, tender…Delicioso! Dinner saved! Yay!
Hello, Gary,
Thank you for taking the time to write about your results with the recipe. Someone else also mentioned that they have more liquid but it was because they added more water than the recipe indicates. Base on your comments, I’ll add some more notes to the recipe, I want everyone to enjoy the dish.
Happy cooking!
I had more liquid because I added more “to cover”. I realized later that the actual ingredient list stated “2 cups”. I DID make this again and it turned out really good, again 🙂 I did use Country Style Pork Shoulder ribs this time, though. I made it for my son and grand daughters (at 4 & 6, I didn’t think the girls would care for the bone). The ribs where large. Cut the meat away from the bone, and cubed. Tossed the bone in for that WONDERFUL marrow flavor. This is a keeper Mely! I just had an interpretation error.
I used boneless ribs and oh my goodness… it’s so delicious! Your recipes just make me enjoy cooking again. Muchas Gracias!
Hello Betty,
Thank you for trying the recipe.
Provecho!
Hola Meli,
Tus recetas tan deliciosas todas!
Para esta receta, no cuelas la salsa despues de moler. los tomatillos tienen semilllitas.
Gracias!
Hola Arlete,
No la cuelo, se que algunas personas lo ahce, pero eso es al gusto de cada cocinero. Saludos!