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!
Pork Ribs with Nopales in Salsa Verde
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, ⅓ 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.
Provecho!
Mely,
Maybe you would also like our Braised short ribs with tomatillo sauce. The same recipe also in Spanish: Costillas de res en salsa verde.
📖 Recipe
Pork Ribs with Nopales in Salsa Verde
Ingredients
- 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
- ⅓ white onion
- ⅓ cup cilantro chopped
- 2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil or rendered pork fat
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- 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.
- Meanwhile, roast the tomatillos, peppers, ⅓ 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.
- 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 and reduce the heat to simmer for about 7-8 minutes.
Serve with rice and warm corn tortillas.
Notes
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Gerry
This was a perfect meal(s). I like spicy so I heated up up. I had leftovers for breakfast with fried eggs, black beans with roasted poblano's. Not sure which meal was better.
Gerry
I will be making the pork in salsa Verde tonight. It's my first time working with tomatillos. Wish me luck. By the way my wife and I have used the 4 letters "mely" for years at the end of our texts or emails. For us it represents "ME Loving You."
Mely Martínez
Hello Gerry,
Enjoy your pork and tomatillo stew.
Thank you fro sharing about how you & your wide use the letter mely. It is so nice!
Ellie Kordas
Thank you so much for keeping these recipes alive!! I am awed when I think that the recipe for tamales probably can be traced back for nearly 10,000 years! That is family tradition!!
Love the recipe, I always go to green before red, because my stomach says so, and it is not easy to find una receta para costillas en salsa verde.
Pero, disculpe me, when I contradict you and say that pork meat was enjoyed by Native Americans before the first Europeans got here, in the form of the javalina, a kind of peccary (Tayassu tajacu) that looks like a wild boar. It ranged from Arizona, all the way into northern Argentina.
Xochitl
Made this again the other night for dinner. Loved it the first time, but husband didn't like the pieces of chicharron that didn't get super soft, so this time I cooked them for quite a while, over an hour, continuing to add water as needed. When making the sauce, I accidentally oversalted it, so I added plum tomatoes (from my garden) until the salt level was acceptable. Also, didn't remove seeds, mostly because I'm lazy, but also we are fine with spicy. I love how easy this is to make yet so delicious!!
We had leftovers for breakfast!
Xochitl
Opps, that was meant for the chicarron recipe!! Posted in wrong place!
Mely Martínez
Hello Xochitl,
Thank you for trying the recipe and for sharing the adjustments you had to make. I'm pretty sure it will be helpful for other readers.
Sandra
Thank you for this delish dish. It is amazing ❤️
Arlete Franco
Hola Meli,
Tus recetas tan deliciosas todas!
Para esta receta, no cuelas la salsa despues de moler. los tomatillos tienen semilllitas.
Gracias!
mmartinez
Hola Arlete,
No la cuelo, se que algunas personas lo ahce, pero eso es al gusto de cada cocinero. Saludos!
Betty Cruz
I used boneless ribs and oh my goodness... it’s so delicious! Your recipes just make me enjoy cooking again. Muchas Gracias!
mmartinez
Hello Betty,
Thank you for trying the recipe.
Provecho!
Gary in Arizona
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!
mmartinez
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!
Gary in Arizona
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.
Gary in Arizona
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.
Xochitl
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!
Sella A
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
Phil
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!
mmartinez
Thank you for letting me know. Happy cooking!
Bill
How can I print your recipes?