Glazed Pork Ribs in Red Sauce
An irresistible and deeply comforting classic: tender pork ribs slow-cooked until the meat easily pulls away from the bone, blanketed in a rich, velvety red sauce made from toasted chilies and roasted tomatoes.
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75 min
Easy
Mexicana / Casera
3 servings
The story behind
You seriously have absolutely no idea what an incredible, fork-tender texture experience these ribs deliver—taking a single bite is exactly like feeling the succulent meat completely melt away from the bone! The first time I attempted to stew pork ribs at home, I made the mistake of boiling them over high heat from the beginning; they turned out completely tough and dry, a total heartbreak. But then, a seasoned home cook shared the ultimate golden rule: you must hard-sear the ribs first to lock in their natural juices, and then let them braise tightly covered over ultra-low heat so the connective tissue breaks down completely. The other brilliant trick to achieving that remarkably thick and glossy red reduction seen in the photos is roasting the tomatoes, onions, and garlic until beautifully charred before blending them with the rehydrated chilies. Personally, I absolutely love putting this menu together on lazy weekends to enjoy with fresh warm tortillas. It looks completely identical to the photo composition when you present the slab of ribs neatly in the center of a wide white ceramic plate and nap them generously with the thick red glaze, allowing it to pool towards the front, exactly like the presentation in Costillas de cerdo en salsa roja_2.jpg. You will fall in love with it!
Instructions
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1Season your bone-in pork rib portions aggressively with coarse sea salt and cracked black pepper on all sides.
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2Melt your pork lard in a deep heavy-bottomed pot or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the ribs for about 3 to 4 minutes per side until they build a stunning golden-brown caramelized crust. Lift the ribs out and set aside on a side tray.
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3On a dry griddle over medium heat, roast your whole vine tomatoes, onion chunk, and unpeeled garlic cloves. Turn them as needed until they soften and develop fragrant charred black spots. Peel the garlic cloves once cooled.
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4Flash-toast your dried guajillo and ancho chilies on the same griddle for only 10 seconds per side to release their essential oils without scorching them. Transfer immediately into a deep bowl of boiling water and let them hydrate for 10 minutes.
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5To construct your rustic red sauce, combine the charred tomatoes, onion, peeled roasted garlic, rehydrated chilies, and a tiny pinch of ground cumin in a blender. Blend with a small splash of the chili soaking water until thick and uniform.
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6Return your seared pork ribs back into the deep pot. Pour the red sauce directly over the meat and stream in the cup of beef stock. Stir well, scraping the bottom of the pot to release the caramelized bits from the searing step.
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7Drop the stove flame to minimum, cover tightly with a lid, and let it braise slowly for 45 to 50 minutes (alternatively, cover with foil and bake at 180°C). The ribs are done when the meat flakes easily and pulls away cleanly from the bone bones.
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8Uncover the pot for the final 5 minutes of simmering to allow the red reduction to condense, thicken, and emulsify with the pork's natural rendered fats, locking in that rich glossy shimmer seen in the photo.
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9To flawlessly mirror the plating design of Costillas de cerdo en salsa roja_2.jpg, arrange a generous portion of the bone-in ribs right in the center of a wide white ceramic plate, blanket them in the velvety red sauce, and allow it to form a glossy, smooth pool toward the front rim before serving hot.
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