Ah! Imagine this happening after all the slandering and maligning that has been hurled at red meat in general, and pork meat in particular, giving it such a bad rap! Many health experts have made, in recent years, a surprising about-face regarding the nutritional virtues of pork meat!
Beyond it’s delicious flavor, there are a myriad benefits to the regular consumption of pork. Just to mention some: it is high in protein (and remember, adults in general need to eat 30 grams of this macronutrient in every meal) and it is an excellent source of a slew of vitamins and minerals that your body needs to function properly every day.
So meet these exquisite and Very Comforting Pork Ribs in Salsa Verde. Apart from the pork meat itself, the salsa alone is loaded with good-for-you vitamins and fiber.
And, to top it all, this Very Comforting Pork Ribs in Salsa verde recipe is so easy to make! And, not to toot my horn, at least not too loudly, of special note is the fact that El Gringo, my hubby, could simply not stop gushing about this dish! He loved not only how delicious it was, but went on and on about the texture of the ribs as well, as they retained their shape but they were, at the same time, so tender!
Not that there is anything wrong with simply shredding the meat after it’s been cooked, but I like my pork ribs better plated, literally, in one piece. My trick to achieve this is simple: cook the ribs in a large pot for 1 hour over medium heat, just simmering. Once cooked, quickly brown them and then let them simmer a bit more in the Salsa Verde, so that all the ingredients come deliciously together.
Feel free to cook your pork ribs in your instant pot or your slow cooker. I just like my method better, as I have more control over the meat texture. You can also skip the browning step and just smother the cooked meat in the Salsa Verde. However, browning the meat adds some extra flair to the end result. I absolutely guarantee this!
Very Comforting Pork Ribs in Salsa Verde
Ingredients
- For the pork ribs:
- 2 lbs Butt Country Style Pork Ribs
- 1/4 wedge white or red onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 – 2 units bay leaves dried
- salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- For the Salsa Verde:
- 6 units large green tomatoes peeled
- 1/4 wedge red or white onion
- 4 cloves garlic peeled
- 1 unit Serrano chili seeded and deveined (wearing latex gloves)
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro
- 1 -2 cubes Chicken bouillon, or
- Salt and freshly gound black pepper to taste
- 1 dash of ground cumin
- 1 cup jarred sliced Nopalitos (prickled pear) (optional)
- 2 units medium Russet potatoes peeled and cubed
- 1 1/2 cup reserved pork rib broth
Instructions
- Place the ribs in a large pot and add water until it barely covers the ribs. Add the onion wedge, garlic cloves, bay leaves and salt. Bring to a simmer and keep simmering for 1 hour over medium-low heat. Skim off the scum foam with a slotted spoon or skimmer. After 1 hour the ribs will still be firm. Pass 1 1/2 cups of the broth in which the ribs boiled through a strainer and reserve. Discard the rest of the broth with all the solids.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and quickly brown the ribs for about 1 minute on each side of each rib, until brown. You can skip this step if you choose too, although the browning adds an extra layer of flavor, for sure.
- Make the Salsa Verde: In another pot boil the green tomatoes, onion, garlic and Serrano chili in some water for about 10 – 12 minutes, until the tomatoes change color. Turn off the heat and let them cool down. Place the boiled ingredients in the blender, add some of the cooking water to the blender along with the bunch of cilantro and the cube(s) of chicken bouillon and some freshly ground pepper (you can use table salt instead of the cubes) and the ground cumin. Process until smooth and transfer to a large pot. Add the ribs into the Salsa Verde pot along with the browning oil. Add the jarred Nopalitos (if using) and the cubed potatoes. Add the 1 1/2 cups of the reserved pork broth and simmer over medium-low heat for 30 – 40 minutes until the potatoes are cooked through.
- Enjoy with rice and/or beans and warm corn tortillas!
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