What is for dinner tonight?

Well, at my house it will be pork ribs… Oh, yes! I am counting the minutes with anticipation. It has been quite a long while since I last had Brazilian-style ribs — or at least one of the several styles of ribs that exist in my home country.

There are a variety of ways to both marinate and cook costela de porco (pork ribs) in Brazil. The most famous is the costelinha de porco à mineira – a typical dish from Minas Gerais state– which is cut, seasoned, and stir-fried, and the subsequently mixed with a corn dish called canjiquinha (a course ground corn – called xerém in the Northeastern Brazil– that is cooked like polenta). When not prepared Mineira-style, the ribs can alternatively be prepared in a pressure cooker, grilled, deep-fried, or braised in the oven.

Since we decided to leave ours whole and it is still cold outside, we’ll be preparing the dish in the oven instead of on the barbeque grill. In this way, the dish can be enjoyed all year round regardless of the weather. We suggest to serve it accompanied by polenta and couve à mineira. I can already envision the huge smile stamped on my hubby’s face — and on mine as well. Boy, how I love these ribs!!!

I hope that you love them as well.

Tchau, tchau!! xx

Brazilian-Style Pork Ribs

By Denise Browning

Serve 4-6

Segment: Brazilian cuisine

Ingredients:

• 4 teaspoons salt (1 teaspoon per pound or 1/2 kg)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium white onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1-1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon malagueta pepper or chili (optional)**
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 4 pounds ( about 2 kg) pork spareribs (whole)
• Vegetable oil (only for brushing)
• Honey (optional)

** If you do not like hot/spicy food, skip this ingredient.

Directions:

1. Process or blend the first 10 ingredients in a food processor or blender until obtaining a homogeneous mixture. Put the ribs in a large, deep rectangular baking pan, spread the mixture over the ribs and marinate for 1 hour at room temperature.

2. Preheat oven to 350º F (180º C).

3. Cover pan with aluminum foil, tightly sealing its edges so that steam will not escape (the ribs will braise in their own liquids and the marinade). Then, let ribs cook in the oven for approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes (25-30 minutes per pound or 1/2 kg). Reserve the drippings/remaining marinade from the bottom of the pan and then transfer ribs to another large baking pan . Brush top of ribs with the oil (and then, honey if desired) and increase oven temperature to 425º F (220º C). Leave the pan uncovered this time and roast ribs for 10-25 minutes or until golden brown. Brush/baste the ribs with the reserved drippings/marinade from the first pan and let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Serve it accompanied by polenta and couve à mineira.

Note: If you are not overly concerned about the visual appearance, you can leave the ribs braising in the liquids/drippings for an additional 10 or 15 minutes before caramelizing which will result in an even more tender cut of meat.  Although in Brazil we don’t use honey with meats, I love to brush mine with it because it gives a great balance of flavor to the meat.

You may also enjoy: 

• Garlic Roasted Pork Loin with Wine Sauce (Lombo de Porco ao Alho regado com Molho de Vinho Branco)
• Grilled Herby-Beer Pork Loin with Parmesan Cheese (Churrasco de Lombo de Porco com Queijo Ralado)

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Receita em Português:

Costela de Porco Assada

Por Denise Browning

Serve 4 a 6 pessoas

Ingredientes:

• 4 colheres de (chá) de sal (equivale a 1 colher para cada 1/2 kg)
• 4 dentes de alho picados
• 1 cebola branca média picada
• 1 colher de (chá) de pimenta preta moída
• 1-1/2 colheres (chá) de mostarda em pasta
• 1-1/2 colheres (chá) de molho inglês
• 1 colher de (chá) de orégano seco
• 1/4 colher de (chá) de cominho
• 1 colher de (chá) pimenta malagueta (opcional)
• 1/2 xícara de (chá) de vinagre de maçã
• 2 kg costela de porco inteira
• Óleo vegetal (somente para pincelar)
• Mel, se desejar (somente para pincelar)

Modo de Preparo:

1. Bata os 10 primeiros ingredientes no liquidificador até formar uma mistura homogênea. Ponha a costela com em uma forma funda retangular grande, espalhe a mistura batida no liquidificador por cima da costela e deixe marinar por 1 hora à temperatura ambiente.

2. Pré-aqueça o forno a 180º C.

3. Cubra com papel alumínio, apertando bem o papel alumínio nas bordas da forma para não deixar escapar o vapor (a costela será cozinhada no líquido que escorrerá da mesma e também da marinada). Depois, leve ao forno por aproximadamente 1 hour and 50 minutos (25-30 minutos por cada 1/2 kg). Transfira a costela para outra forma e reserve o molho. Pincele com óleo (e com um pouco de mel, se desejar) e depois aumente forno para 220º C. Deixe a costela descoberta e leve ao forno para assar por uns 10-25 minutos ou até dourar. Pincele a marinada reservada sobre a costela e deixe descansar por uns 10 minutos antes de servir. Sirva acompanhada  de  polenta e couve à mineira.

OBS: Se você não se preocupa com a costela ficar se desmanchando, deixe no forno por mais  10 ou 15 minutos extras cozinhando na marinada antes de tranferir para a outra forma para dourar a costela. Eu prefiro pincelar a minha costela com mel porque dá a mesma um excelente equilíbrio de sabores sem deixar a carne adocicada.

Sugestões de outras receitas de porco:

• Garlic Roasted Pork Loin with Wine Sauce (Lombo de Porco ao Alho regado com Molho de Vinho Branco)
• Grilled Herby-Beer Pork Loin with Parmesan Cheese (Churrasco de Lombo de Porco com Queijo Ralado)

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