The following is an online extra from our August 2020 issue.
Photo by Kristine Elmendorf Pringle courtesy Abuelita's
Costillas de Puerco en Salsa Verde (Pork Ribs in Salsa Verde Stew)
By Karina Benavides, owner, Abuelita’s
Abuelita's owners Karina Benavides (left) and Everardo Fonseca (Photo courtesy Abuelita's)
At the South Side eatery Abuelita’s, owners Everardo Fonseca and Karina Benavides specialize in Mexican stews called guisos. For this stew, the duo simmer pork ribs in a roasted tomatillo-based salsa verde, serving it with rice, beans and stack of homemade tortillas. “You can roast tomatillos to get a wonderful smoky flavor in the salsa … you also get hints of bitterness, which is great in full-flavored meats like pork,” Benavides says.
3 pounds pork ribs, cut in two-rib sections
1 pound tomatillos, husks removed
2 poblano peppers
2 serrano peppers
1 white onion
3-4 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place pork ribs in a deep pot and cover them with water. Cook ribs until tender, approximately 40 minutes. Meanwhile, roast tomatillos, onions, poblano and serrano peppers. Blend all ingredients together in a blender. Saute salsa verde in oil, add pork ribs, and cook on low for about 15 minutes. Check and adjust salt as needed. Serve with rice, beans and tortillas.
