Pork Ribs and Paddle Cactus – Costillas con nopal

While traditionally served as a stew, my version of this comforting dish starts with a bed of paddle cactus strips and sauce, and is finished with crispy side ribs piled up on top, for a more contemporary presentation.  Using store-bought sauces and cactus strips is convenient, but homemade versions may be prepared while cooking the meat (links to printable recipes below.)

Pork Ribs and Paddle Cactus – Costillas con nopal

Printable recipes:

Pork Ribs and Paddle Cactus

How to clean, slice, and cook paddle cacti (nopales)

Tomatillo Sauce (raw or cooked)

Ingredients

3 lb (1.4 kg) side pork ribs
½ cup water
3 cups paddle cactus strips (cooked at home, or pickled from jar)
2 cups cooked tomatillo sauce (homemade or bottled)
½ cup chipotle peppers in adobo (from jar)
To serve: warm corn tortillas

I found side rib racks cut in half lengthwise; the label specified “sweet and sour style”, as the ones used for the Chinese dish:

Regular spare ribs may also be used. 

Cut meat in between bones (photo below, left), and place in a large wide pan over high heat, then add the water (photo below, right):

Bring to boil, then lower heat to medium, and cover pan (photo below, left). Allow to cook for one hour.  Uncover pan, and continue cooking for another fifteen to twenty minutes.  Once most of the liquid has evaporated, the meat will start to sizzle, frying in its own rendered fat; turn the ribs as they brown, to crisp on both sides (photo below, right):

Continue until all pieces of meat have been browned and are crispy:

Turn off the heat, and reserve.

Meanwhile, prepare tomatillo sauce as directed in the printable recipe above, and allow to cool down a little (or open store-bought bottle).  Pour into a blender jar and add chipotle peppers with their adobo (photo below, left); process until well blended (photo below, right):

Reserve.

Cook paddle cacti in a large pot following the printable recipe above, or if using pickled strips, pour into a colander to drain liquid, then rinse under cold water to remove stringy liquid, and place in a large pot over medium heat; add reserved sauce (photo below, left).  Stir and cook for another ten minutes, to allow all the flavours to meld together (photo below, right):

Scoop a generous portion of cactus strips and sauce onto a dinner plate, then top with some of the reserved ribs; serve with warm corn tortillas on the side:

For this remodelled presentation, eating the crispy ribs with one’s hands is completely allowed, alternating with some scoops of cactus and furious red sauce (notice the spoon provided for this purpose).  

For the traditional enthusiasts, or if the ribs have become cold by serving time, they may be added to the sauce, and heated up, to serve as a stew:

In this case, serve in bowls, and the dish is eaten with fork, knife and spoon.

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I am bringing my recipe to Full Plate Thursday #730 with Miz Helen @ Miz Helen’s Country Cottage.

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I am sharing my post at Thursday Favourite Things #694, with Bev @ Eclectic Red Barn, Pam @ An Artful Mom, Katherine @ Katherine’s Corner, Amber @ Follow the Yellow Brick Home, and Linda @ Crafts a la Mode.

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I am joining Fiesta Friday #573 with Angie @ Fiesta Friday.