• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Mexican Food Journal logo
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Index
  • About The Journal
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    You are here: Home / Pork / Pork Ribs in Salsa Roja

    Pork Ribs in Salsa Roja

    Douglas Cullen, This blog generates income via ads and affiliate links which earn us a small commission.

    Costillas de Cerdo en Salsa Roja

    One of the favorite chiles in central Mexico is the mild guajillo. They are used to perfection in this recipe for Aguascalientes style slow-simmered pork ribs in salsa roja.

    Think of the sauce as a tangy chile based  BBQ sauce. It tastes really familiar and a bit unique at the same time. Preparation is simple enough for a weeknight dinner.

    Mexican Pork Ribs Salsa in Roja

    How to Make Mexican Pork Ribs

    In Spanish, the dish is called “costillas de cerdo en salsa roja” or “costillas de puerco en salsa roja.”

    Gather Your Ingredients

    You will need 2.5 lbs. pork ribs, 6 guajillo chiles, 3 tomatoes, ½ head of garlic, ¼ cup vinegar, ¼ sugar and 2 to 3 tsps. salt.

    Ingredients Pork Ribs in Guajillo Salsa Roja

    Making the Sauce

    Remove the seeds and veins from the chiles.

    Guajillo Chiles for Salsa

    Add the chiles, tomatoes, salt, vinegar, and 1 cup of water to your blender. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute.

    Blending Guajillo Chiles for Salsa

    Strain the salsa to remove the pulp.

    Straining Guajillo Salsa

    Your salsa is now ready to cook the ribs.

    Guajillo Salsa Roja for Pork Ribs

    Cooking the Ribs

    Place your ribs in a large pot with just enough water to almost cover.

    Boiling Pork Ribs

    Add the garlic and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer until all the water evaporates about 20 to 30 minutes.

    Boiling Pork Ribs with Garlic

    After all the water has evaporated, remove the garlic. The ribs will continue cooking in the fat that was released while boiling.

    Cook until nicely browned, stirring every couple of minutes.

    Browning Pork Ribs

    Pour the salsa over the ribs. add the sugar. Stir to cover the ribs.

    Adding Salsa Roja to Pork Ribs
    Simmering Pork RIbs in Guajillo Salsa

    Before cooking the salsa is a bright red. After cooking it turns a deep rich red.

    Pork Ribs Cooking in Red Sauce

    Cook until the salsa has reduced by half stirring every 5 minutes. It’s starting to look really good!

    Provecho! Enjoy your plate of Mexican ribs!

    Mexican Pork Ribs in a Guajillo Salsa Roja
    Mexican Pork Ribs Salsa in Roja
    Print Pin
    3.88 from 16 votes

    Pork Ribs in Salsa Roja Recipe

    Mexican style slow-simmered pork ribs in a mild guajillo salsa roja popular around Aguascalientes. The sauce is like a tangy chile based BBQ sauce, familiar and a bit exotic at the same time.
    Course Dinner
    Cuisine Mexican
    Keyword Mexican Pork Ribs, Pork Ribs Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 40 minutes minutes
    Total Time 50 minutes minutes
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 364kcal
    Author Andrés Carnalla

    Ingredients

    • 2.5 lbs. pork ribs
    • 6 guajillo chiles
    • 3 tomatoes
    • ½ head of garlic
    • ¼ cup vinegar
    • ¼ sugar
    • 1 cup water
    • 2 to 3 tsps. salt

    Instructions

    Preparing the Guajillo Salsa

    • Remove the seeds and veins from the chiles.
    • Add the chiles, tomatoes, salt, vinegar, and 1 cup of water to your blender. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute.
    • Strain the salsa to remove the pulp.
    • Set aside until pork is browned.

    Cooking the Ribs

    • Place your ribs in a large pot with just enough water to almost cover.
    • Add the ½ head of garlic and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer until all the water evaporates, about 20 to 30 minutes.
    • After all the water has evaporated, remove the garlic. The ribs will continue cooking in the fat that was released while boiling.
    • Cook until nicely browned.
    • Pour the salsa over the ribs. Add the sugar. Stir to cover the ribs in salsa.
    • Cook until the salsa has reduced by half (about 20 minutes) stirring every 5 minutes.
    • Serve immediately.

    Notes

    Substitutions
    You can substitute ancho chiles for the guajillo or use 3 anchos and 3 guajillos.
    Bigger Batches
    The recipe makes 4 medium-sized portions. If you are a bigger eater or are cooking for a larger crowd this recipe is easy to double or triple to suit your needs.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 3ribs | Calories: 364kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 21g | Sodium: 430mg | Sugar: 14g

    More Pork Recipes

    • Pork Chops in Salsa Verde
    • Authentic Chiles Rellenos
    • Red Pork Pozole
    • Pork Leg Torta

    More Guajillo Recipes

    • Mild Guajillo Salsa

    More Pork

    • Chopped Pork Torta (Sandwich)
      Chopped Pork Torta
    • Chile Relleno in Salsa Roja
      Chiles Rellenos de Puerco
    • pork chops in salsa verde
      Pork Chops in Salsa Verde

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. MadameGuillen says

      July 19, 2017 at 3:05 pm

      5 stars
      Wonderful!! Delicious and easy!!

      Reply
    2. Rick Heilman says

      August 29, 2017 at 5:02 pm

      5 stars
      Really good, authinic Mexican taste. Rich and very filling. Easy to make but takes far longer to reduce water and sauce than recipe indicates. First time using this chili and would prefer a spicier one. The gualilla peppers are a little fruity and almost no heat.

      Reply
    3. MIschelle Santiago says

      October 07, 2017 at 8:18 am

      5 stars
      My husband is from Mexico and LOVED this recipe. I used pork riblets, 6 guajillos , and will only use 2 tsp salt next time.

      Reply
    4. David says

      December 21, 2017 at 4:36 pm

      I make something similar to this. I usually put the ribs on the grill to get some browning and then I cut them into individual ribs(or I have the butcher cut them across the bone to make 1-2″ pieces of ribs held together by the meat kind of like rib tips but without all the funky little pieces). I don’t boil them but the rest is more or less the same. I just cook it 2-4 hours until tender. I don’t like the texture of boiled ribs and it seems like a good chance to get the flavor into the ribs more.

      I’ve used canned enchilada sauce I got on sale and smoked paprika before when making a lot(40lb+) and it comes out really good too.

      Reply
    5. Leticia says

      March 19, 2018 at 11:52 am

      ¼ cup or ¼ tsp of sugar?

      Reply
    6. Nathaniel says

      February 29, 2020 at 1:41 am

      5 stars
      Really liked it. Want to make it again, but can’t decide what to serve with it. Ideas?

      Reply
      • Crystal Mosier says

        March 09, 2021 at 12:14 am

        Mashed potatoes and use the sauce as gravy!! Or potato salad is what we do 😊

        Reply
    7. Nic says

      October 21, 2022 at 10:34 am

      how much sugar? it just says 1/4. 1/4 what? cup?

      Reply
    8. Fabio says

      November 01, 2022 at 2:32 pm

      5 stars
      Yes 1/4.

      Reply
    9. Tamelia says

      April 21, 2023 at 8:35 am

      I make this every now and then with salsa verde. But, Today I am making this with red sauce exactly how it’s stated except I use 6 chili Guajillo and 6 chili Puya and hand full of chili Arbol. To give it a slight kick. When I do pork. I also, use Bay leaf. Sometimes I blend it in with the tomato and chilis or at times. I just throw a leaf in The pan ans it cooking. Extremely delicious!!! everyone always ask when I will be making again.

      Reply
    10. Shanna says

      August 11, 2023 at 7:44 pm

      4 stars
      I have accidentally bought what was labeled Pork Spareribs thinking that they were Pork Stew Meat. Looks like oddball trimming chunks from processing with pieces of bone, cartilage, and fat from a well known Latin based grocery. I know I have seen and had different stew dishes made from similar cuts before. It sounds like this recipe will work for what I have. Cooking the ribs while using the fat to finish cooking without waste. Thank you.

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    D. Cullen Profile Picture

    Hola, I am Douglas. Let me share my love of Mexican Cuisine with you that developed over 20+ years of living in Mexico.

    More about me →


    Most Popular Recipes

    • Classic Salsa Verde
    • Bowl of Mexican Restaurant Style Salsa
      Restaurant Style Salsa
    • Bowl of Traditional Mexican Sopa de Fideo
      Traditional Sopa de Fideo
    • Bowl of Authentic Red Pozole
      Red Pork Pozole
    • Bowl of Chicken Tinga
      Chicken Tinga
    • Agua de Jamaica
    • Tres Leches Cake with Berries
      Tres Leches Cake
    • Beet Salad Citrus Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe
      Beet Salad with Feta Cheese and Citrus Balsamic Viniagrette
    • Cheese Enchiladas with Red Enchilada Sauce
      Red Enchilada Sauce
    • Authentic Mole Poblano
      Mole Poblano

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2021 Mexico Publishing LLC