Mexican Ribs
A proper pork built around st. louis pork ribs, ancho chile powder and habanero chile powder β roughly 65 minutes start to finish, and rated medium to make. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 7 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.
You'll mainly reach for oven and large pot. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention.
What you'll need
Shopping list (4)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
π Unit converter
How to make it
- Pat the ribs dry and remove the thin membrane from the back of the slab by loosening one corner with a knife and pulling it off.
- In a bowl, stir together the brown sugar, ancho chile powder, habanero chile powder, chipotle powder, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper to make the rub.
- Coat the ribs all over with the spice rub, pressing it into the meat, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 150 C (300 F), set the ribs meat-side up on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet, and wrap tightly with foil.
- Bake low and slow for about 2.5 to 3 hours until the meat is very tender and has pulled back from the bone ends; pork ribs become fork-tender only once the connective tissue renders, around an internal temperature of 90 to 96 C (195 to 205 F), well above the 63 C (145 F) food-safety minimum for pork.
- Uncover the ribs, raise the oven to 220 C (425 F), and roast for a final 10 to 15 minutes to set a caramelized crust.
- Rest the ribs for 10 minutes, then cut between the bones into individual ribs and serve.
You'll use: Oven Β· Large pot Β· Baking sheet
Ingredient substitutions
- Brown Sugar
- white sugar + 1 tbsp molasses per cup
Tips & common questions
How long does Mexican Ribs take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish β an estimate based on the 7 steps and 10 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of brown sugar?
Try white sugar + 1 tbsp molasses per cup. See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes β use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
Related recipes
Mexican Ribs is an original recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: NY Mexican Border Service Med rib.png by Kei, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top β how we source recipes.