Tender Cuban-Style Pork Ribs

One of my favorite foods to eat has always been pork ribs. And there is nothing better than ribs that are both flavorful and tender. What makes these Cuban-Style ribs really great is that you don't need an oven to make them. You can just make it directly on your stovetop! What makes it even better is the ribs evenly cook so all of your pork ribs will be nice and tender. And of course, packed with the wonderful flavor Cuban food has to offer. This is a very simple recipe that tastes amazing, and is easy to make! So have fun trying this recipe and enjoy : ) 

Tender Cuban-Style Pork Ribs

INGREDIENTS:  

• 2 1/2 pounds of pork spare ribs
• 3/4 tablespoon of garlic powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
• 1 large red bell pepper  
• 1 large onion  
• 5 ounces of green olives  
• 1 cup of white cooking wine  
• 3 cups of water 

TOOLS NEEDED: 

• A large pot 
  
• Knife, cutting board, large spoon, and measuring utensils

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS: 

BRIEF DIRECTIONS (See the video demonstration for detailed instructions): 

1. Collect the ingredients.  
2. Prepare the ingredients. Cut off the ends of the onion, the root part. Remove the outer layer of the onion, cut the onion in half, and then cut it into 1/8 inch slices. 
3. Prepare the red bell pepper. Remove the stem and seeds, and then cut the pepper into slices about one inch thick. 
4. Cut the pork ribs into 3 or 4 manageable pieces similar in size. (Note: This depends on the weight of the pork ribs. You want the pieces to be similar in size so that they evenly cook). 
5. Add the pork ribs to the pot, so that it is evenly distributed to cover the bottom. Then add the garlic powder and salt to evenly coat the pork. Next, add in the onion, red pepper, green olives, and about 3 cups of water (Note: The water level should be just enough to cover up to the top of the pork ribs). 
6. Place the pot on the stove and bring to a boil on maximum heat. 
7. Once boiling, reduce heat to a little above medium heat, and continue to cook for 1 hour. 
8. Add in a ½ cup of cooking wine, and let continue to cook for 20 minutes. 
9. Now, flip the meat, raise the heat to medium high, and let continue to cook for about 10 minutes, or until most of the moisture is gone. Make sure you continue to check and turn the meat so that it browns on both sides. 
10. When the meat is browned and almost all of the moisture is gone, add a 1/2 cup of cooking wine to deglaze the pan. Use a spoon to loosen up everything from the bottom of the pan. And the ribs are ready to serve!
    

Portion the ribs however you'd like. And enjoy : )

Picadillo

One of the easiest and most versatile recipes is picadillo. In my Cuban family, picadillo is made with ground meat cooked with the typical onions, peppers, and seasons along with other ingredients like raisins, green olives, and potatoes. This dish offers the perfect balance between the saltiness of the green olives, the flavors of the seasonings, and the sweetness of the raisins. Picadillo is typically served with rice. However, it can also be used to make empanadas, Cuban meat pies, burritos, tacos, nachos, and so on. I usually leave out the raisins if I am going to make something like a taco or burrito. In fact, the raisins and potatoes are optional, even though they are typical ingredients in Cuban-style picadillo. Picadillo is another great recipe where you just put everything in a pot and let it cook, with the exception of the potatoes which are fried separately. This is a really simple recipe, quick to make, and is extremely versatile and flavorful. So have fun trying out this recipe and enjoy!       

Picadillo Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 ½ lbs of ground beef
• ½ of a large green pepper
• 1 medium-sized red pepper
• 1 large onion
• ½ of a 5.75 oz jar of green olives, plus 1 or 2 tablespoons of olive fluid
• 1 ½ cups of raisins
• 1 tablespoon of garlic powder
• 2 tablespoon of cumin
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 packet of sazón con azafran or ½ tablespoon saffron
• 2 medium-sized potatoes
• Vegetable or corn oil for frying

TOOLS NEEDED:

• A medium-sized pot
• A frying pan
• Knife, cutting board, large spoon, and measuring utensils
• Spider strainer, mesh rack
• A food processor (optional)

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS

BRIEF DIRECTIONS (See the video demonstration for detailed instructions):

1. Collect the ingredients. Soak the raisins in water for about 15-20 minutes (put enough water so that the raisins are covered, the water will be discarded anyway). While waiting, finely chop the red pepper, green pepper, and onion with a food processor.
2. Put the meat in a large pot, break up the meat, and cook on high heat to lightly brown the meat, but continue to stir and break up the meat. You don't want there to be clumps; it should be very refined.
3. Next, add the seasonings, red pepper, green pepper, and onion to the meat and mix thoroughly. Then add the olives and olive fluid to the meat, and drain the water from the raisins and add to the meat, and mix thoroughly. Then reduce the heat to medium and let cook for 20 to 25 minutes with the lid covering the pot. Make sure to stir the pot occasionally.
4. While waiting, you can make the potatoes. Peel the potatoes and cut into slices a quarter inch thick. Then take each slice and cut into strips ¼ inch thick, and cut into cubes ¼ inch in size.  Now, oil in a frying pan at least ¼ inch deep and heat on high heat. Use one piece of potato to test if the oil is hot enough. If you see bubbles, the oil is ready. Carefully add the potatoes to the oil and cook until they have a golden brown color. Then use a spider strainer to remove the potatoes from the oil and place on a mesh rack.
5. At this point, the meat is done, and most of the fluid should have evaporated from the meat (See video demonstration for a visual; Note: if there is still too much fluid let the meat continue to cook for another 5 minutes). Add the potatoes to the meat and mix. Then serve the meat with a side of rice or whatever you’d like.