Brazilian Costela Assada, Slow-Roasted Beef Ribs

📍 Where this dish comes from: Rio Grande do Sul · Ruins of São Miguel das Missões
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In the far south of Brazil, costela fogo de chão is a whole slab of beef ribs cooked for hours beside an open fire until the meat falls off the bone. This oven version captures the same slow-cooked tenderness with only salt, garlic and patience. The edges turn crusty and dark while the inside stays rich and juicy.

Per serving: 722 calories · 2.2 g net carbs · 27 g protein · 66 g fat (calculated from the ingredients)

What You’ll Need

Brazilian Costela Assada, Slow-Roasted Beef Ribs

In the far south of Brazil, costela fogo de chão is a whole slab of beef ribs cooked for hours beside an open fire until the meat falls off the bone. This oven version captures the same slow-cooked tenderness with only salt, garlic and patience. The edges turn crusty and dark while the inside stays rich and juicy.

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours hours

Total Time: 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Brazilian

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 722kcal

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 pounds bone-in beef plate ribs or thick-cut short ribs (about 2 1/2 pounds meat)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons coarse salt
• 1 head garlic cloves peeled and finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

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Instructions

• Heat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Pat the ribs dry and place them bone side down in a large roasting pan.
• Mix the salt, garlic, pepper, paprika and lime juice into a paste and rub it all over the meat.
• Cover the pan tightly with a double layer of foil. Roast for 3 1/2 hours, until the meat is very tender when pierced with a fork.
• Remove the foil and spoon off the fat in the pan (save it for cooking vegetables). Raise the oven to 425°F (220°C).
• Roast uncovered for 30 to 45 minutes more, until the top is dark and crusty.
• Rest for 10 minutes, then cut between the bones and serve with the pan juices.

Notes

Plate ribs are the big, meaty ribs from the lower part of the rib cage and are closest to the cut used in the south of Brazil. If your store only has short ribs, choose thick, bone-in English-cut pieces. Weights in the ingredient list are for the meat you will actually eat; the bones make up a large share of the package.

Chef's Tip: For a smoky churrasco flavor, finish the ribs on a hot charcoal grill for the last 20 minutes instead of under the oven's high heat.

Keto Swap: Costela is often served with manioc cooked until soft, or with potato salad. Swap in roasted cauliflower or a crisp cabbage slaw to keep the plate keto.

Success Tip: Cook the ribs the day before, refrigerate them in their juices and finish them in a hot oven just before guests arrive. The flavor is even better the next day.

Nutrition is calculated from the ingredients and is an estimate per serving. Net carbs exclude fiber and allulose.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 722kcal | Protein: 27g | Fat: 66g | Fiber: 0.4g

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About This Dish

Costela fogo de chão means ribs cooked on a ground fire. The gaúcho method stands whole slabs of ribs on long stakes pushed into the ground at an angle beside a bed of embers, and cooking can take eight hours or more. It is a centerpiece of rural festivals in Rio Grande do Sul, where large groups gather to watch the meat cook slowly. Gaúchos traditionally drink chimarrão, a hot herbal tea of yerba mate, while they tend the fire. The method needs no pans, no sauce and almost no tools, which suited cowboys on the open range.

Pairs Well With

• Brazilian Chuchu Refogado, Sautéed Chayote with Tomato and Herbs
• Brazilian Torta de Palmito, Hearts of Palm Pie

This recipe is from The Ultimate Brazilian Keto Cookbook by Gisele Costello, Chapter 4: Churrasco & Beef (Ruins of São Miguel das Missões). See all Brazilian recipes