Brazilian Costelinha de Porco Assada, Garlic and Lime Baked Pork Ribs

📍 Where this dish comes from: Rio de Janeiro state · Historic Paraty
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Costelinha de porco, little pork ribs, are a favorite of Brazilian botecos and weekend lunches. Marinated in lime, garlic and paprika and roasted until sticky and tender, they need no sugary sauce to shine. Finish them on the grill for an extra smoky edge.

Per serving: 769 calories · 3.1 g net carbs · 39 g protein · 66 g fat (calculated from the ingredients)

What You’ll Need

Brazilian Costelinha de Porco Assada, Garlic and Lime Baked Pork Ribs

Costelinha de porco, little pork ribs, are a favorite of Brazilian botecos and weekend lunches. Marinated in lime, garlic and paprika and roasted until sticky and tender, they need no sugary sauce to shine. Finish them on the grill for an extra smoky edge.

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Prep Time: 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours hours

Total Time: 4 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Brazilian

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 769kcal

Ingredients

• 4 pounds pork spareribs or baby back ribs (about 2 1/4 pounds meat)
• 6 cloves garlic finely grated
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons sweet or smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons fine salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

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Instructions

• Remove the thin membrane from the bone side of the ribs by loosening a corner with a knife and pulling it off with a paper towel.
• Mix the garlic, lime juice, olive oil, paprika, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Rub all over the ribs and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
• Heat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Place the ribs meat side up on a foil-lined baking sheet and cover tightly with foil.
• Bake for 1 1/2 hours, until the meat is tender and pulling back from the bones.
• Uncover, raise the oven to 425°F (220°C) and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, or finish on a hot grill for 10 minutes, until browned and sizzling.
• Rest for 5 minutes, cut between the bones and sprinkle with parsley.

Notes

The covered slow bake makes the ribs tender, and the uncovered blast at the end browns them. Baby back ribs cook about 20 minutes faster than spareribs, so check them early. The nutrition weight is for the edible meat, not the bones.

Chef's Tip: Save the juices from the pan and brush them over the ribs right before the final roast. They act like a natural glaze.

Keto Swap: Brazilian costelinha is often brushed with a sweet barbecue sauce and served with fried manioc. The lime and garlic marinade gives plenty of flavor without sugar, and roasted radishes or chayote are a good replacement for the manioc.

Success Tip: Serve the ribs with a big bowl of vinaigrette and a cabbage salad for an easy family dinner. Children love gnawing on the bones.

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

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 769kcal | Protein: 39g | Fat: 66g | Fiber: 0.8g

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About This Dish

Costelinha de porco is one of the most popular dishes in the botecos of Minas Gerais and São Paulo. Costelinha com mandioca, pork ribs with manioc, is a classic Mineiro combination. Brazilians usually season pork with lime and garlic before cooking, a habit inherited from Portuguese cooking. Ribs are also a regular item at southern churrascos, cooked slowly over the coals. In many towns of the interior, families raise their own pigs and ribs are a Sunday treat.

Pairs Well With

• Brazilian Salada de Chuchu, Chilled Chayote Salad with Tomato
• Brazilian Salada de Repolho, Cabbage and Carrot Slaw with Lime

This recipe is from The Ultimate Brazilian Keto Cookbook by Gisele Costello, Chapter 6: Pork (Historic Paraty). See all Brazilian recipes