Paprika-Braised Pork Ribs with Potatoes, Carrots, and Brussels Sprouts
Tender pastured pork ribs marinated overnight in paprika, cumin, garlic, oregano, and parsley, seared until golden, then slowly braised in bone broth until they fall off the bone. Potatoes, carrots, and Brussels sprouts simmer right in the pot, soaking up the rich, paprika-red broth, and a splash of sherry vinegar and fresh parsley brighten it all at the end. Humble, comforting, one-pot home cooking.
Yield: Serves 4–6 · Active: 30 min · Total: 2 hours (plus 1 hour to overnight marinating) · Best in North America from fall through winter, when potatoes, carrots, and Brussels sprouts are at their sweetest · Best eaten: midday or early evening
Your Game Plan
The night before (or at least 1 hour ahead): Marinate the ribs.
About 2 hours out: Sear the ribs, add the broth, and start the braise.
About 40 minutes out: Add the potatoes and carrots.
About 15 minutes out: Add the Brussels sprouts (and greens, if using).
Just before serving: Finish with sherry vinegar and parsley.
Ingredients
Pork ribs and marinade
1¾–2 lb pastured pork country-style ribs, cut in half
1¼ tsp Spanish paprika (sweet, or smoked for a deeper flavor)
¾ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp dried oregano
3 tbsp fresh parsley, minced (or 1 tbsp dried)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1 tsp Baja Gold sea salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Optional: a pinch of red pepper flakes, for a little heat
Braise
2 tbsp beef tallow or pastured lard
1 large bay leaf
4 cups chicken or pork bone broth (or a little less, for a thicker stew)
¾ tsp Spanish paprika and ¼ tsp ground cumin, to add later
1½–2 lb Yukon Gold or red potatoes, cut into 1½-inch chunks
3 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
½ lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
Optional: 2 big handfuls of chopped kale or Swiss chard
To finish
1 tbsp sherry vinegar (or the juice of ½ lemon)
A handful of fresh parsley, chopped
Flaky salt
Method
Marinate. In a large bowl, mix the paprika, cumin, oregano, parsley, garlic, onion, salt, pepper, olive oil, and red pepper flakes (if using). Add the ribs and toss to coat them completely. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour; overnight is best.
Sear the ribs. Lift the ribs out of the marinade and pat them dry, saving all the marinade. Heat the tallow in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the ribs in batches until deeply golden on all sides, about 8–10 minutes per batch. Searing them dry, rather than in the wet marinade, builds a much deeper flavor.
Add the aromatics. Lower the heat to medium. Add all the saved marinade (the onion, garlic, herbs, and spices) to the pot and cook 3–4 minutes, stirring and scraping up the browned bits, until fragrant and softened.
Braise. Return the ribs to the pot, add the bay leaf and broth, and bring to a boil. Cover, lower the heat to medium-low, and simmer gently for about 1 hour, until the ribs are starting to turn tender. (Or braise it in a 325°F oven for the same time.)
Season. Skim off any excess fat from the surface. Taste the broth and adjust the salt and pepper, then stir in the extra paprika and cumin.
Add the potatoes and carrots. Add them to the pot, bring it back to a lively simmer, and cook about 15 minutes, until the potatoes are about half done.
Add the Brussels sprouts. Add them, along with the kale or chard (if using), and simmer 10–12 minutes more, until all the vegetables are tender and the ribs are falling off the bone. For a thicker broth, mash a few pieces of potato against the side of the pot.
Finish. Remove the bay leaf, and stir in the sherry vinegar. Ladle the stew into warm bowls, and finish with fresh parsley and a pinch of flaky salt.
Make ahead: Like most stews, it's even better the next day. Refrigerate it overnight, lift off any solidified fat, and reheat gently.
Storage: Refrigerated up to 4 days, or frozen up to 3 months (the potatoes soften a little after freezing).
Nourishment Notes
Pastured pork ribs — complete protein, thiamine (B1), B12, zinc, and selenium, plus collagen and minerals the bones release into the broth as they braise.
Bone broth — gelatin, glycine, and minerals.
Potatoes — potassium, vitamin C, and B6.
Carrots — beta-carotene, made more absorbable by the fat in the braise.
Brussels sprouts, kale, and chard — glucosinolates, vitamins C and K, folate, and magnesium.
Spanish paprika — carotenoids, including capsanthin, the pigment behind its rich red color.
Garlic, onion, cumin, and oregano — allicin, quercetin, and carvacrol, traditionally used to support digestion.
Extra virgin olive oil — polyphenols and oleic acid.
Sherry vinegar — acetic acid, which brightens the flavor and supports blood-sugar balance.
For your cycle: This warming, mineral-rich stew is especially comforting in the luteal and menstrual phases, and the pork's B vitamins and zinc support every phase.
Sourcing
Pork ribs — pasture-raised country-style ribs, from a local farm or White Oak Pastures
Potatoes, carrots, Brussels sprouts, kale or chard, onion, garlic, and parsley — organic, from a farmers' market
Spanish paprika — sweet or smoked, DOP-certified, organic when available
Spices (cumin, oregano, bay leaves, black pepper, red pepper flakes) — organic and non-irradiated
Bone broth — homemade from pasture-raised chicken or pork bones, or Bonafide Provisions (organic, sold frozen)
Sherry vinegar — DOP-certified, aged in oak
Tallow and lard — tallow rendered from grass-fed suet, or lard from pasture-raised pigs
Extra virgin olive oil — organic, single-estate, harvest-dated, in dark glass
Salt — Baja Gold sea salt; Maldon for finishing
— Anna aka Food Marshall