This one-pot recipe of Puerto Rican Pork Rib Rice is all you need to have dinner ready in less than an hour!
The one rice dish Abuelita used to make on many of the holidays was this Puerto Rican Pork Rib Rice. She would make it for Father’s or Mother’s Day or for Navidad.
The rice is super flavorful thanks to the Puerto Rican base of authentic sofrito boricua with the sazón with annatto and the adobo with pepper.
The rice also has a homemade achiote oil that helps the rice have that nice golden color plus it adds a unique flavor.
This is by far my favorite rice to make and eat. I have perfected it all these years to make it as close as Abuelita’s rice. I usually serve it with an easy green salad to complete my meal. But if I have yuca then a yuca in escabeche recipe is what I make.
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Why This Recipe Works
- This is a recipe that only requires one pot to make your protein and side at the same time!
- This rice is good to make during any holiday to serve to guests!
Recipe Ingredients
- Achiote Oil- We add achiote oil to this recipe because it gives the dish a nice color and adds a smoky flavor. If you can get any, you can use regular vegetable oil.
- Pork Ribs- I used 1 pound of ribs but you can always add more. I used baby back ribs but have also used spare ribs.
- Sofrito- The sofrito is important in this recipe because it gives the dish that distinct Puerto Rican flavor.
- Tomato Sauce- I used tomato sauce but you can also use tomato paste. You just have to use half of the tomato sauce ratio.
- Seasonings- For the seasonings I used adobo, Salt, and sazón.
- Manzanilla Olives- These olives are optional but even if you don’t eat them I suggest you add them for flavor.
- Rice & water- I always use medium-grain rice and plain water.
How To Make a Puerto Rican Rib Rice
- Photo 1: Cut your ribs into bite-size pieces. In a big pot over medium-high heat add the oil, ribs, salt, and sear for 6 minutes.
- Photo 2: Add all the seasonings, sofrito, tomato sauce, and manzanilla olives and cook for 1 minute while stirring to saute.
- Photo 3: Add water and bring it to a boil. Once boiling add the rice, stir, and taste the water. This is done to know if you need more seasoning. Cover and cook until almost all the water has evaporated.
- Photo 4: Once there’s almost no liquid, fluff the rice. What I always do when making rice is make a dome shape with all the rice in the middle of the caldero. Then cover and finish cooking.
Recipe Tips
- If you want everyone to have a bite of the ribs it is best to cut each rib in 2 or 3 pieces or just add more ribs.
- To cut the ribs I suggest using a cleaver knife because it is probably the only one that is going to cut through bone. Also, what you can do is ask the butcher at the supermarket to cut the ribs for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
You don’t have to parboil your ribs to get rid of the smell, or scum or even to tenderize them. This all will be taken care of by searing the ribs. This will get rid of any smell and add flavor to the ribs. The searing will also cook and tenderize the ribs with minimal effort.
This can be cooked in a rice cooker with some modifications. You will have to sear your ribs in a pan and then add them to the rest of your ingredients in your rice cooker. Then cook the rice like you usually will.
More Rice Dinner Ideas
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Puerto Rican Pork Rib Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons achiote oil
- 1 pound pork ribs
- 2 tablespoons sofrito
- 2 tablespoons tomato sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon sazón or 1 packet
- 2 teaspoons adobo
- 2 tablespoons manzanilla olives
- 4 cups water
- 2 cups medium grain rice
Instructions
- Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs. Cut the ribs into individual pieces, if you are using 1 pound of ribs you will get about 4-5 ribs. If you like, you can cut each rib in half for more bite-sized pieces.
- In a large caldero or pot over medium-high heat, add your oil. Then add your ribs and salt. Sear the ribs for 3 minutes on each side.
- Now add the sofrito, the tomato sauce, the seasoning, the adobo and the olives. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
- Increase the heat to high and add the water. Once it starts to boil add the rice and stir. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the water has evaporated.
- Once the rice is dry, stir and cover. Reduce the heat to medium and finish cooking for 20 minutes. Serve and enjoy.
Recipe Notes
- Substitutions- You can use vegetable oil for achiote oil.
- Making– This recipe is made on the stovetop but it can be made in a rice cooker. First, you must sear the ribs. If your rice cooker gets hot enough sear the ribs in it if not use a pan. Then cook the rice following the recipe.
- Storing- Store in an airtight container or a freezer bag. Keep in the freezer for 1 month and no more than 3 days in the fridge.
Nutrition
*The nutrition information is automatically calculated, so this is only an approximation.
Stephenie says
I hope you got the approval 😂. Thank you for trying the recipe.
Evee Mendez says
I try this it seems easy to follow I haven’t finished however im waiting on my wife to come home from work so that she can tell me if its edible lol she is the Spanish cook her rice with chickpeas is delicious so i will keep you updated
Sincerely rookie cook
Nicole says
Thanx for sharing! My question is how do you make it if you already have leftover rice?
Stephenie says
Thank you for visiting us. Thank you for the comment. I will add a note to the recipe about the seasoning amount.
Anonymous says
Too much seasoning