Pork Spare Rib Tlacoyo
Refried Beans, Pico de Gallo, Pickled Onions, Cilantro, Lime
Chef Edgar Victoria of Alebrije | Nashville, TN
Adapted by StarChefs | July 2026 | Photo: will Blunt
INGREDIENTS
Refried Beans:
3 tablespoons lard
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon ground oregano
¼ red onion, chopped
Avocado leaf
½ cup cooked black beans
¼ cup chicken stock
Pico de Gallo:
1 onion, diced
1 tomato, diced
1 serrano chile, diced
½ bunch cilantro, diced
Juice of 2 limes
Kosher salt
Braised Pork Spareribs:
3 morita chiles, stemmed and seeded
2 guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
2 árbol chiles, stemmed and seeded
2 puya chiles, stemmed and seeded
2 chipotle chiles, stemmed and seeded
1 ancho chile, stemmed and seeded
8 cups chicken stock
3 cloves garlic
1 onion, quartered
1 tablespoon toasted ground cumin
5 pounds pork spareribs
To Assemble and Serve:
Yield: 1 serving
90 grams masa
Pickled onions
Picked cilantro leaves
Lime juice
METHOD
For the Refried Beans:
In a sauté pan over medium-high heat, combine lard, garlic, oregano, onions, and avocado leaf. Sauté until alliums are soft and translucent. Add remaining ingredients. Let simmer 1 minute. Transfer to a Vitamix Commercial blender and purée until smooth. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
For the Pico de Gallo:
In a mixing bowl, combine onions, tomatoes, chiles, and cilantro. Season with lime juice and salt. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
For the Braised Pork Spareribs:
In a stockpot over medium-high heat, combine chiles. Cook until fork-tender. Submerge in chicken stock. Add garlic, onions, and cumin. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit 15 minutes at room temperature. Transfer to a Vitamix Commercial blender and purée until smooth. Strain and set aside. In a sauté pan over high heat, sear spareribs 1 minute. Flip and sear additional 1 minute. Transfer to a large stock pot over medium heat. Submerge in blended chile mixture. Let braise 5 hours, or until meat is fork-tender. Reduce heat and keep warm.
To Assemble and Serve:
In a small saucepan over low heat, warm Refried Beans. On a clean work surface, shape masa into a tlacoyo. In a sauté pan over medium-high heat, sear tlacoyo 1 minute. Flip and sear additional 1 minute. Transfer to a serving plate. Top with desired amount warmed Refried Beans, desired amount Pico de Gallo, and 1 Braised Pork Sparerib. Garnish with desired amount pickled onions and picked cilantro. Finish with lime juice.
