Costillar is the Chilean slow-roasted pork ribs — a whole rack of pork ribs rubbed with garlic, oregano, cumin, and salt, then roasted slowly for hours until the meat falls off the bone and the exterior is dark, crisp, and caramelized. It is the centerpiece of the Chilean Sunday asado, the dish that fills the house with the scent of roasting pork.
Costillar (pork rib rack) is the classic Chilean Sunday roast. While beef asado gets more international attention, in Chile, pork ribs are the everyday celebration cut — cheaper than beef, more flavorful when slow-roasted, and feeding a large family from one rack. The ribs are rubbed with a simple paste of garlic, oregano, cumin, and salt, then roasted at a low temperature for 2-3 hours until the meat literally falls off the bone. The long cooking renders the fat, crispens the exterior, and creates a deep, savory crust. It is served with pebre, rice, and salad.
A rack of dark, glistening ribs, the edges crisp and caramelized, the meat so tender it yields to the fork. The garlic-and-cumin crust gives each bite a warm, savory punch. Pull a bone clean with your teeth; dip the meat in pebre. It is the most satisfying Chilean roast.
The long, slow roast (2.5 hours at 150°C) is essential — it dissolves the collagen in the ribs (making the meat tender) and renders the fat (making the exterior crisp). The garlic-oregano-cumin paste is rubbed under the skin and into the meat, infusing it during the long cook. The ribs should not be covered (covering steams them — they need dry heat for the crust).
Variations
Some add wine to the roasting pan; some add potatoes underneath to catch the drippings; some finish under a broiler for extra crispness.
On the Palate
Where Costillar sits in the Chilean flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 6How it's made
7 steps · 30 min active + 2 hours 30 min waiting
- 15 min
Make a paste: crush 6 garlic cloves with 1 tbsp oregano, 1 tsp cumin, and 2 tsp salt.
Watch outPound the garlic, oregano, and cumin into a rough paste so it smears under the skin — that's how the flavor gets deep into the meat.
- 25 min
Rub the paste all over a 2 kg rack of pork ribs.
- 33 min
Place the rack in a roasting pan; add 200 ml water.
- 4150 min
Roast at 150°C uncovered for 2.5 hours, basting occasionally.
Watch outRoast it uncovered the whole time — cover it and the ribs steam soft-skinned instead of building that dark crisp crust.
- 51 min
The ribs are done when the meat falls off the bone and the exterior is dark and crisp.
Watch outIt's ready when the meat pulls from the bone and the outside is dark and crackling — undercooked, the collagen hasn't melted and it stays tough.
- 63 min
Rest 10 minutes.
- 71 min
Cut between the bones; serve with pebre, rice, and salad.
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