Name: Pebre de Espinazo de Cerdo: Mompox Pork Spine Stew
Prep time: 55 min
Cook time: 2 h 45 min
Total time: 3 h 45 min
Cuisine: Colombian
Ingredients: 1.8 kg bone-in pork spine, cut into 5–6 cm pieces; 30 ml neutral vegetable oil; 200 g yellow onion, finely chopped; 400 g ripe tomatoes, chopped; 150 g ají dulce, finely chopped (or sweet red pepper if unavailable); 15 g garlic, minced; 3 g ground achiote; 1 g ground black pepper; 6 g fine salt; 1 litre hot water, plus more if needed; 300 g long-grain white rice, rinsed; 600 ml water for the rice; 600 g peeled cassava (yuca), cut into 6 pieces; 1.5 g fine salt for the rice; 1.5 g fine salt for the yuca; 240 g green cabbage, finely shredded; 15 ml lime juice

Wide table view of Mompox pork spine stew with rice, yuca and cabbage salad in a sunlit courtyard.

Region Santa Cruz de Mompox, Bolívar, in Colombia’s Caribbean Depresión Momposina

Dish type Slow-braised pork main course

Yield 6 servings

Prep time 55 minutes

Cook time About 2 hours 45 minutes

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Pebre de Espinazo de Cerdo: Mompox Pork Spine Stew

Pebre de espinazo de cerdo is a homestyle main dish associated with Santa Cruz de Mompox, Bolívar. Its defining ingredient is pork spine cut into pieces and slowly stewed with onion, tomato, ají dulce, achiote and garlic. The sauce softens around the bones as the pork cooks, making it a natural partner for plain rice and boiled yuca.

The name refers to this local pork preparation, not to the fresh Chilean pebre salsa that shares the word. Here, pebre is a warm, spoonable guiso. Noodles are another fitting accompaniment, while cabbage salad adds freshness. This version chooses rice, keeps the yuca, and serves a simple lime-dressed cabbage salad alongside.

This practical home-kitchen version gives clear quantities for six. Use bone-in spine pieces cut by a butcher into manageable lengths. The meat yield varies with the size of the bones and the amount of trimming; take that into account when portioning. If ají dulce is unavailable, sweet red pepper is a mild substitute, though its aroma is less distinctive.

A heavy lidded pot gives steady, even heat. An earthenware pot is suitable if it is made for stovetop use and heated gradually; otherwise, use stainless steel or cast iron. Keep the braise at a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil. This gives the connective tissue time to soften without reducing the sauce too quickly.

Ingredients

Pork guiso

1.8 kg bone-in pork spine, cut into 5–6 cm pieces
30 ml neutral vegetable oil
200 g yellow onion, finely chopped
400 g ripe tomatoes, chopped
150 g ají dulce, finely chopped (or sweet red pepper if unavailable)
15 g garlic, minced
3 g ground achiote
1 g ground black pepper
6 g fine salt
1 litre hot water, plus more if needed

Rice and yuca

300 g long-grain white rice, rinsed
600 ml water for the rice
600 g peeled cassava (yuca), cut into 6 pieces
1.5 g fine salt for the rice
1.5 g fine salt for the yuca

Cabbage salad

240 g green cabbage, finely shredded
15 ml lime juice

Method

Set up the sides Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the yuca and 1.5 g salt, then simmer for 20–30 minutes, until a knife slides easily into the thickest piece. Remove the firm woody strand from any pieces that have one, drain and keep warm. Meanwhile, combine the rinsed rice, 600 ml water and 1.5 g salt in a lidded saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and cook over low heat for 15–18 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the grains are tender. Rest off the heat, still covered, for 5 minutes.
Brown the pork Pat the pork pieces dry. Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Brown the pork in uncrowded batches, turning once, for about 3–4 minutes per batch. Transfer the browned pieces to a clean plate. Browning is for flavour and does not replace the cooking temperature check later.
Cook the aromatic base Lower the heat to medium-low. Add the onion and ají dulce to the same pot and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring, until soft. Add the tomatoes, garlic, achiote, black pepper and 6 g salt. Cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes collapse and the mixture becomes thick and fragrant.
Braise until tender Return the pork and any juices to the pot. Pour in 1 litre hot water and bring it to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook over low heat for 2–2.5 hours, turning the pieces once or twice. Check occasionally; if the liquid is reducing before the pork softens, add hot water. The meat should loosen from the bone when pressed with a fork. Check the thickest edible portion with a clean thermometer, keeping the probe away from bone: it must reach at least 63°C, followed by a 3-minute rest. Continue braising if the pork is not yet fork-tender.
Finish the sauce and salad While the pork finishes, toss the shredded cabbage with the lime juice. When the pork is tender, skim excess surface fat if you prefer. If the guiso is still thin, uncover and simmer for 5–10 minutes, turning the pieces so the sauce coats them. Taste and adjust the seasoning only if needed.
Serve carefully Spoon the rice onto warm plates, add the yuca and arrange the pork beside them. Ladle the tomato-ají guiso over the meat and serve the cabbage salad separately. Warn diners that the spine pieces contain bones; remove any small loose fragments carefully before serving children.

Practical guidance

Practical

Equipment

Use a heavy lidded pot for the pork, a large saucepan for the yuca, a medium lidded saucepan for the rice, a cutting board, a sharp knife, tongs, a colander and a food thermometer. A kitchen scale helps divide the measured ingredients and servings consistently.

Practical guidance

Ask the butcher to cut the spine into even 5–6 cm pieces. Very large sections take longer to tenderize and are harder to portion. Keep raw pork, its plate and utensils separate from the cooked rice and salad. Wash hands and work surfaces after handling raw meat. Ají dulce is aromatic but mild. Sweet red pepper works as a substitute; avoid hot chiles if you want to preserve the gentle flavour profile. The meat is safe once the thickest edible portion reaches 63°C and rests for 3 minutes, but this collagen-rich cut usually needs much longer to become pleasantly tender. If the stew gets too thick before the pork is ready, add hot water a little at a time. If it is watery at the end, uncover and reduce it gently. Thin noodles may replace the rice. Cook them separately and omit the measured rice in that variation. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours and use within 3–4 days. Reheat until steaming hot throughout and at least 74°C. Keep cooked rice chilled promptly as well.

Allergens and food safety

This ingredient list contains no major regulated allergens. Check packaged achiote and any substitute seasonings for cross-contact statements. Pork spine contains bones, so serve carefully and check pieces for loose fragments. Keep raw pork apart from ready-to-eat foods, and wash equipment that touches it. Use a thermometer to confirm at least 63°C in the thickest edible portion, away from bone, then allow a 3-minute rest; continue the braise until the meat is fork-tender. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, store for 3–4 days and reheat to 74°C. Do not leave cooked rice at room temperature for an extended period.

Final notes

1: Serve the saucy pork hot, with rice, yuca and crisp cabbage for contrast. 2: Set out a small bowl for bones so diners can enjoy the stew comfortably.

Nutrition per serving

Serving basis: One of six portions with pork, rice, yuca and cabbage salad
Calories: 711 kcal
Carbohydrates: 89 g
Protein: 33 g
Fat: 24 g
Fibre: 5 g
Sodium: 711 mg

Pebre de Espinazo de Cerdo: Mompox Pork Spine Stew

Ingredients

Pork guiso

Rice and yuca

Cabbage salad

Method

Practical

Equipment

Practical guidance

Allergens and food safety

Final notes

Nutrition per serving

Colombian National Dishes

Mote de cabeza de bagre ahumado: Mompox Smoked Catfish Mote

Viuda de Carne Salada: Mompox Salted Beef with Yuca and Plantain

Cerdo Salado: Slowly Simmered Salted Pork from Tenerife, Magdalena