Baby Back Ribs with Vibrant Coleslaw

Set oven racks at the bottom and top thirds of the oven and preheat to 300°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Combine all rub ingredients in a small bowl.

Check to see if the membrane has been removed from the backside of the ribs. If not, insert a blunt dinner knife under one edge of the membrane and use a paper towel to grab the edge and pull the membrane off the ribs. It should come off in one piece.

Place ribs on the prepared baking sheet and generously sprinkle one tablespoon of the rub on all four sides then (really!) rub it in. Bake until the ribs are pliable but not falling apart, about 1¾ – 2 hours.

Near the end of the cooking time, make the glaze. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes to thicken sauce. The goal is to marry the flavors and apply a warm glaze — and not a cold one — to the hot ribs.

After 1¾ hours of cooking, remove the ribs from the oven. Use a paring knife to check the meat between the bones. If there is light resistance but the knife goes through easily, the ribs are done. If not, bake for 15 more minutes.

Turn broiler to high. Flip the racks over and use a basting or pastry brush to brush the undersides of the ribs with glaze. Turn back over and heavily brush the top of the ribs with glaze.

Broil the ribs on the upper rack for 3 – 4 minutes, just until the glaze begins to caramelize. Keep a close eye on the ribs while they broil so the sauce does not burn. Remove ribs from the oven, add another layer of glaze — just to the top this time — and broil again for 3 – 4 minutes. Repeat the glazing and broiling process one more time (for a total of 3 times).

Allow the ribs to rest for 10 minutes. To make cutting easier, use tongs to hold rib racks on their side so you can see the bones while using a large sharp knife to cut between the ribs. Serve with a huge mound of Vibrant Winter Coleslaw, a bowl for the bones and plenty of napkins.