Ribs n' Slaw

Seriously, can I have permission to move to the South already? I say y'all with the greatest of ease, I love my grits, and now this:

Who knew ribs in the oven could be this good? I sure didn't. Unfortunately, ribs are one of those things that defy recipes. Here's my usual mumbo jumbo paraphrase of what I did:

Dry Rub

• paprika
• dry mustard
• seasoned salt
• chili powder blend
• cayenne pepper
• ground black pepper

Stir together about a tablespoon of each, taste, and add more of whatever you want. I also added a dash of ginger this time. Parsley might not be horrible either. But it's really whatever you want and whatever you have handy. Rub the ribs all over, and let sit for up to 6 hours in the fridge or in a cool kitchen.

Wrap the ribs tightly in aluminum foil and bake at 300 degrees for at least an hour and a half. I had a lot of time on my hands, so I actually started them off at 200 degrees for two hours and an extra hour and a half at 300. I also had a large rack of ribs, so it took longer to cook through. Check the ribs by opening the aluminum foil just a little. Be careful, there will be steam. If the ribs aren't yet fork tender, seal the aluminum back up and put the ribs in for another fifteen minutes.

When they're tender, let the ribs rest for half an hour out of the oven but still in the aluminum wrap. Cover with a towel to retain some of the heat. If you're not ready to eat yet, you can leave the ribs like this for an hour or two. When ready to eat, spread a layer of sweet barbeque sauce on the top and bottom sides of the ribs, and put them under the broiler until they're blackened around the edges and top. This should take about ten minutes, but watch the ribs carefully after the first five minutes so they don't burn.

Sweet Barbeque Sauce

• 12 oz. can of diced tomatoes
• 1 finely diced onion
• 4 chopped cloves of garlic
• 1/8 cup brown sugar
• 1/9 cup white or red wine vinegar
• several tablespoons of molasses
• everything you put in the dry rub
• chopped peppers of your choice: bell, serrano, jalepeno, etc.

Combine in a saucepan and simmer on the lowest possible setting for a few hours. You want everything to melt together. Adjust seasoning.

Cole Slaw

Shred some cabbage and carrots into a bowl. You can do this by hand, with a grater, or in a food processor. If you have odds and ends, feel free to add them in. Red cabbage, celery, cucumber--anything you'd eat raw. Add a heaping spoonful of mayonnaise, a pinch of salt, a teaspoon of sugar, some ground black pepper, and a teaspoon of vinegar. Taste and adjust seasoning to your taste. Cole slaw improves after an hour in the fridge, but starts tasting pretty funky the next day. Some raisins are a nice addition.