By Fourth of July at Derek's apartment. His balcony grill produced... adequate results. The burgers were good. The hot dogs were hot dogs. The ribs — he attempted ribs — were undercooked in the center, which I discovered, quietly, in the kitchen, and finished in the oven while he was telling Curtis a story about a Cadillac (they bond over Cadillacs now; it's their language). The finished ribs were fine. Nobody knew about the oven rescue. Marriage is about protecting the other person's confidence. We're not married. But the principle applies.
All six of us plus Curtis. Seven people on a balcony that comfortably holds four. The kids sat on the floor. Curtis sat in Derek's recliner, which he has claimed as his own at Derek's apartment the same way he claimed his chair at my house. Curtis claims chairs. This is how he marks territory. The chair at my townhouse is "Curtis's chair." The recliner at Derek's is now also "Curtis's chair." My father has chairs in two households. He is expanding his kingdom one recliner at a time.
Fireworks from the balcony. Atlanta's skyline lit up. All four kids on the floor, faces tipped toward the sky. Derek's arm around me. Curtis asleep in the recliner, which is his Fourth of July tradition — nap through the fireworks, wake up when they're over, ask what he missed, go home. He did not disappoint. When the last firework faded, he opened one eye and said, "That it?" I said, "That's it, Daddy." He said, "Good. I'm going home." Derek walked him to the car. They shook hands at the door. Two quiet men. One handshake. A holiday survived. A family forming.
The ribs Derek started on the grill were salvageable — that’s the word I kept using in my head while I quietly slid them into the oven. What they needed was exactly what this plum glazed country ribs recipe delivers: a sticky-sweet finish that low heat and a good glaze can accomplish even when the grill hand you off something unfinished. Seven people, one balcony, one recliner claimed by Curtis — the last thing the evening needed was undercooked pork. This is the recipe I’m making next time, start to finish, so the kitchen rescue stays optional.
Plum Glazed Country Ribs
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 1 hr 30 min | Total Time: 1 hr 45 min | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 3 lbs bone-in country-style pork ribs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 cup plum jam or plum preserves
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated (or 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat and season. Preheat oven to 325°F. Pat ribs dry with paper towels and season all over with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Arrange in a single layer in a large baking dish or rimmed sheet pan.
- Make the glaze. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the plum jam, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes if using. Stir and cook for 5 minutes until the jam melts and the glaze is smooth and slightly thickened. Remove from heat.
- First bake. Brush ribs generously with about half the glaze. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil. Bake for 1 hour, until the ribs are nearly tender.
- Glaze and finish. Remove foil and increase oven temperature to 400°F. Brush ribs with remaining glaze. Return to oven uncovered and bake 20–30 minutes more, basting once halfway through, until the glaze is caramelized and sticky and the ribs are cooked through (internal temperature 145°F).
- Rest and serve. Let ribs rest 5 minutes before serving. Spoon any pan juices over the top. Serve with your cookout sides.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 420 | Protein: 34g | Fat: 16g | Carbs: 32g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 580mg