Ashley Christensen's Pork Ribs with Mustard Sorghum Sauce

Makes 4-8 servings

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For the cure:

11/2 cups kosher salt

1/2 cup sugar

Zest of 1 orange

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 fresh bay leaves, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

1/2 teaspoon chili flakes

For the ribs:

2 racks St. Louis-style pork ribs (about 4 pounds total)

2 tablespoons Poole's Cure

Sea salt

Black pepper

1/2 cup Dijon mustard

1/4 cup sorghum (Muddy Pond brand preferred; sorghum is similar to molasses, and is available at the Head Nut in the Reading Terminal Market)

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1. Make the cure: Blend all the ingredients together in a food processor until just aromatic and well combined. The cure will keep up for up to 1 month in a lidded container in the refrigerator.

2. Place the rib racks on work surface and rub all over with the cure. Wrap each rack with plastic wrap, place on a rimmed baking sheet, and refrigerate for 12 hours. Unwrap the racks and rinse off the cure; pat dry with paper towels.

3. Preheat a convection oven to 250 degrees F (regular oven, 275). Season the racks lightly with salt and pepper. Wrap each rack in foil and place side by side on a baking sheet; bake for 2 hours. Remove from the oven and let rest, still wrapped in foil, for 30 minutes.

4. While the ribs are resting, whisk together the mustard and sorghum in a medium bowl. Coat the ribs in the sauce and place on a foil-lined baking sheet under the broiler until caramelized, about 5 minutes. Alternatively, you can caramelize the ribs on a grill over medium-high heat.

5. Slice the racks into individual ribs and serve hot with lots of paper towels.

- From Poole's Recipes and Stories from a Modern Diner by Ashley Christensen (Penguin Random House, 2016, $35)

Per serving (based on 8): 660 calories, 61 grams protein, 9 grams carbohydrates, 8 grams sugar, 41 grams fat, 234 milligrams cholesterol, 748 milligrams sodium, trace dietary fiber.EndText