Cola-glazed ribs please South-born Francophile

Virginia Willis is a cook whose life story I can easily relate to. She was brought up in Atlanta and is a lifelong devotee of Southern cuisine, but after studying and cooking in France, she also became enchanted with French food.

I grew up in Memphis, Tenn., and to this day I make grits for breakfast, bake corn bread almost weekly, and serve crispy fried okra often. Yes, I too was seduced by French cuisine after studying in Paris while in college.

So, imagine my delight when I discovered Miss Willis’ new cookbook, “Bon Appetit, Y’all,” a collection in which the author combines her Southern heritage with her French training.

As I turned the pages, Southern specialties and French-inspired creations caught my eye, but one dish in particular stood out. Quintessentially Southern, it was Coca-Cola-glazed baby back ribs.

The recipe was simple and had a short list of ingredients. A glaze is prepared with Coke Classic, brown sugar, vinegar and extra-hot Scotch bonnet chili peppers; then it is slathered on pork ribs as they roast slowly in the oven. When tender, the ribs are run under the broiler for a few minutes to brown, and then, voila, they are done.

These ribs did not disappoint. The pork paired beautifully with the sweet notes provided by the Coca-Cola and sugar and were complemented by the robust heat from the chilies.

As soon as I bit into my first rib, I knew this dish would make a perfect centerpiece for a Memorial Day fete.

For sides, I’ve decided on 2 classics, baked beans and coleslaw, but our meal will begin with Vidalia onion confit with garlic toasts and end with fresh strawberries topped with some bourbon creme anglaise, two of Miss Willis’ French-influenced recipes.

Coca-Cola-glazed baby back ribs

This recipe is reprinted with permission from Virginia Willis’ “Bon Appetit, Y’all: Recipes and Stories From Three Generations of Southern Cooking” (Ten Speed Press).

1 cup Coca-Cola Classic

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1½ cups firmly packed light brown sugar

2 Scotch bonnet chilies (see note)

2 racks baby back ribs (3 pounds total)

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

To make the glaze, in a small saucepan, bring the Coca-Cola, vinegar, brown sugar and chilies to boil over high heat; reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until syrupy, about 10 minutes or longer. Decrease the heat to low and keep the sauce warm while the ribs cook.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Liberally season both sides of the ribs with salt and pepper. Place the ribs on a broiler pan and bake for 30 minutes, glazing the ribs occasionally with the Coca-Cola mixture.

Turn over the ribs and continue to cook for an additional 30 minutes or longer, glazing occasionally, until the ribs are tender and the meat is starting to pull away from the bone. (See note.)

When the ribs are cooked through, set the oven to broil. Liberally spoon half of the remaining glaze over the ribs and broil until glazed a deep mahogany brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Turn over; repeat with the remaining glaze, an additional 5 to 7 minutes. Serve immediately with lots of napkins. Makes about 20 pieces or 4 servings.

Note: Miss Willis says, “Scotch bonnet peppers are intensely hot, but their fire is tempered by the sweetness of the sugar and Coke.” She suggests that “to tone down the heat, substitute jalapenos instead.”

I used Scotch bonnets and chopped them with their seeds, which produced a sauce with plenty of heat. A second time I removed the seeds, then chopped the peppers; I found this yielded a sauce that was not as hot.

Note: When I was baking the ribs in my oven, the baby backs needed an extra 25 to 30 minutes until tender.

Betty Rosbottom is a cooking school director and author of “Big Book of Backyard Cooking” (Chronicle Books).

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