My novel Spring Fever is set at a small, family-owned company that manufactures a fictitious soft drink called Quixie. To research the book, I traveled to Salisbury, North Carolina, the home of Cheerwine, a delicious cherry-flavored soft drink. Use a disposable aluminum foil baking pan for easy cleanup. P.S. If some soda should find its way into a tall glass filled with crushed ice and rum, that would not be an altogether bad thing.
For the ribs:
1 Tbsp. dark brown sugar
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. coarsely ground pepper
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. paprika
4 lb. pork baby back ribs
4 cups cherry-flavored soda (we tested with Cheerwine)
For the glaze:
1 (12-oz.) can cherry-flavored soda (we tested with Cheerwine)
½ cup red pepper jelly
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
¼ apple cider vinegar
¼ cup tomato paste
¼ cup Dijon mustard
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Combine the dry ingredients. Rub all over the ribs and place them meaty-side up on a rack in a large roasting pan. Pour the soda into the pan and cover tightly with aluminum foil.
2. Bake the ribs for about 1 hour and 45 minutes, or until very tender.
3. Meanwhile, combine the glaze ingredients in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced and mixture is syrupy.
4. Uncover the ribs and remove them from the pan. Pour off the fat and liquid from the pan and discard.
5. Turn the oven to broil. Brush the ribs with the glaze and return to the rack in the pan, meaty-side up. Broil about 8 inches from the heat for 5 minutes, or until the glaze begins to brown. Serve with additional glaze on the side.