Asian-style Baby Back Ribs

Generously season the ribs on all sides with salt and pepper. Put the ribs in the the crockpot and pour 1 cup of orange juice over the ribs. Turn the crockpot on high for 30 minutes and then reduce to low for another 3 hours. The ribs can be made 1 day ahead.

Pour remaining 1/2 cup of orange juice in a saucepan along with bourbon, hoisin sauce, honey, soy sauce, fish sauce, chili garlic sauce, sesame seed oil, and grated ginger. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Cook 1 – 2 minutes, taking care that the mixture does not boil over. This can also be made 1 day ahead.

30 minutes before you finish the ribs, cut the green parts off of green onions. Cut the green part of the onions in thin 2-3″ pieces and julienne these pieces into thin strips. Place the julienned pieces in an ice bath and let them sit for about 5-10 minutes until they curl up. Remove from the ice bath and dry between paper towels.

Heat the oven to 375ºF or the grill to medium. Brush all sides of the ribs with the glaze and bake or grill for 10 – 15 minutes, applying glaze every couple of minutes, until the glaze builds up to create a shiny, sticky mahogany-colored glaze. I prefer to finish the ribs on the grill because it is easier to frequently baste them on the grill than it is to pull them in and out of the oven. Either method, however, will give you a great glazed rib.

Sprinkle the finished ribs with toasted sesame seeds and green onion curls and serve.