Southern-style pork ribs with soft cornbread rolls

Pat ribs dry with paper towel. Combine 1⁄2 cup of the brown sugar with spices and rub all over ribs to coat. Cover and set aside for 4 hours, or overnight.

Preheat oven to 150°C. Arrange ribs on 2 roasting pans. Put 1⁄3 cup water in each. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 4 hours or until meat is tender.

Meanwhile, to make soft cornbread rolls, line an oven tray with baking paper. Combine flour, polenta, salt, bicarb of soda and sugar in a large bowl. Make a well in centre and add egg, olive oil and buttermilk. Using your hands, combine mixture into a slightly sticky dough.

Transfer dough onto a lightly floured bench. Using floured hands, divide into 8 equal portions. Roll into balls. Arrange on prepared tray 3cm apart.

Meanwhile, put remaining sugar in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Add tomato, whiskey, sauces and vinegar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until glaze comes to the boil and thickens slightly. Set aside.

Increase oven to 220°C. Put cornbread rolls in oven for 15 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Meanwhile, remove foil from ribs. Brush ribs with 1⁄4 of the glaze and bake for 5 minutes. Brush with a little more glaze and bake for 5 minutes or until sticky. 

Serve ribs with remaining glaze, coleslaw and warm rolls.