Jerk-Spiced Spare Ribs with Coconut Guava Slaw

Kenny Gilbert, the author of Southern Cooking, Global Flavors shares this recipe for succulent spare ribs with a tropical, sweet, and spicy coconut guava slaw. Gilbert shares his tips for incorporating chiles and allspice into the spare ribs, “enslaved people learned how to cook tough pieces of meat over a fire until they were tender. They were resourceful enough to make them into something delicious. Pimento trees are indigenous to Jamaica, and they produce the allspice berry. The pimento wood enslaved people used in their firepits would smoke that allspice flavor into the meat. The bold flavors and colors of chiles such as Scotch bonnets and habaneros are a part of island culture. Removing the seeds from the chiles ensures a subtle heat that allows the fruity and complex spice of the peppers to shine (you will want to use kitchen gloves to do this), but if you want to maximize the heat of the spice do not remove the seeds.”