Italian Sausage Baby Back Ribs

Ingredients

• racksbaby back ribs, trimmed
• tablespoon fennel seeds, lightly crushed
• tablespoon ground black pepper
• tablespoon white sugar
• tablespoon garlic salt
• tablespoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
• tablespoon grated orange zest
• teaspoon shot chili paste, or to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Combine fennel seeds, black pepper, sugar, garlic salt, kosher salt, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl.
3. Place rib racks on the prepared baking sheet; cut several shallow slits in membranes along backs of ribs with a sharp paring knife. Rub spice rub on both sides of rib racks.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours. Flip and bake until a fork easily inserts between bones, 1 to 1 1/2 hours more. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
5. Bring brown sugar, orange juice, vinegar, orange zest, and hot chili paste to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat; simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
6. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
7. Cut rib racks into individual ribs; toss with glaze in a large bowl until evenly coated. Place ribs on the prepared baking sheet. Reserve any additional glaze in the bowl for basting.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 5 minutes. Flip, brush with remaining glaze, and bake until browned, 5 to 10 minutes more.