Country-Style Ribs With Quick-Pickled Watermelon

Preparation

1. Ribs:

   Step 1

   First, make the marinade. Bring brown sugar and ½ cup water to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar. Lower heat to medium and simmer until reduced to ¼ cup; transfer to a medium bowl. Whisk in soy sauce and next 8 ingredients. Stir in onion. Let cool. Pour the marinade into a large resealable plastic bag.

   Step 2

   Rub ribs with mustard powder and add to marinade in bag; seal bag and turn ribs to coat. Place bag in a baking dish and chill, turning occasionally, for at least 6 hours and up to overnight.

2. Watermelon:

   Step 3

   Start with the dressing. In a small saucepan over low heat, toast coriander seeds until fragrant and beginning to pop, 2-3 minutes. Transfer coriander to a baking sheet and crush slightly with the back of a cool skillet. Combine coriander, vinegar, lime juice, shallot, and honey in a small bowl. Whisk in oil and season with salt and pepper. Set vinaigrette aside.

   Step 4

   Place watermelon in a large bowl; add ½ cup vinaigrette and toss to coat. Cover and chill, tossing occasionally, for up to 1 hour to lightly pickle watermelon.

   Step 5

   Build a medium fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to medium-high. Transfer ribs from bag, leaving some marinade clinging to surface, onto a baking sheet. Pour remaining marinade from bag into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer for 3 minutes. Set marinade aside.

   Step 6

   Grill ribs until nicely charred and cooked to medium, about 5 minutes per side. Using tongs, dunk each rib into reserved marinade. Return ribs to grill and cook, turning once, until cooked to medium-well, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter.

   Step 7

   Toss tomatoes, ¼ cup cilantro, and 1 Tbsp. vinaigrette in a medium bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

   Step 8

   Top ribs with pickled watermelon. Scatter tomato mixture over. Garnish with more cilantro. Serve, passing remaining vinaigrette alongside for drizzling over.