Certain occasions demand meals that impress. A couple weekends ago, my old college buddies and I escaped for a rare weekend getaway to Palm Springs. Why settle for some run-of-the-mill burgers and hot dogs, I figured, when you can do something to honor the gathering? I consulted my Ad Hoc at Home cookbook (which has yet to disappoint, by the way) for some guidance.

In the end, it was the dry-rubbed spareribs that won out. I picked up a couple of slabs of beautiful Niman Ranch St. Louis style ribs, packed 'em in a cooler bag, pre-mixed the dry rub and threw it into a little tupperware, and off we went.

Start with a good amount of spice rub applied generously over all the spareribs.

After six hours in the fridge, the rub transforms into a nice thick glaze.

It's a surprisingly easy process. Ten minutes of prep, another ten minutes of browning on the grill, and whole lot of down time in between and afterwards - first in the fridge then slow-roasting on the grill or in the oven.

A quick sear over direct heat to give the ribs some nice color. Careful not to burn the glaze...

Slow and low heat works its magic until the spareribs are perfectly tender. I use the oven for convenience.

What emerges in the end is truly a sight to behold - tender, rich, sweet, meaty. Delicious enough to blow your inner Neanderthal's oversized noggin. And this coming from someone who's not the biggest pork lover.

So if you're in need of a fairly easy but delectable dish to impress even the most discerning of diners, give these ribs a try. My mouth is watering just thinking about them. Thanks, Thomas Keller. This one's a keeper.

Rubbed & Glazed Spare Ribs

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Barely adapted from Ad Hoc at Home

Spareribs. The ultimate finger food. This spice rub, with a nice sweet heat, is the perfect complement, drawing out the natural flavor of the pork without overpowering it. Do yourself a favor and splurge on some high quality spareribs. You'll taste the difference.

Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons cayenne
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons ground allspice
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 slabs of St. Louis style pork spareribs (about 3 pounds each)

Directions

Combine dry rub ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well to combine.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Generously rub spareribs on all sides with spice rub. Place ribs on baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 6.
Prepare an outdoor grill - charcoal or gas - for direct heat cooking, followed by indirect-heat. If using charcoal, bank all the coals to one side to allow for an area of indirect heat.
Sear ribs in batches. Place ribs meat side down over direct heat and grill for 2 minutes, or until grill marks appear. Rotate ribs 90 degrees for the crosshatch pattern, and grill for another 2 minutes, or until well marked. Be careful not to burn the glaze.
To finish ribs on your outdoor grill, transfer spareribs, meat side up, to the indirect heat. If using a gas grill, turn one burner off and use that side. Close the lid and cook until tender, about 2 hours. Regularly move the ribs around so they cook evenly. The grill should stay around 250 degrees. If your grill doesn't have a built-in thermometer, use an over thermometer placed next to the meat. Adjust heat accordingly.
To finish in the oven, place seared ribs, meat side up, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Place in a 250 degree oven and cook for about 2 hours, until tender.
Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Cut spareribs into individual ribs and serve.