I made this barbecue sauce one hot summer day after I purchased some baby back pork ribs our meat market had advertised in our paper.

I had been experimenting with Asian sauces and marinades and I thought that adding whiskey to the mixes would make them “cool.’’

The whiskey was bitter, added charcoal flavor and made the sauce too brown. I began looking for another acid. I tried beer and white wine before I did sherry. After tasting the sherry, I decided I had found my “cool’’ barbecue sauce.

I used the ketchup for a base, a sweetener, thickener and color all in one ingredient.

Some think the marinade should be thrown away, but I use it when dealing with pork. Chicken would be a different story.

Barbecued Ribs

3⁄4 cup sugar

1⁄2 cup soy sauce

1⁄2 cup ketchup

1⁄4 cup Sherry

1 teaspoon salt

1 garlic clove, smashed

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced or grated

3 racks baby back pork ribs

Stir together sugar, soy sauce, ketchup, sherry and salt in a bowl until the sugar is dissolved. Pour marinade into a roasting pan, then add garlic, ginger and ribs, turning ribs to coat with marinade. Marinate, covered and chilled, turning occasionally, at least three hours. Ribs can marinate up to 24 hours, but if using this marinade on chicken do not marinate for more than six hours.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Line bottom of a broiler pan with foil, then arrange ribs, rounded sides up on broiler rack, reserving marinade for basting (discard garlic and ginger).

Roast in middle of oven, basting with marinade every 20 minutes (don’t baste during the last 10 minutes of cooking), until ribs are tender and glaze is well browned, about one hour, 45 minutes. Discard any unused marinade.

Let racks stand five minutes, then cut into individual ribs.