Asian-Spiced Short Ribs

• MAKE-AHEAD
• STAFF-FAVORITE

Ingredients

1. Six 12-ounce bone-in beef short ribs
2. Kosher salt
3. Ground fennel, for dusting
4. 1 cup ketchup
5. 1 cup dry red wine, such as Syrah
6. 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
7. 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
8. 3 tablespoons dried onion flakes
9. 2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
10. 1 tablespoon soy sauce
11. 1 tablespoon garlic powder
12. 1 tablespoon seeded and minced chipotle chile in adobo
13. 1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
14. 3 quarts water

1. Light a grill. Preheat the oven to 325°. Season the ribs with salt and fennel. Grill over high heat, turning, until charred all over, about 12 minutes. Transfer the ribs to a large flameproof roasting pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix the ketchup, wine, vinegar, molasses, onion flakes, fish sauce, soy sauce, garlic powder, chipotle, sesame oil and 1 tablespoon of salt. Whisk in the water. Pour the sauce over the ribs and bring to a simmer over two burners.
3. Cover the roasting pan and bake, turning the ribs once, until the meat is very tender, about 2 1/2 hours. Lower the oven temperature to 200°. Transfer the sauce to a large saucepan. Keep the ribs warm in the oven. Boil the sauce over high heat until reduced to 4 cups, about 1 hour.
4. Increase the oven temperature to 350°. Pour the sauce over the ribs and roast until the ribs are glazed, about 15 minutes. Serve the ribs on plates with their sauce.