Chinese-Style Barbecued Spareribs

1. Finely chop ginger and garlic

Start by finely chopping the ginger and garlic in a food processor. Pulse them 10 to 12 times until they are uniformly minced.

2. Prepare marinade

Transfer the ginger-garlic mixture to a Dutch oven, then add the honey, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, 1/2 cup of water, Chinese rice wine, five-spice powder, red food coloring if you’re using it, and ground white pepper. Whisk everything together until well combined.

3. Add ribs and simmer

Add the ribs to the Dutch oven, making sure they are well coated with the marinade. Stir occasionally to make sure they are evenly marinated and bring the mixture to a simmer. Once it starts simmering, reduce the heat, cover the pot, and let it cook for about 1.25 hours.

4. Preheat oven

Adjust your oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

5. Strain braising liquid

When the ribs are done simmering, use tongs to transfer them to a large bowl. Strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a large container, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible, then discard the solids. Skim the fat from the surface of the liquid using a spoon.

6. Reduce braising liquid

Return the strained braising liquid to a pot and add the toasted sesame oil. Bring it to a boil and cook until the liquid is syrupy and reduced to about 2.5 cups, which should take 16 to 20 minutes.

7. Prepare for roasting

Set a wire rack on an aluminum foil–lined rimmed baking sheet and pour 1/2 cup of water into the sheet to prevent drippings from burning. Transfer the ribs back to the pot with the reduced glaze and toss them well to ensure they are evenly coated. Arrange the ribs on the prepared rack.

8. Roast ribs

Roast the ribs in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes per side, flipping once, until the edges begin to caramelize. Transfer the ribs to a serving platter and repeat with any remaining ribs.