Chinese-Style Braised Beef Back Ribs

Prep the ribs: place the cut ribs in a large bowl, cover with cold water and soak for 2 hours, changing the water once halfway through; then rinse the ribs and pat them dry with paper towels.

Heat the neutral oil in a heavy pot over medium‑high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the ribs and sear them on all sides until they are golden brown.

Push the seared ribs to the side of the pot. Add the soybean paste and spicy doubanjiang to the empty space, stirring for about 30 seconds until fragrant, then toss the ribs to coat them evenly with the paste mixture.

Pour in the Shaoxing wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits. Add the garlic cloves, sliced ginger, halved green onions, dried bird‑eye chilies, Sichuan peppercorn, bay leaves, star anise, and optional black cardamom, followed by the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, brown sugar, white pepper, and salt to taste. Stir to combine.

Add enough water to just cover the ribs. Bring the liquid to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for about 2 hours, or 45 minutes if using a pressure cooker, until the meat is fork‑tender.

When the ribs are tender, remove the whole aromatics (bay leaves, star anise, chilies, etc.). Increase the heat to medium‑high and reduce the sauce until it reaches a glossy consistency. If desired, stir in the cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce further, then serve the ribs hot.