Korean Spicy Caramelized Ribs

To prepare the ribs, first remove any membrane from the back or make a shallow cut with a sharp knife to create a texture. Place the ribs in a shallow dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Next, blend a single onion into a smooth paste using a blender or food processor. Combine the blended onion with kochujang, vinegar, garlic, sesame oil, soy sauce, and minced ginger in the blender; blend until a smooth sauce forms.

Apply one-third of the sauce evenly to the ribs, reserving the remaining sauce for later. Cover the ribs with plastic wrap and refrigerate them for 5 hours or overnight to allow the flavors to penetrate.

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Place a slice or two of ginger root at the bottom of a roasting pan. Position the ribs meat-side down on top of the ginger slices and pour lager over them. Cover with a lid or aluminum foil.

Bake the ribs in the preheated oven until the meat is loose from the bones but not yet falling off, taking 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Allow the ribs to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before proceeding.

To finish cooking the ribs, preheat an outdoor grill to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and lightly oil the grates. Cook the ribs on the preheated grill until browned, approximately 6 minutes per side. During the last 2 minutes of cooking each side, brush with half of the reserved sauce. Finally, garnish with white and black sesame seeds.