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1
Preheat the oven to 450F.
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2
Arrange the ribs in a large roasting pan; sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
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3
Roast 1 1/2 hours, turning the ribs halfway through.
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4
Combine 3 quarts water and the tomatoes and their juice in a stockpot.
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5
Bundle the bay leaves, peppercorns, and dill in a small piece of cheesecloth; tie with kitchen twine, and add to the pot.
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6
Transfer the roasted ribs to the pot.
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7
Pour off and discard the fat from the roasting pan.
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8
Pour the remaining cup water into the pan, and place over medium-high heat.
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9
Bring to a boil, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom, until the liquid is reduced by half.
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10
Transfer the liquid and bits to the stockpot.
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11
Cover the pot; bring the mixture to a simmer over high heat, but do not boil.
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12
Reduce heat to a gentle simmer, and place a smaller pot lid directly on surface of stock to keep ingredients submerged; cook until the meat is very tender and pulls away from the bone, about 1 1/2 hours.
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13
Skim the surface with a spoon as needed.
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14
Prepare an ice-water bath.
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15
Remove the herb bundle from the pot, squeezing out the liquid into the pot, and discard.
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16
Strain the stock through a sieve into a large heatproof bowl set in the ice-water bath.
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17
Stir frequently until the stock is room temperature.
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18
Transfer the ribs and tomato pieces to another bowl.
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19
When cool enough to handle, pull the rib meat from the bones, and shred it with your fingers.
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20
Discard the bones.
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21
Store the meat and tomato pieces in an airtight container in the refrigerator, up to 3 days.
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22
Transfer the cooled stock to airtight containers; refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.
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23
With a large metal spoon, skim off and discard fat layer that has collected on the top.
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24
If storing, leave fat layer intact (it helps seal in flavor).
