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1
Place the hoisin sauce, sugar, and five spice powder in a nonreactive mixing bowl and whisk to mix.
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2
Add the soy sauce, rice wine, and sesame oil and whisk until the sugar dissolves.
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3
Stir in the garlic, ginger, and scallion whites.
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4
Set one third of the marinade aside to make a sauce.
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5
Prepare the ribs: Place a rack of ribs meat side down on a work surface.
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6
Remove the thin, papery membrane from the back of the rack by inserting a slender implement, such as a butter knife or the tip of a meat thermometer, under it.
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7
The best place to start is on one of the middle bones.
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8
Using a dishcloth, paper towel, or pliers to gain a secure grip, peel off the membrane.
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9
Repeat with the remaining rack.
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10
Place the ribs in a nonreactive roasting pan or baking dish just large enough to hold them.
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11
Pour the remaining marinade over the ribs and spread it all over the racks with a rubber spatula, turning to coat both sides.
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12
Let the ribs marinate, covered, in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or as long as overnight, turning them 3 or 4 times.
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13
The longer the ribs marinate, the richer the flavor will be.
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14
(The ribs can also be marinated in large heavy resealable plastic bags.)
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15
Set up the grill for indirect grilling (see Notes) and preheat to medium (325 to 350F).
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16
Place a large drip pan in the center of the grill under the grate.
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17
(For instructions on smoking on a gas grill see Notes.)
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18
When ready to cook, brush and oil the grill grate.
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19
Drain the ribs well and place them in the center of the grate bone side down over the drip pan and away from the heat.
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20
(If your grill has limited space, stand the racks of ribs upright in a rib rack; see Notes) If cooking on a charcoal grill, toss half of the wood chips on each mound of coals.
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21
Cover the grill and cook the ribs until dark brown and very crisp on the outside and tender enough to pull apart with your fingers, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.
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22
When the ribs are done, the meat will have shrunk back from the ends of the bones by about 1/4 inch.
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23
If using a charcoal grill, replenish the coals as needed.
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24
Meanwhile, transfer the reserved marinade to a nonreactive saucepan, let come to a gentle simmer over medium heat, and cook until thick and flavorful, about 3 minutes.
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25
Let the resulting sauce cool to room temperature, then strain it into an attractive serving bowl.
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26
Transfer the ribs to a large platter or cutting board.
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27
Let the ribs rest for a few minutes, then cut the racks in half or into individual ribs.
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28
Brush or drizzle the ribs with some of the sauce and sprinkle the scallion greens on top.
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29
Serve at once with the remaining sauce on the side.
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30
Variation
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31
How to cook Chinatown Ribs in a smoker: Set up and light the smoker following the manufacturers instructions and preheat to low (225 to 250F).
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32
Place the ribs in the smoker bone side down and smoke until cooked through, 4 to 5 hours.
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33
Youll need to replenish the wood chips or chunks after the first and second hour of smoking and to replenish the coals every hour.
