Sticky Chinese Takeout-Style Spare Ribs

0 Preheat and prepare. Heat the oven to 325°F with a rack in the middle. Use a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan or a small roasting pan with sides. Check the ribs for loose bone fragments and pat dry.
1 Make the sauce. Whisk together the hoisin, soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, Shaoxing wine or diluted rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and five-spice. Reserve ⅓ cup in a separate clean bowl before adding the raw ribs.
2 Coat and arrange. Toss the ribs with the remaining sauce. Arrange in a single layer in the pan and pour the remaining sauce from the mixing bowl over them. Add ¼ cup water around the ribs. Cover tightly with foil.
3 Bake covered. Bake for 1½–2 hours, turning halfway through and resealing the foil. Begin checking at 1½ hours. The ribs are ready for glazing when a fork slides easily into the thickest meat. If needed, continue cooking covered, checking every 15 minutes.
4 Uncover and glaze. Remove the foil and increase the oven temperature to 450°F. Spoon off most of any deep pool of liquid, reserving it for sauce. Brush the ribs generously with the reserved glaze.
5 Finish uncovered. Roast for 10–15 minutes, turning and brushing with more glaze halfway through, until sticky and caramelized. Watch closely to prevent burning. For extra char, broil briefly, checking every 30 seconds.
6 Rest and serve. Rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds if desired, and serve with rice and vegetables.