Chao — red fermented bean curd — is one of those ingredients that reads intimidating on the label and tastes like a secret once it hits the fire. It does for pork what a good fish sauce does for a grill: deep savory funk, a little salt, a little sweetness underneath. Whisked with Shaoxing, Maggi, and five-spice and left overnight, it works its way into every seam of the rib.
These are cut into single bones so every piece gets bark on all sides. You cook them gently on the cool zone first to render the fat, then move over the coals to build char, and finish with a honey-lime glaze brushed on at the very end — a quick flash over direct heat sets it into a lacquer without burning it off.
Why this works
The two-zone fire is doing the real work. The indirect side cooks the meat through and softens the fat while the sugary marinade stays out of the flames; the direct side gives you the char and caramelization you came for. Save the glaze for last so the honey lacquers rather than scorches — a thin coat and thirty seconds is all it takes. Lime and a little Thai chili cut the richness right at the finish.