The night before, season ten English-cut bone-in short ribs (about 14 pounds) generously with kosher salt; rest them uncovered in the refrigerator. The surface should look dry and burnished by morning — that bronze tack is the foundation of every great braise.
Heat a 7-quart Dutch oven over medium-high with grapeseed oil until it shimmers. Sear the ribs in batches, four to five minutes per side, until each face is mahogany and crackling. Listen for the steady, patient sizzle — never the panic of overcrowded steam. Reserve.
In the rendered fat, sweat diced shallot, carrot, and celery until translucent and faintly sweet. Stir in a generous tablespoon of tomato paste; let it caramelize against the pot's bottom until it deepens to brick. Deglaze with a full cup of dry red wine, scraping every speck of fond loose with a wooden spoon.
Add three quarts of veal stock, one cup of low-sodium shoyu, a four-inch knob of bruised ginger, six star anise pods, two cinnamon sticks, and a tablespoon of light brown sugar. Nestle the ribs back in, bones up. Cover and slide into a 300°F oven for three hours, until a paring knife slips through the meat with absolutely no resistance.
Strain the braising liquid through a fine chinois into a wide saucepan; reduce by half over medium heat until it gleams and coats the back of a spoon glossily.