Combine salt, pepper and fennel in a small bowl.
Rub salt/pepper/fennel mixture all over short ribs (optional - wrap in plastic warp and let sit for an hour or more).
Add olive oil (or ghee) to Dutch Oven on med-high heat.
Sear short ribs on all sides (you will need to do this in batches).
Remove short ribs and place on plate.
Using the same Dutch Oven, add beef broth to deglaze the pan, scraping up any bits on the bottom of the pan.
Add celery, carrots, leeks, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, beef broth, red wine (or pomegranate juice), garlic, oregano, thyme, smoked paprika, basil, bay leaf, and rosemary.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Let Dutch Oven simmer for 10-15 minutes to let reduce.
Add short ribs back into Dutch Oven with braising liquid.
Place in oven (uncovered) and let cook for 2-3 hours.
Remove from oven and take short ribs out of braising liquid, set aside on plate and let cool slightly.
Add kidney beans, mushrooms, whole tomatoes, chili powder, and sugar. Mix well and use a knife to quarter the whole tomatoes.
Take short ribs and remove meat from bone. Cut up into bite sized pieces and put back into the Dutch Oven.
Stir together.
Place Dutch Oven on stove and let simmer for at least a half hour (but it could really simmer for quite a while if you are making ahead of time or placed in a crock pot on low until you are ready to serve).
When you are ready to serve, mix sour cream and horseradish to serve with chili.