Suggestions For Smoking Beef Ribs

[processhead]

I bought some beef ribs and am looking for suggestions on cooking/smoking them. Would prefer a dry seasoning/rub vs. a slather/sauce.

In particular, am looking for tips on getting them tender and preventing them from drying out too much.

I will be smoking in an electric smoker with a pellet smoke generator.

Thanks in advance

[craigrice]

you can use your favorite beef or bar b q dry seasoning and then wrap them in bacon and season again to keep them from drying out , I do chicken Brest the same way

[Bob Stehlik]

processhead I used Pa’s Black Bull Marinade on my last batch of beef ribs. Pa’s goes good on almost anything. I used a pan of water with some beef bouillon and a splash of red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar to help keep them moist.

[Tex_77]

processhead did you get back ribs or plate ribs (whole short ribs)?

Assuming you got the later, I would go with a salt, pepper, garlic rub and smoke at 225, until the reach an internal temp of 200 or so. If you have Pa’s you could inject as well, but not necessary. Also, I’d wrap them around 160.

[processhead]

Tex_77 said in Suggestions For Smoking Beef Ribs:

processhead did you get back ribs or plate ribs (whole short ribs)?

Assuming you got the later, I would go with a salt, pepper, garlic rub and smoke at 225, until the reach an internal temp of 200 or so. If you have Pa’s you could inject as well, but not necessary. Also, I’d wrap them around 160.

Thanks Tex, These are plate ribs.
I was looking for some input on wrapping. Seems like a good way to get some moist heat down deep to the bone and avoid rendering all the fat out.

[Tex_77]

processhead
This is what you’re going for.

[processhead]

Tex_77 said in Suggestions For Smoking Beef Ribs:

processhead
This is what you’re going for.

Just what I was imagining they should look like. The dog is never going to see those bones.

[rescuefoot]

processhead Tuffy Stone has a great cookbook. It’s called Cool Smoke. Here is the link for it:

Cool Smoke: The Art of Great Barbecue https://smile.[link removed]/dp/1250137845/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_api_glt_fabc_TKHX1WY9PQKF3TSEW931

He has some great rub recipes for various types of meat. While my preference is the baby back ribs, I do use a dry rub on them. The cooking time will be different because of the thickness of the bones but the technique Tuffy uses is to place them in your smoker after it reaches the desired cooking temperature. Cook them for an hour. Then, spray them with Apple Juice. Continue cooking them for another 30 minutes, followed by spraying them with Apple Juice.

For the pork baby back ribs, after the second hour, spray them with Apple Juice and then you wrap the ribs in aluminum foil and continue to slow cook them for another two hours.

Tuffy’s recipe has you remove them from the aluminum foil and cover them with barbecue sauce at the end, while allowing the sauce to glaze them. My preference is to not add the barbecue sauce. I usually add an extra 30 minutes before wrapping mine in the aluminum foil. Mine come out tender enough that the bones are almost falling out of the meat!

My preferred dry rub for my baby back ribs is Butcher’s BBQ Wild Cherry Rub. It adds a Cherry flavor to the meat that you can smell and taste. It’s not over powering, but definitely adds a pleasant flavor. It’s not too salty. My experience with the store bought seasonings and ribs is they add too much salt. This rub is full of flavor without being salty. That type of dry rub is difficult to find. I cook the ribs on a wood pellet smoker. They sure help with temperature control when cooking without having the luxury of a higher end smoker.

Hopefully this will help you with your beef ribs!

[processhead]

rescuefoot
Thanks for the additional input. I agree with your comments about being careful with some rubs used on ribs when it comes to salt content.
Ribs have a relatively small amount of meat and more bone compared to large cuts like a brisket, pork loin, or butt. A large cut can more easily absorb salt and flavorings where the meat on ribs will saturate quickly with any added flavoring.

[TexLaw]

Tex_77 pretty much described how I do it. For a rub, I’ll either use the salt/pepper/garlic powder (just a touch of the garlic powder), or I’ll use some version of Texas BBQ Rub (an excellent bunch of rubs done by a friend of mine - my favorite is Texas Wild).

Texas BBQ Rub does not have too much salt. In fact, I usually add a little salt to it (typically by lightly salting the ribs before applying the rub). I also usually add some freshly ground black pepper, because I am a black pepper fiend.

I don’t tend to glaze ribs at all, but I never would glaze beg

[processhead]

My go to rub for beef brisket and other beef cuts is “Wild Willies Number Wonderful Rub” recipe.
I got it out of the book Smoke and Spice which I thought was a decent guide for smoking and grilling. I don’t think it strays too far from a lot of commercial rub formulas. Its not bad for pork as well.

I think I may go with your suggestion of simply salt, pepper and maybe just a little fresh garlic

[Tex_77]

processhead i wouldn’t go with fresh, use granulated.

[processhead]

Tex_77 said in Suggestions For Smoking Beef Ribs:

processhead i wouldn’t go with fresh, use granulated.

Curious to know your thoughts on this suggestion, Tex?

[Tex_77]

processhead fresh could get burned or turn rancid over a long cook, no risk of thst with granulated.

[toys4dlr]

The plate ribs can handle heat, much like a brisket can. There is a lot of internal collagen that needs to be rendered down. Go with your favorite brisket rub. I like to cook my brisket north of 275 degress, but I am using an offset or my drums. I am looking for color and bark, which will get there in about 3 or 4 hours and the meat would be around 155 degrees of so. I would then wrap and take them to probe tender which would be around 205 to 210 internal. Then give them an hour rest or so in my cambro or a dry cooler if you don’t have a cambro.

[Denny O]

processhead
Is your recipe using sugar, White cane or brown cane sugar?

I would not use fresh garlic as well due to the inconsistency of the outcome.

I’ve smoked beef ribs many a times. But to be honest I really don’t know or remember if they were plate or short ribs. Just they are Wonderful!

[processhead]

No sugar. Just salt, black pepper, and garlic powder on this one.