Need info on how to cook beef ribs.

[FishTalesNC]

This is a really helpful thread! (and where’s HorseDoctor hiding, I miss his knowledge nuggets).

Related to Troutman ‘s point on cuts, I have a question on how this may impact cook time. I’ve only done beef ribs once and I believe they were 3 bone plate ribs, Dino-style, and they took 9 hours to smoke. My local Fresh Market has started carrying English cut short ribs, these are small maybe 4”X4” cuts. I’d like to try these as my family didn’t care for my first attempt and I think it was mostly the Flintstone style presentation. Wouldn’t these smaller size of these English cut reduce the smoke time? Or am I still looking at a 8-10 hour smoke? I may try them tomorrow if I can expect a shorter cook.

Thanks in advance...

[Ahumadora]

Dial up the temp. 250-300f works for me. The thicker the rib, the longer it will take.

[FishTalesNC]

Thanks Ahumadora I noticed the ones I got are of varying thickness and figured I’d be pulling them off at different times even. Good to know they can take a little more heat too.

[Troutman]

To be honest I’ve never smoked the small cuts, only braised in a stew. Having said that the smaller amount of meat and the better exposure to heat should mean a faster cook. I would still approach them the same way, that is until probe tender then rest for an hour or so. Don’t over think it, they are pretty hard to mess up.

[FishTalesNC]

Good deal, going to put some of Hank’s Bonafide on them in a few and let them sit overnight...

[ecowper]

I often do shorties ...... they take 5-6 hours at 250 in my experience and come out looking like this

[FishTalesNC]

Ah perfect, thank you ecowper ! This helps get my timing down with everything else going on tomorrow! 👍🏻

[BC Buck]

I often do shorties ...... they take 5-6 hours at 250 in my experience and come out looking like this

Look awesome. Wood, meat temp, seasoning, come on man?

[ecowper]

BC Buck ..... darn, totally slacking ;-)

Okay, here’s what I do for shorties

24 hours ahead I dry brine with Morton’s Kosher
I cook em on a WSM 22 ..... charcoal is typically Kingsford Pro
Wood preference is red oak .... I have stopped buying wood at the store that is kiln dried. I have a couple folks willing to send me wood for the cost of shipping :-)

When the WSM is fired up and holding temp around 250, I pull the ribs out of the fridge and season .... my favorite is just granulated garlic and coarse ground black pepper.

I often cook Texas style beans underneath the ribs. I put those in around an hour into the cook.

I start probing the ribs at about 4 hours. I’ve had them done as fast as 4.5 hours and take as long as 7 hours. 5-6 is my norm. When they are over 190F, I really start paying attention, but often they won’t be probe tender until well over 200F. Once probe tender, I hold in a faux cambro or a 170F oven for minimum of 1 hour.

I serve with beans, corn bread, fresh salad usually.

[texastweeter]

+1 on red oak. I have a barn full of it.

[texastweeter]

Dry brine the day before. Hit with a jaccard tenderizer (onlything other than xhicken fried steak or chops i use it for). Use hotsauce as the binder. Leave membrane on. Cook low and slow over oak. I like to smoke for 3 hours, crutch for an hour, and finish until tender unwrapped for an hour or two for better bark. Use what you rub your brisket with.

[ecowper]

I rub my brisket with granulated garlic and coarse black pepper :-) ... and yeah +1 on red oak .... I grew up with BBQ cooked over red oak in california