Expectation vs Reality - how to cook?

[PBCDad]

Hey everyone,

I have been wanting to cook those dino ribs I see you all post, and I got the okay to go for it this weekend. We've been doing our shopping online, and I thought the grocery store had nice plates of beef ribs based on the picture I saw. I should have known better because I don't remember seeing them in the store in the before-times.

So I have these little short ribs that are maybe 3/4" thick total. Can I still smoke them for mini-beef ribs? Or do I need to cook them a different way and look elsewhere for the dino ribs? I'm not blaming the store at all because what I got does in fact look like the picture, just much smaller than I thought they would be.

Expectation (I thought these were 2" thick for scale):


Reality:

[HawkerXP]

Heck yeah! Those are about the only ones we see around here. As you probably noticed some are thicker than others so just keep an eye on them little ones.

[barelfly]

I know it’s not what you are wanting to do, but those would turn out some great braised beef ribs, then shred up a bit and serve over some pappardelle.

I don’t know what you could get with smoking?

[ecowper]

I smoke those for a couple hours, then finish by braising them. Serve over mashed potatoes or egg noodles :-)

I have just smoked them all the way, as well. Great that way, too. Make sure and save the bones for beef stock.

[PBCDad]

Thanks guys. I'm looking forward to it. I'll try smoking them all the way - still take them to 190 or 200? I will try different recipes in the future, I was just hoping for some smoked beef ribs this weekend.

[ecowper]

don't worry too much about temp. Look for probe tender. I don't even put meat probes in these, treat them more like pork ribs. I use a thermapen, when temp gets to 175 I start worrying about probe tender.

[tbob4]

I smoke those for about 4 hrs and then put them in my Lodge Dutch oven with potatoes, sliced onions, mini carrots, onion soup mix, cram of mushroom soup, red wine, garlic, thyme, basil oregano and a little parsley. Unfortunately, there are no measurements, just "dashes".

[ecowper]

tbob4 I do them for 2-3 hours, then braise with prunes, onions, mushrooms, beef stock, red wine, garlic, thyme, oregano, basil. That braise is another 2 hours, about. Serve over egg noodles or mashed potatoes

[FishTalesNC]

Those are just "english cut" short ribs, right? I see you've got a PBC and a kettle, I've cooked them on both. PBC took 2 hours, kettle took 5 hours at 225-250F. One time they were probe tender at 199, the other time I had to take them all the way up to 205. Darn good, made these for my parents a while back and it took them back to their days growing up in TX and NM.

[ecowper]

yep, cooking at 250 in a traditional cooker, like a kettle or WSM, will take 5'ish hours to get to probe tender

[PBCDad]

Good information. I was planning on firing up my Jambo stick burner, it's been too long since I've been able to cook on it. The timing information really helps, that was a big question for me

[Troutman]

Yea agreed, those are just dino ribs cut up into little ones, English cut for sure. Yea smoke them to finish or do a braised version as was suggested. I've also done Korean style ribs using those; sticky and savory. Great little cuts I say, enjoy them !!!

[bbqLuv]

Yeah, got to ask the meat cutters for plate ribs or dino ribs by name. The ribs are actually numbered in the manuals. If you want you might do a little research and request the ribs by the butcher designation.

The advantage of the cut in your post, you may season all sides of each rib, smoke to 165* internal, wrap in continue to 203*.

Rest, enjoy a PBR Tall Boy.

[Mr. Bones]

IIRC, plates are NAMP 123A

[bbqLuv]

The NAMP Meat Buyer's Guide® Online has become the premier resource on the web for buyers, sellers, educators, and students interested in the identification, fabrication, and utilization of meat and poultry products. https://www.meatbuyersguide.com

Thank you Mr. Bones, I look it up because of your post.

[Troutman]

...and I used to own an IROC Z

[Smoldering Flea]

i haven't loved smoking these. the bark to meat ratio gets way off and the meat has a pot roasty texture. If i were to do them again i'd maybe go slightly higher temperature and/or spritz to try to prevent the bark from getting too dry and hopefully that woudl also improve the texture. More likely i would just do grill it up as korean bbq (kalbi). if you smoke it let us know how it goes!

[bbqLuv]

Are you saying pot roast instead of Brisket on a Bone?

[Smoldering Flea]

Definitely did not conjure up brisket on a bone. Meat came off in strands.

[Jfrosty27]

I’ve smoked these several times. As noted above, these are just the four bone chuck rib rack cut into smaller pieces. I smoke them until an IT of about 140-150 then braise them in a red wine and beef stock in the kitchen oven until falling apart tender. OR I smoke them all the way unwrapped but I use a mopping sauce along the way to keep the bark from getting to dry. I like Stubb’s Moppin’ Sauce for these.

[RichieB]

Yep, smokem' if you got em'.

[Mr. Bones]

Plenty of Beef info can be found HERE

I use it A LOT when I need answers...

Enjoy, yall!

[Troutman]

I also wanted to mention that I happen to live across the street from a Whole Foods Market. The HEB next door to it blows it away so I don't shop there much but they do offer English cut ribs rather often. I went in there one day and asked the butcher if he would sell me a plate that wasn't cut up. He was glad to do so. You might want to give that a try at your local store or butcher shop.

[Jfrosty27]

+1 on that. I get my full racks either at Costco, if they happen to have them at the time, or from a local butcher. They always have the English cut and gladly sell the full rack which is never on display. You only need to ask.

[Red Man]

I’ve smoked those English cut ribs a few times, they’ve always been great. I’ve smoked them all the way to probe tender. My grocery store also only has those and flanken cut on display but they cut them down themselves. Every time I’ve asked, they’ve always had whole plates they’ve been happy to sell me.