Smoked Beef Short Ribs

Once upon a time I was a pseudo-vegetarian. I had my meat epiphany at a restaurant in Honolulu called Chef Mavro (now closed since he retired). It was a single cut of braised beef short ribs that did it for me. The meat was so tender it melted in my mouth like butter. I promised if we could learn to cook meat like that I’d convert back to the dark side! Smoked short ribs are often compared to smoked brisket, or brisket on a stick.

I’ve been a convert ever since, and this cut of meat is why.

Ingredients for Smoked Beef Short Ribs

• Short Ribs – We prefer plate ribs and those are the most common you will see pre-cut in the butcher counter. You can also substitute this recipe with smoked chuck roast meat if it’s trimmed into smaller pieces. You can also use boneless short ribs if they look similar in size.
• Seasoning – We like to keep it simple with our SPG Seasoning but you can also substitute with a more herbal and flavorful Beef Seasoning. Avoid sugar in any rub you use.

The beef short ribs we are cooking here are typically smaller cuts (around 3 inches of bone) and meaty; and that’s likely how you will see them in the butcher case.

Buying Prime, Choice, or even Wagyu cuts for marbling is key so that you get that flavor that makes them magical. You can read more about the difference in Prime versus Choice beef for more detail on marbling.

Types of Beef Ribs

You will commonly see two types of beef ribs. But short ribs typically come from the plate ribs.

• Back Ribs – These are among the 13 ribs that run direct from the spine and have the meat between the bones and comprised of the chuck ribs (first 5 ribs) and back ribs (the next 7).
• Short or Plate Ribs – These are similar to pork spare ribs, flat and have the meat on top of the plate. They run toward the lower part of the ribs. Short ribs are also cut thinly and are great for Grilled Flanken Ribs.

When buying short ribs, try to select rib cuts that are equal in size so they cook evenly.

How to Prep Beef Short Ribs

I like to trim the silver skin off of the top of the short ribs. This is not fat, it will not render and can be tough and chewy, so use a sharp filet or boning knife to gently remove the silver skin.

You’ll see a thin membrane that, when removed, will expose that gorgeous beef that will pull that smoke in. Unlike pork ribs, you don’t need to take the membrane off the bone side.

Leave it there so it can hold that beef on the ribs.

Season

Coat the trimmed ribs in olive oil. The oil will allow the rub to stick to the ribs. Then generously season with a kosher salt, coarse black pepper, and granulated garlic. This is also known as the SPG Rub.

You can do this the day before for a dry brine or just before you smoke it. If you season the day before, it will allow a slight dry brine, or cure, to occur for more flavor.

How to Smoke Beef Short Ribs

I’ve found that a lower temperature, like 225 or 250 degrees and using a fruit wood or oak is key. That way you complement the beef flavor and not over power it. It’ll also take hours to cook, like five hours or more depending on how thick the meat is.

Optional: While the beef ribs are cooking I like to spray with an apple cider vinegar and apple juice spritz. The acidic flavor really complements the beef. After the first hour of cooking I spritz every 30 minutes or so. So be prepared for spending time around your cooker and being sure you have good beer to pass the time; or the wine you may use for the bath.

The Finish – Braising

I wrap when I see the color I am looking for (a rich, red, mahogany sheen), then letting the meat baste in its own juices and getting that collagen to cook out. This will usually happen at around the 3 hour mark. You can also add the meat into a beef broth/wine bath for moisture and flavor as well. I like a combination of broth and wine for flavor.

It’s really about what flavor you want. But in the end, what you want to do is get the beef time on smoke for a few hours, and then finish the cook by getting the internal temperature of the beef ribs to over 200 degrees (between 200-205 is the sweet spot). This is when that fat and collagen all melt away, and the texture of the short ribs is soft like butter and melts in your mouth. It’ll be super tender, but not spongy.

How Long to Cook Beef Short Ribs

Beef short ribs are done when the internal temperature of the ribs reaches around 200 – 205 degrees Fahrenheit using an instant read thermometer like a Thermoworks Thermapen One or the less expensive ThermoPop.

• At 225 degrees F plan on 6 hours of total time.
• If smoking at 250 degrees plan on 5 hours of total time.

The larger/heavier the ribs, the longer they will take.

The probe should insert like you are putting into room temperature butter. Once the texture is there, it’s ready to pull the ribs and serve with your favorite side like mashed potatoes or a parsnip puree.

So very very good!

Other Rib Recipes for the Smoker

• Smoked Beef Short Ribs in a Wine Braise
• 3-2-1 Pork Spare Ribs
• Baby Back Pork Ribs

Wine Pairing For Beef Short Ribs

You’ve got an incredibly tender texture from the meat, and a lovely smoky infusion. Much of the fat has rendered out, but what you are left with is juicy, melt-in-your-mouth meat.

We also let the meat braise in a shallow bath of wine for awhile, picking up some of those concentrated fruity flavors, but not as long as a traditional oven roasted wine braise.

For this I’m looking for a red wine like cabernet sauvignon with a somewhat rich and velvety texture, with medium to low tannins and deep fruity flavors (not ripe or overly sweet). I want something full-bodied, but not overly intense, and I want some acid to refresh the palate. Look for cabs from Sonoma, Washington State, or Chile.

Other Options: Sangiovese can also work nicely with its stewy, herbal, and smoky notes. Rhone reds will also offer some lovely savory notes to match the meat. I also love it with a moderately rich Syrah.

Frequently Asked Questions