Description
Succulent Smoked Beef Short Ribs deliver mouthwatering Texas-style barbecue perfection with rich, smoky flavors. Bold spices and patient smoking create tender, fall-apart meat that celebrates classic southern grilling traditions you’ll savor to the last bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 bone-in beef short ribs (about 2 kg total)
- ¼ cups coarse kosher salt
- ¼ cups coarse black pepper
- 2 tbsps yellow mustard (as a binder)
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)
- ½ cup beef broth (for spritzing)
- Wood chunks or pellets (oak, hickory, or mesquite work great)
Instructions
- Preparation: Trim excess fat and silverskin from short ribs, ensuring a clean surface for seasoning.
- Seasoning Blend: Create a robust spice mixture combining salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, and optional cayenne for heat, massaging thoroughly into every surface of the meat.
- Smoker Setup: Ignite smoker to 250F, selecting oak, hickory, or mesquite wood chips to impart a deep, complex smoky essence, positioning ribs bone-side down on grates.
- Slow Smoking Process: Maintain consistent temperature, periodically misting with beef broth to preserve moisture, allowing ribs to develop a rich bark and tender texture over 4-6 hours.
- Temperature Check: Monitor internal meat temperature, transitioning to wrapping in butcher paper or foil around 165-175F to intensify tenderness and prevent moisture loss.
- Final Cooking Stage: Continue smoking until internal temperature reaches 200-205F, verifying doneness by effortless probe insertion through meat.
- Resting & Serving: Allow ribs to rest for 30-45 minutes, enabling juices to redistribute, then slice and present with optional BBQ sauce or enjoy the pure, smoky flavor profile.
Notes
- Select oak, hickory, or mesquite for a robust, deep smoky flavor that complements beef’s rich taste.
- Apply mustard as a binder before seasoning to help spices adhere and create a flavorful bark that locks in moisture.
- Use a reliable meat thermometer to check doneness, aiming for 200-205F for melt-in-your-mouth tender short ribs.
- Spritz with beef broth hourly to prevent drying and enhance the meat’s juiciness during the long smoking process.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6-8 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Smoking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 2 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg