1st try at beef ribs - confusing information :)

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yardbird

Meat Mopper
Original poster
Dec 25, 2011
215
19
Sanborn, NY
Naturally I came on here and started reading what I can find about beef ribs. I'm still somewhat confused. Foil or no foil? Seems kind of mixed opinions on that question. Smoker temp, some say hot and fast and done in 2 or 3 hours, and some say 225-ish and about 5 or 6 hours. That's quite a lot of variation! hehehe

Rub.... ok, not a sweet rub like for pork, but a savory rub? Still looking for a decent (and simple) recipe for a n00b. I'll almost certainly sauce them at the end and I'll make the sauce while they're in the smoker. I have some I made with rum in it and it's pretty good. Might just use that up.

So.... beef rib instructions for a first-timer...

Rub recipe?

Smoker temp?

Foil or no foil?

Is there a rest time with ribs?

If they get done early... how can I hold them hot? (they wouldn't be more than a couple hours early if at all and I really don't want to cool and reheat them)

Jumpin' in... so.... thanks!
 
I like low and slow because I like a lot of smoke flavor and a lot of the tissues breakdown in a longer smoke. Here is Bilbo's rub. I just used it on a brisket and everyone loved it.

Bilbo’s Rub

1/2 cup paprika
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated garlic
6 tablespoons granulated onion
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

The cayenne is your call. 1/2 teaspoon is considered pretty warm at my house.
 
I just smoked beef short ribs....   SPOG and some montreal and Tony "Chacheries" (sp) for heat....  smoked at 160 with smoke for a couple hours (mesquite added to pitmasters choice for that Texas taste, I love a little mesquite on beef and shrimp)... cranked up the heat to  260-275 until there was "pull back" on the meat from the rib ends of about 1/2 to 3/4"....  that let me know they were done and probably tender...   worked perfect....   I use the meat pull back visual to figure doneness...  

They were very good and tender....  the pull back is total pull back... add the two ends pull back, to get the total....

Dave
 
keep it simple at 1st...a little EVO on the ribs and sprinkle with salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder...3-2-1 method..3 hours in the smoke, 2 hours in foil and 1 hour out of the foil..add some beef broth or some of your favorite BBQ sauce during the foil process(you don't need a lot) try and keep your smoker around 225 for the duration...
 
I like too keep it simple too. The last couple batches I've done I have used the 3-2-1 method. I do not add any liquid during the foil. I have found that the ribs have enough fat and moisture that they do not need additional. In my opinion they get mushy if you add liquid. I typically do not add bbq sauce to mine during the last hour, but sometimes I do. For Beef ribs I really think they need the longer cook time to break down the fats and make a more tender piece of meat.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/136237/beef-short-ribs-on-the-mini-wsm-and-injected-hot-wings

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/139185/3-2-1-2-2-1-blast-off
 
ANSEWRS IN RED.
Naturally I came on here and started reading what I can find about beef ribs. I'm still somewhat confused. Foil or no foil? Seems kind of mixed opinions on that question. Smoker temp, some say hot and fast and done in 2 or 3 hours, and some say 225-ish and about 5 or 6 hours. That's quite a lot of variation! hehehe

Rub.... ok, not a sweet rub like for pork, but a savory rub? Still looking for a decent (and simple) recipe for a n00b. I'll almost certainly sauce them at the end and I'll make the sauce while they're in the smoker. I have some I made with rum in it and it's pretty good. Might just use that up.

So.... beef rib instructions for a first-timer...

Rub recipe? Simple Kosher Salt and Cracked Black pepper - Beef needs Pepper.

Smoker temp?Keep it around the 250*F area.

Foil or no foil?Best bet is to wrap them ,some don't have much meat left on them and will burn quick...

Is there a rest time with ribs?Yes, this helps all BBQ to re-absorb moisture and the liquid in the foil is great for an Au-jus

If they get done early... how can I hold them hot? (they wouldn't be more than a couple hours early if at all and I really don't want to cool and reheat them)

Wrap them in the cooking foil(double wrapped) and then a Bath Towel , then placed in a dry cooler. They will stay for several hrs.

Jumpin' in... so.... thanks!

Have fun and as always ...
 
Thanks, oldschoolbbq

Smoker is settled in around 235-240

Ribs in around 11am

Outside air temp was 66 when I put them in, but it's climbing kinda quick and there's a breeze that comes and goes. Could get rain again this afternoon. So I'll have to watch the smoker temp, but.... door stays closed (no peeking). Meanwhile I can doctor the sauce, and think about what veggies and taters I'm gonna do. :)

We shall see what we shall see.
 
Hey yardbird,

I like to smoke mine like Dave,  but I go

190F for 3 hours , 

then foil the ribs, add some BBQ sauce if you are using any or a bit of apple juice  230F for 2hours.

then unwrap them and continue to smoke until they are done..... could be 30 min to 1-2 hours more.  
note the pullback and do some tasting :-)

when I smoke beef ribs the dinner table is usually quiet with an occasional guest saying "ohmygod"....

:-)

Zed

I have converted many a non-beef-rib-lovers to really liking it....
 
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Three hours in smoke, wrapping in foil with a light brushing of sauce. And back in for 2 hours...


We'll see how this goes. :)

I've only done poultry and pork. This is actually my first beef. hehehe.... I don't think meatloaf counts.
 
Three hours in smoke, wrapping in foil with a light brushing of sauce. And back in for 2 hours...


We'll see how this goes. :)

I've only done poultry and pork. This is actually my first beef. hehehe.... I don't think meatloaf counts.
Looking Good so far!

Of course meatloaf counts. Hard to get that just right texture, not to dry, not to greasy!
 
Looking Good so far!

Of course meatloaf counts. Hard to get that just right texture, not to dry, not to greasy!
Oh that meatloaf was one of the first things I did and had much to learn. I did it at low heat and ran smoke the entire time. It was I think a 3 pound meatloaf and took almost 6 hours hehehe.... the smoke ring looked gorgeous, but I oversmoked it so bad that your lips tingled for half an hour after you were done eating... hahahaha.

BUT.... the texture was so perfect that the next day you could slice it an eigth of an inch thick and it make great sammiches. :)
 
These came out pretty good for my first beef cook in the smoker. :)


The wife said she likes the beef better than any of the pork I've cooked. So I think I see some chuckies in my future here. Maybe a brisket when the wallet allows.

Now as a de-briefing from my first beef rib cook...

These were SUPER tender. Very moist, but so tender that a couple of the bones fell out when I went to plate them. :)

I split the racks in half to plate them and if I hadn't, they probably would have broken in half anyways just moving them. Does that mean they were over done?

VERY little of anything stuck to the bones. They pretty much pulled clean. The meat was juicy and not the least bit dry.

The made from scratch BBQ sauce with rum in it was a big hit.. hehehe.
 
I'm not going to help you make up your mind, because I love them made like my Med-Rare Prime Ribs, because that's where mine came from.

However I also love them 3-2-1.

Either way I keep it simple to let the Beef flavor come out, by only coating with Worcestershire (Thick), and then CBP, Garlic powder & Onion powder.

And-----Yardbird----Many peeps don't like them fall-off-the-bone-----Everybody here does-------No that doesn't mean they were over done!!

Bear
 
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That 321 sounds great for beef ribs! is there anything I can cook on the bottom rack of the WSM (as in another form of meat for 6 hours), at the same time as the beef ribs on the top rack?

cheers
 
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