Smoked BBQ Beef Ribs

By Todd Martin February 10, 2025 6 mins read 11 Views

These smoked beef ribs are packed with flavor with a rich, smoky bark and juicy, tender meat in every bite.

You can’t go wrong keeping things simple and going for classic Texas-Style beef ribs. This involves using a simple rub of salt, pepper, and ground garlic and allows the beef flavor to shine through.

Why I love this recipe

Incredible bark – Our simple homemade rub helps form that signature BBQ texture and flavor.
Juicy and tender – Slow smoking breaks down the marbling, making the meat melt-in-your-mouth tender.
Great for any smoker – Works on pellet grills, offset smokers, or even a charcoal setup.
Crowd-pleaser – These massive ribs make an impressive centerpiece for any BBQ gathering, or slice them up and make beef rib sliders.
A lot of meat! – Plate ribs are incredibly meaty and usually come in a set of three to five ribs, with just one rib weighing in at 1 – 1.25 pounds!

★★★★★ Review

“I have smoked beef short ribs quite a few times using different methods and rubs. Your method has by far produced the BEST tasting, juiciest and most delicious beef ribs I have ever cooked. Thanks so much for the cooking tips!” – Craig

holding a single smoked beef short rib in a black gloved hand

Ingredients needed

Beef ribs – A slab of beef short ribs, also known as plate ribs or dino ribs. For best results buy USDA Prime, or American Wagyu.
Binding agent – Yellow mustard, Worchestershire sauce or olive oil
BBQ Rub – I use a simple rub with equal parts salt, pepper, and garlic granules
Spritz – Optional but I like to spritz with ½ cup water mixed with ½ cup apple cider vinegar

How to make smoked beef ribs

I’ve included detailed step-by-step instructions with photos below to make this recipe easy for all skill levels. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post

1. Trim your beef ribs

Trim the fat and the silver skin from the top of the ribs. You might be tempted to leave the fat, but it won’t render, and it will stop the rub flavor from getting into the meat

You can leave a little bit of fat, especially around any thinner areas, as this will help prevent them from drying out.

I usually don’t remove the membrane on the back because I like it there to hold the rack/ bones together.

2. Rub your ribs

Make a homemade rub from equal parts salt, pepper, and garlic flakes. Garlic powder will work too.

Spread a thin layer of yellow mustard or Worcestershire sauce over the ribs to help the rub stick and then use a rub shaker to get an coating of seasoning over the ribs.

Let the ribs sit for 20 minutes while you get your smoker setup.

3. Smoke the ribs

You an use any fruit wood or oak, which is traditional in Texas.

I recommend cooking on the higher end of low and slow, around 250-275°F.

Pro Tip – Aaron Franklin makes beef short rubs at 285°F, so feel free to experiment with temperature.

Place the ribs on the grill, bone side towards the heat source to protect the meat.

beef ribs on pellet smoker — Placing the ribs bone side down helps protect the meat from the heat source

These time estimates are pretty accurate:

1″ thick ribs about 5-6 hours
1.5″ thick ribs about 6-7 hours
2″ thick ribs about 10 hours

Leave your ribs to smoke for at least two hours to allow the bark to set properly. At that point, you can start spritzing every hour with a 50-50 mix of water and apple cider vinegar.

Now you need to sit back and wait until the ribs get to at least 200°F internal temperature and a probe goes in and out like butter

This is what my ribs looked like after a couple of hours before the bark had properly set.

beef ribs on on a smoker rack with the bark not set yet — These ribs have a while to go before the bark is set

These big boys can take a long time to cook. If you need to speed your ribs up you can always wrap them in aluminum foil after the bark which is usually after the three hour mark.

4. Resting and serving your beef ribs

This is where all your patience pays off. The probe goes in like butter and measures 200-210°F.

Carefully pick the ribs up and wrap them in aluminum foil to rest.

rack of smoked beef ribs on a chopping board — These short ribs are now ready to wrap and rest

Another tip from this Aaron Franklin’s video is to pick the ribs up with a damp towel so you don’t accidentally damage the bark.

When resting smoked beef ribs, make sure to give them at least 30 minutes, or preferably an hour.

If you need to serve them to your guests sooner, let them sit uncovered for 30 minutes before slicing into them.
If you have longer to wait, wrap them in butcher paper and then a towel and place them into a cooler.

Once your ribs have rested for at least an hour, slice them into individual ribs with a good slicing knife. Don’t forget to grab a rib by the bone for the ultimate caveman experience.

Smoked BBQ Beef Ribs — I’d say that’s about enough for ribs one serving

Beef Rib Tips

Rest before slicing – Let ribs rest for at least 30 minutes (or longer in a cooler) to lock in juices.
Choose the right ribs – Plate short ribs are the meatiest and best for smoking, but back ribs and chuck ribs work too. Look for good marbling throughout to ensure tenderness and rich flavor after smoking.
Plan for a long cook – Beef short ribs take 6-8 hours to smoke, plus time for prep and resting.
Adjust the temperature if needed – Low and slow at 250°F is ideal, but you can go up to 275-300°F to speed things up.
Cook to temperature, not time – Ribs are done when they hit 203-210°F and the probe slides in like butter.
Don’t wrap too early – Wrapping can soften the bark, so only do it if needed for time management.

More bbq rib recipes to try

Smoked Beef Ribs Recipe

Follow this recipe and you beef ribs will be tender, with a deep smoke ring and amazing bark around the outside.

BBQ beef ribs like these don’t need any kind of barbecue sauce, but if you really like sauce, use something that goes well with beef, like this Texas BBQ Sauce.