Beef ribs are meaty, moist, and delicious. They are addicting, so it’s no wonder that people have gravitated toward these Dino ribs.
Before you attempt to smoke these larger-than-life beauties, you must know what temperature to smoke beef ribs. Additionally, you need to know how long to smoke beef ribs. Smoke beef ribs at 250°F for 6-8 hours.
Contents
What Are Beef Ribs?
Beef ribs are a different cut of meat. Beef ribs are ribs that come from a cow.
There are 3 types of beef ribs back ribs, plate short ribs (beef short ribs), and chuck short ribs.
Beef Back Ribs
Back ribs are the ribs that come from the rib primal of the cow. Beef back ribs are the meat left behind after the prime rib has been cut.
Since prime rib is very pricey, butchers try to get every morsel of meat they can. Therefore, most beef back ribs will have little to no meat on the bones. The meat is between the bones.
Plate Short Ribs
Plate ribs are carved from the middle of the ribcage. Plate ribs consist of 3 ribs that can weigh a pound or more. However, plate ribs also are sold as single ribs.
Plate short ribs are probably the most popular type of rib that BBQ experts smoke. This is partly because short ribs are the meatiest type of beef rib.
They are also the biggest type of rib. Therefore, they must be cooked at a low temperature so the fat can break down, creating a juicy, tender, moist rib.
Beef plate ribs are long and become extremely tender after they are smoked low and slow.
Chuck Short Ribs
Chuck ribs are meaty, like plate short ribs. However, they contain slightly less meat and a smaller bone.
Chuck ribs are 3-6 inches long. The ribs have a rectangular-shaped piece of meat that sits on the bone.
Unlike plate ribs, you can easily find chuck ribs in the grocery store. However, you can also find boneless chuck ribs or chuck ribs cut into 1/2-inch strips.
Tips For Smoking Beef Ribs
Whether you use back, plate short, or chuck short ribs does not matter. Purchase the right ribs.
Remember, if you choose low-quality ribs, you will end up with low-quality smoked beef ribs. If you start with high-quality ribs, you will have the best-smoked ribs.
Prep the ribs before you smoke them. Remove the excess fat from the ribs. While it is important to keep some fat, some bits of hard fat will not melt. So, it’s best to remove these hard bits of fat before you smoke the ribs.
Season the ribs really well. Compared to pork ribs, beef ribs are much bigger, which means they can handle a generous coating of seasoning.
Do not rush the smoking process. The ribs will take hours to smoke. The ribs need time for the tough connective tissues and fat to melt and tenderize.
What’s The Best Wood To Smoke Beef Ribs
Ultimately, the best wood to smoke beef ribs comes down to your preference. However, there are still a few options for smoking beef ribs.
Mesquite is an oil-rich wood that adds a strong earthy flavor to the meat. Usually, mesquite is avoided or combined with other woods because its flavor is so robust.
However, beef ribs do not have a delicate flavor, unlike pork or chicken. Therefore, they can handle the flavor of a concentrated wood like mesquite.
Cherry wood is perfect for smoking beef. It gives the bark a rich mahogany color. You can also use a combination of pecan, oak, or hickory wood.
If you want a milder smoky flavor, smoke the beef ribs using applewood. It will give the ribs a mild, smoky, sweet flavor but still allow the beefy flavor to shine.
Oak is also another great choice for beef ribs. Oak adds a rich smoky flavor, and they will burn longer than other types of wood chips.
Hickory wood is also ideal for smoking beef ribs. Hickory wood adds a signature BBQ flavor to the ribs.
Pecan wood is a less popular choice because it imparts such a strong flavor. However, it’s the perfect combination if you mix pecan wood with other fruit wood, like apple wood. The fruitwood will give the beef ribs a subtle sweet flavor and balance out the flavor of the robust pecan wood.
How Long To Smoke Beef Ribs At 225
How long to smoke beef ribs depends on the size. The bigger the ribs, the longer they will take to cook.
Generally, it will take about 6-8 hours to cook the beef ribs at 225°F. However, it’s best to focus on the internal temperature of the beef ribs rather than the cooking time.
Beef ribs are cooked when they have an internal temperature between 200°F and 205°F. Your smoker comes with a built-in thermometer.
However, buy a separate dual-probe wireless thermometer. A smoker thermometer only measures the temperature of the smoker, not the meat.
A dual-probe thermometer will measure the meat’s and smoker’s temperature.
How Long To Smoke Beef Back Ribs At 225
As I mentioned above, it depends on the size of the rib. It will take about 6-7 hours to cook beef back ribs at 225°F.
First, smoke the ribs for 3 hours, then wrap them in foil or butcher paper and smoke them for another 2 hours. You can remove the beef ribs from the foil and then place them back on the smoker to help re-crisp the bark. However, if you do this, smoke the ribs for another 1-2 hours until they are tender.
Remember to check the internal temperature of the ribs to ensure they do not overcook. Remove the ribs from the smoker when they have a temperature between 200°F and 205°F.
Final Thoughts
Beef ribs are one of the best ribs to smoke. You get much more meat than smoking pork ribs.
When they are smoked correctly, the ribs will be tender, juicy, and filled with robust beefy flavor. As long as you smoke the beef ribs for 6-8 hours, everyone who tastes them will be enamored with them.
I have been smoking and grilling meat from an early age and enjoy sharing my knowledge and expertise through the hundreds of articles I have written about BBQ. I hope to make everyone’s BBQ journey that little bit easier.