How Long To Smoke Beef Ribs At 250

Forget about pork ribs. Beef ribs are the current meat taking the BBQ world by storm. 

However, if you attempt to smoke this giant rib, you must know how long to smoke it at 250°F. Smoke beef ribs for 4-6 hours, and you will have the best tender and juicy ribs. 

Can I Smoke Beef Ribs At 250

Yes, you can smoke ribs at 250°F. Some experts are concerned that the ribs will dry out at 250°F. However, the ribs will be perfectly moist as long as they are smoked between 225°F and 250°F.  

What To Look For When Purchasing Beef Ribs

The first rule of buying beef ribs is to look for high-quality beef ribs. Beef ribs have several grades, including USDA Choice and USDA Prime, certified Angus beef, and wagyu beef.

Wagyu beef is the most expensive type of beef, so I would not suggest purchasing these ribs to smoke, especially if you can’t afford them. 

Whether you choose choice, prime, Angus, or Wagyu, choose beef ribs with a healthy amount of meat. 

The meat will shrink as it cooks. Choose thicker ribs so there is a good amount of meat on the bone once it’s cooked.

Additionally, ensure the ribs have a healthy amount of marbling running through the meat. Marbling refers to the small white specks of fat that run throughout the meat.

These specks of fat render and break down as the ribs smoke in the smoker. 

The meat should have a reddish, pinkish color, with white fat. If the ribs are brown or discolored or have yellow or gray fat, do not buy them. These ribs have been on display for some time, which means they are on their way out.  

Should I Wrap Beef Ribs With Aluminum Foil Or Butcher Paper

Wrapping ribs is a controversial topic. However, if you are going to wrap beef ribs, you need to know whether to wrap them with foil or Butcher paper. 

Wrapping ribs in foil will trap moisture. In other words, the ribs will steam, and the bark will be ruined.

To circumvent this, you can wrap the ribs in foil, remove them from the foil and smoke them for 1-2 hours until the bark crisps up again. 

On the other hand, you can also wrap the ribs in butcher paper. Butcher paper is breathable material. So it allows moisture to pass through the paper preventing the bark from becoming too soft. 

You can also forgo the wrapping process and leave the ribs on the grill. However, if you are going to smoke the ribs naked for the entire process, use high-quality ribs. Otherwise, the ribs may dry out. 

How Long To Smoke Beef Ribs At 250

How long to smoke back ribs depends on the density of the ribs and the type of ribs you are smoking. Thicker ribs take longer to smoke than thinner ribs and thinner ribs will take less time to cook than thicker ribs.

Generally, it takes about 4-6 hours to cook beef ribs at 250°F. 

How Long To Smoke Beef Back Ribs At 250 

Typically, it takes about 4 hours to smoke beef back ribs at 250°F. But keep in mind the cooking time of beef back ribs depends on the density of the meat. So, it may take more or less time to back ribs. 

How Long To Smoke Beef Dino Ribs At 250

Beef Dino ribs are also called beef short ribs. They are called Dino ribs because they are large. Therefore, Dino ribs are going to take much longer to cook. 

It takes 6 hours to smoke Dino ribs at 250°F. However, check the meat’s internal temperature after 4 hours. 

How To Smoke Beef Ribs

Smoking beef ribs is very easy as long as you know what you are doing. First, set up your smoker and preheat it to 250°F. Add a few wood chips to the smoker once the coal or fuel heats up. 

Brush the beef ribs with olive oil, mustard, or hot sauce if you want the ribs to have a slightly spicy flavor. Season your ribs with your favorite BBQ rub or salt and pepper. 

Place the beef ribs into the smoker and smoke them for 2-3 hours. You can spritz the ribs every 60-90 minutes with apple cider vinegar or apple juice. However, do not spray the ribs too much, or the bark may not form. 

Remove the ribs from the smoker. Wrap them in butcher paper or foil. 

Place the ribs back into the smoker and smoke them for 2 hours. Remove the ribs from the smoker and cook them for another hour. 

Remove the beef ribs from the smoker. Let the beef ribs rest for 30 minutes to an hour. 

How To Tell When Beef Ribs Are Done

There are 3 ways to tell when beef ribs are finished cooking. You can use the internal temperature, the level of tenderness, or the bone test. 

The internal temperature is the most reliable method of testing beef ribs for doneness. The beef ribs will have a temperature between 205°F and 210°F when cooked. 

However, remember the beef rib’s internal temperature will increase as it rests. So, you can pull the beef ribs off the smoker when it has a temperature between 200°F and 205°F.

Pulling the beef ribs off the smoker just before they are cooked ensures they will not overcook. 

You can also tell if the ribs are cooked by sliding the thermometer’s probe into the ribs. If the probe slides into the meat like you were sliding it into a warm stick of butter, it is tender and cooked perfectly. 

You can also use the bone test to tell if ribs are cooked. The meat will shrink and expose the bone when the ribs are cooked.

However, this is not a reliable way to test for doneness, as every rack of beef ribs is different. Therefore, you should use this method in combination with the thermometer test. 

Final Thoughts

Beef ribs have taken over the rib scene. They are extremely addicting, especially when you know how long to cook them.

William Thomas

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.