Smoked Honey Duck
September 5, 2022
Smoked Baked Beans Recipe
September 9, 2022

Smoked Beef Short Ribs

 
 

Smoked Short ribs are one of those uniquely delicious proteins that you can never really appreciate until you have found someone that does them well. When done poorly, they are roast beef. When done well, they are life changing.

This recipe will show you the exact step by step instructions on how to smoke amazing beef short ribs.

Beef ribs are one of those things that I tried and failed at dozens of times before I got it right. For whatever reason, they were my nemesis!

The biggest changes for me came when I started doing two things-Stopped wrapping with butchers’ paper or foil and cooking the beef ribs with some beef tallow.
Below you will find my step-by-step guide on how to smoke beef ribs.

Ingredients



  • 1 rack/plate of beef short ribs (Usually 3 or 4 ribs)
  • ¼ cup yellow mustard
  • 1/2 cup Grim Reaper rub
  • 1 cup beef tallow
  • Pink butchers’ paper

  • Spritz:
  • 1 cup beef stock
  • 2 T hot sauce
  • ½ cup water

Method


1. Unlike pork ribs, beef ribs don’t need to have the membrane removed, however, you can help the smoke to penetrate easier with some creativity. Place the ribs bone side up and lightly run your knife through the membrane between each rib.

2. Flip the ribs bone side down and begin removing the thick fat cap on top. Unlike most proteins, we will remove this entirely. This is because beef short ribs have a thick silver skin beneath the fat cap and we want to remove that.

3. Coat all sides of your beef ribs with an even layer of yellow mustard, before liberally covering all sides with the Grim reaper rub. Across the bones, add a minimal coating of the rub.

4. Preheat smoker to 250F and place on your favorite smoking wood. For beef this could be any fruit or hard wood, but hickory, oak and pecan are all popular.

5. Place ribs bone side down, onto the grill grates and smoke indirect until ribs hit an internal temperature of 203F, which will take anywhere between 10-12 hours, depending on the ribs themselves.

6. In a spritzing bottle, mix together all spritz ingredients.

7. After the beef ribs have smoked for three hours, begin spritzing on all sides liberally every 45-60 minutes. Spritzing, added to the mustard binder and the Grim Reaper rub, will build an amazing and thick bark.

8. When your ribs hit about 160F, remove them from the smoker and place them in a foil pan, bone side down. Add the beef tallow and return to the smoker until finished. The beef tallow should sit high enough to be just above the bones.

9. Once internal temp is hit and beef ribs are probe tender, tent lightly in foil and allow ribs to rest for 60-90 minutes. Remove and slice between the bones to serve.


 
 
 
 

See other recipes


July 12, 2025

French Dip Sliders

There’s something primal and perfect about a French dip slider when it’s done right. Not fussy. Not dressed up with microgreens or some half-hearted aioli. Just soft buns cradling meat that practically melts on contact, rich caramelized onions that took their sweet time getting there, and bubbly, gooey cheese.
July 2, 2025

Smoked Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are soft in the middle, crisp around the edges, and infused with that smoky campfire vibe that turns heads at every backyard picnic. They will immediately become the crowd pleaser at your next event.
July 2, 2025

Smoked Finger Steaks

We’re talking about finger steaks. Crispy, juicy strips of battered beef that were practically made for dunking in fry sauce and eating by the handful.

Ready to take your BBQ to the next level? Grab your copy of Ten ways to IMMEDIATELY improve your low and slow BBQ below.