Smoked Beef Short Ribs Recipe: How to Smoke Short Ribs

Smoked beef short ribs consist of meat from the ribs of a cow cooked via the indirect heat of woodsmoke. Due to its place on the cow’s body, the short rib is a tough, fibrous cut. Once it takes a low, slow bath in a braising liquid or spends ample time in a smoker, though, its connective tissues relax, the marbling melts, the rib becomes tender, and it releases fat that flavors and moistens the rich protein. Short ribs shrink in size but double in flavor and tenderness when smoked.

There are multiple types of beef ribs. Here are some factors to consider when choosing short ribs for smoking:

1. 1. Bone-in vs. boneless: Whether to use bone-in or boneless beef short ribs is a matter of preference. The bone makes for an elegant presentation, but it isn’t strictly necessary. Feel free to use boneless short ribs if they are available to you.
2. 2. Location: A cow’s thirteen ribs get counted from head to tail, with rib number one located in the shoulder, or chuck primal, and rib thirteen in the loin, or mid-back. Short ribs come from ribs two through five, found in the chuck and brisket primal cuts, and six through eight, found in rib and plate cuts. Fatty plate ribs, the cheapest of the lot, usually get sold together as a slab. Meaty-but-tough chuck and brisket short ribs are moderately priced, while beef back ribs (aka dinosaur ribs) from the rib primal are the most tender and expensive. Learn more about the primal cuts of beef.
3. 3. Style: There are two main ways of cutting short ribs: flanken-style and English-style. Flanken-style ribs, also known as Korean short ribs, get sliced crosswise, leaving a thin strip of meat with small cross-sections of bone running through it. Flanken ribs are ideal for quick-cooking methods, like grilling, since slicing the meat crosswise shortens the muscle fibers and makes it taste tender without cooking it for very long. English-style ribs get sliced lengthwise, giving you a large portion of bone with a big chunk of meat attached. English-style ribs benefit from low-and-slow cooking methods like smoking and braising.

Beef short ribs are so versatile. Here are some different ways to enjoy the ribs in your cooking:

1. 1. Add to pasta. Shredded leftover short rib meat is the perfect filling for homemade ravioli or tortellini. Or, make a smoked short rib ragù to elevate pappardelle or spaghetti. Learn how to make pasta dough with Chef Thomas Keller.
2. 2. Enjoy in a sandwich. Make the best grilled cheese you’ve ever had by adding shredded short rib meat to the sandwich along with high-quality cheeses, sourdough bread, and lots of butter.
3. 3. Enliven a soup. Smoked short ribs are an exciting addition to rich soups. Add the meat to French onion soup or Japanese ramen.
   
4. 4. Serve Texas-style. For a classic Texas-style cookout, serve smoked short ribs with standard barbecue sides, such as corn on the cob, macaroni or potato salad, baked beans, and cornbread. Texas pitmaster Aaron Franklin’s homemade BBQ sauce for ribs is a must.
5. 5. Shred for taco filling. Shredded smoked short rib makes for a decadent taco filling. Chef Roy Choi’s Korean short rib tacos feature grilled flanken ribs, but his cilantro-onion relish, scallion slaw, and salsa verde would pair wonderfully with smoked English-cut rib meat.

This pricy cut can be intimidating. Follow these tips to ensure smoking success:

1. 1. Trim the ribs properly. Ensure that there’s no remaining silverskin and gristle when you begin to smoke the meat. Learn how to remove membrane from ribs, or ask your butcher to do it for you.
2. 2. Season the meat well. A “slather” of mustard, hot sauce, or oil will help your dry rub adhere to the meat. Kosher salt and coarse-ground pepper are musts, but feel free to customize your rub with your favorite seasonings, like garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, cumin, and coriander.
3. 3. Smoke with fruitwood. Fruit woods, such as apple, peach, or cherry, complement the beefy flavor without overpowering the short ribs. Learn more about how to choose the best wood for smoking.
4. 4. Invest in a heat-safe spritzer bottle. Spritz the meat with beef broth, apple cider vinegar, apple juice, water, or a mix throughout the cooking time to keep the meat moist and reduce any chance of burning. Since the environment is hot, a cheap plastic spray bottle could melt, so use one made from heavy-duty materials.
5. 5. Use a thermometer to check for doneness. You don’t want to risk investing in high-quality short ribs, cooking them for many hours, and then pulling the meat before it’s fully cooked. Use a high-quality thermometer to check that the ribs have reached 200 degrees Fahrenheit and then let them rest. Learn how to use a meat thermometer properly.
6. 6. Let the meat rest. After an eight- to ten-hour cook, it can be hard to wait to eat. Still, rest the meat for an hour to help the juices redistribute and strengthen the textural integrity of the ribs.