Smoked Beef Short Ribs (Dino Ribs)

Smoked plate short ribs with a salt-and-pepper bark: rich, tender beef on the bone, cooked low and slow until probe-tender.

Plate short ribs (three-bone “dino ribs”) smoke like brisket but in fewer hours, and they are hard to overcook. Chuck short ribs work too; check them earlier.

Ingredients

• 1 rack plate short ribs (3 bones), 2–2.5 kg
• 2 tbsp coarse salt
• 2 tbsp coarse black pepper
• Optional: binder of mustard or oil
• Wood: oak, hickory or cherry
• Spray bottle with water or beef stock

Method

1. Trim the hard fat and the silvery membrane from the meat side. Leave the membrane on the bone side.

2. Season heavily with salt and pepper on all meat sides.

3. Heat the smoker to 120–135 °C. Smoke bone side down.

4. Leave closed for the first 3 hours.

   Start 3 h timer

5. Spritz every hour after that if the surface looks dry.

6. Start checking with a probe after about 6 hours. They are ready when it slides in between the bones with almost no resistance.

7. Rest loosely wrapped.

   Start 30 min timer

8. Slice between the bones and serve each bone as a portion.

Tips

• No need to wrap: the fat keeps short ribs moist. Wrap only if the bark is getting too dark.

Times are a guide: cook to temperature and feel. The USDA safe minimum for whole cuts of beef is 63 °C (145 °F) with a 3-minute rest, and 71 °C (160 °F) for minced beef. Sources