Cooked low and slow, these Smoked Beef Ribs are easy, tasty and absolutely delicious! Smoking is much easier than you may think. Let me show you how to make the most tender and flavorful beef ribs!
Remove the membrane (sometimes called silver skin) from the back of the ribs. You can usually take a knife and gently slice into it then pull it off.
Season both sides of the ribs generously with the salt, ground black pepper, and garlic powder (or use my homemade rib seasoning rub above.)
If using a traditional smoker, fill the steam pot in the smoker with water and stock the smoker with wood (chunks, chips, pellets…whatever your smoker is designed for) Note: I have a Traeger smoker so it only requires wood pellets.
Preheat the smoker to 250F degrees. Place the seasoned ribs in the smoker and about 4 hours.
The cooking time will depend on the size of your ribs (some racks are much larger than others.) So the bottom line is they will be fully cooked when the meat reaches a temperature between 200F and 205F degrees.
If you are using a traditional smoker, be sure to check the water level and wood every 45-60 minutes.
During the last hour of smoking, baste both sides in the BBQ sauce every 20 minutes until they finish cooking.
Carefully remove the ribs from the smoker (they should be super tender by this point.)
Allow the ribs to rest for at least 15 minutes before serving, applying another coat of BBQ sauce, if desired.
Notes
Low and slow is the best way to smoke meats. This really allows the flavor of the seasonings and the wood smoke to penetrate the meat. So give yourself enough time to make these. You can't rush it or your meat will be tough. There is no shortcut here!
Do your best to remove the membrane (or silverskin) on the back of the ribs. It helps the seasoning to really get into the meat without having that barrier there.
If using a traditional wood smoker, always make sure to check the steam pot and fill with water as needed.
You can use any kind of wood that you like for beef ribs. I used mesquite here but feel free to use your favorite kind. Applewood and Cherrywood are other favorites. Honestly, I know there are wood smoking purists out there that say to use a certain kind of wood for certain kind of meat. I honestly have not found a bad combination yet!
Use your favorite BBQ Sauce. I used Hickory Brown Sugar for a little smokiness and sweetness but any BBQ sauce will work or try your hand at making your own BBQ sauce if you really want to go all out!
Just double or triple this recipe to make more racks of ribs.