When you first bite into Fall-Off-The-Bone Smoked Beef Ribs, you’re immediately overwhelmed with the deliciously rich & decadent taste of deeply smoked beef – and this flavor is just unbeatable. So moist, warm and savory, it’s unlike any other cut of beef you’ve ever had.
If you’ve ever been to a really good Texas barbecue joint, you’ll know exactly how good a perfectly smoked, succulent beef rib is. First, the robust smokey meat aroma hits your senses and then the beautifully caramelized bark adds that rich mahogany color and delivers a tender and mouthwatering experience.
If you follow this recipe, you’ll have smoked beef short ribs just like that – where the meat effortlessly pulls away from the bone on each bite, filling your mouth with incredibly deep flavor & texture that simply dissolves as you chew.
What Type of Ribs Do I Need For Smoked Beef Ribs?
If you want the best big dinosaur beef ribs – you’ll want to buy beef plate short ribs. This cut comes from the lower portion of the ribcage, specifically from the plate primal cut, located beneath the chuck (shoulder) and above the flank.
It features a thick meaty top portion, sitting on top of a nice large & flat bone – which looks fantastic when you pull it off of the smoker. If you’re planning a get together – you’ll definitely want these types of ribs, to provide that visual appeal.
Key Elements Of This Recipe
- Beef Plate Short Ribs: The tastiest & most visually pleasing type of beef ribs
- Perfect Dry Rub For Ribs: My unique blend of spices – perfect for ribs
- Hickory Wood: I’m rocking hickory wood pellets in my Traeger for this recipe
The Ingredients for Fall-Off-The-Bone Smoked Beef Ribs
- 5 lbs Beef Plate Short Ribs
- 2 cups Perfect Dry Rub For Ribs
- 2/3 cup Mustard (binder)
The Equipment Needed
- Traeger Ironwood Wood Pellet Grill (or any other quality smoker)
- Cutluxe Quality Carving Knife
- Butcher Paper
How To Smoke Beef Ribs
The first step in smoking beef ribs is the prep the ribs.
Start by trimming off any unwanted layer of hard fat or silver skin on your ribs.
Then slather on your yellow mustard (as your binder) and then give your ribs a liberal dusting of my Dry Rub For Ribs. This rub is a perfect blend of brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic and onion powder, chili powder and other dried spices to create an incredible flavor profile and irresistible crust.
Then, let the ribs sit in the fridge to absorb the dry rub flavor for at least 1 hour.
How Long To Smoke Beef Ribs
Set your smoker to 200°F. We’re going to be smoking these ribs low-and-slow, so make sure the grill gets no higher than 200°F.
When you smoker is ready, place your ribs on the rack, away from the source of heat.
If you have a meat thermometer, this would be a great time to plug it into the thickest portion of the ribs. (I use the wired thermometer that comes with my grill, but there are many new and advanced wireless thermometers out there like this MEATER 2 Plus.)
Once you start smoking, leave the ribs alone until it reaches an internal temperature of 170°F. (It could take 5-7 hours for this step.)
Wrapping Your Beef Ribs
Once your short ribs hit an internal temperature of 170°F, remove them from the smoker and wrap them in butcher paper.
Pro Tip: Add in some beef tallow when you wrap your ribs for that extra moist and rich umami flavor.
Then, raise your smoker temperature to 250°F and then place the wrapped ribs back on the grill.
Finish smoking until the internal temperature of the ribs hits 203°F.
Serving Your Beef Ribs
When your ribs are done smoking, remove from the butcher paper and plate the ribs on a large serving platter or cutting board.
Serve with some delicious Dr Pepper BBQ Sauce and enjoy!
If you liked this recipe, you’ll love these too:
Fall-Off-The-Bone Smoked Beef Ribs
Equipment
- Traeger Ironwood Wood Pellet Grill, (or any other quality smoker)
Ingredients
- 5 lbs Beef Plate Short Ribs
- 2 cups Perfect Dry Rub For Ribs
- 2/3 cup Yellow Mustard, (binder)
Instructions
How To Smoke Beef Ribs
- The first step in smoking beef ribs is the prep the ribs.
- Start by trimming off any unwanted layer of hard fat or silver skin on your ribs.
- Then slather on your yellow mustard (as your binder) and then give your ribs a liberal dusting of my Dry Rub For Ribs. This rub is a perfect blend of brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic and onion powder, chili powder and other dried spices to create an incredible flavor profile and irresistible crust.
- Then, let the ribs sit in the fridge to absorb the dry rub flavor for at least 1 hour.
How Long To Smoke Beef Ribs
- Set your smoker to 200°F. We’re going to be smoking these ribs low-and-slow, so make sure the grill gets no higher than 200°F.
- When you smoker is ready, place your ribs on the rack, away from the source of heat.
- If you have a meat thermometer, this would be a great time to plug it into the thickest portion of the ribs. (I use the wired thermometer that comes with my grill, but there are many new and advanced wireless thermometers out there like this MEATER 2 Plus.)
- Once you start smoking, leave the ribs alone until it reaches an internal temperature of 170°F. (It could take 5-7 hours for this step.)
Wrapping Your Beef Ribs
- Once your ribs hit an internal temperature of 170°F, remove them from the smoker and wrap them in butcher paper.
- Pro Tip: Add in some beef tallow when you wrap your ribs for that extra moist and rich umami flavor.
- Then, raise your smoker temperature to 250°F and then place the wrapped ribs back on the grill.
- Finish smoking until the internal temperature of the ribs hits 203°F.
Serving Your Beef Ribs
- When your ribs are done smoking, remove from the butcher paper and plate the ribs on a large serving platter or cutting board.
- Serve with some delicious Dr Pepper BBQ Sauce and enjoy!
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is just an estimate derived by an online calculation tool.
FAQ
At what temperature do you smoke beef ribs?
It’s a 2 step process. First you smoke the ribs at 200°F, until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 170°F. Then you wrap in butcher paper and smoke at 275°F, until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 203°F.
How long do you smoke beef ribs?
For any meat that you smoke, doneness is always determined by internal meat temperature, not cook time. Cooking time will always vary based on the performance of your smoker (how evenly the heat is distributed, etc) and your location/environment (external temperature, etc). For this reason, having a meat thermometer is crucial for this kind of cook. For these ribs, make sure you cook fully until the internal temperature reaches 203°F.
What is the best barbecue sauce to pair with beef ribs?
My delicious Dr Pepper BBQ Sauce is perfect for these beef ribs!
Yesla
Man those ribs look so juicy
Umamiology
Thanks – you should try out the recipe and find out!
Charla
Talk about JUICY beef ribs, definitely right up my alley and perfect for me since I don’t eat pork, send them my way please!
Umamiology
Yes, hope you love them!
Chenee
Doesn’t get much better than this! These were so tender, juicy,and flavorful. Definitely a winner.
Umamiology
Glad you liked them!
Kim
I can’t wait to make these. I love smoked ribs and they look incredible!
Umamiology
Let me know how they turn out, Kim!
Ned
Oh my! Thank you so much for the easy to follow recipe for something that feels intimidating to me! These ribs came out perfectly and delicious! Thank you!
Umamiology
Glad you found the recipe for these ribs easy to follow!
Carrie Robinson
Dang! Now these look incredible! 🙂 What a great way to make beef ribs.
Umamiology
Thanks!
Erik
Never would have guessed it would be this easy to get such flavor! Definitely gonna be breaking this out at backyard bbqs.
Umamiology
Yes, it’s perfect for backyard barbecues!
Paula
My daughter is obsessed with ribs right now! Thank you for this simple recipe!!!
Umamiology
Hope your daughter likes them!
Kathryn
These are so delicious and they truly fall of the bone! The smoke flavor is perfect and can’t wait to make this again!
Umamiology
Glad you like them!
Kechi
Oh dear, this looks so so delicious! Bookmarked to make over the weekend! Thanks for sharing!
Umamiology
Of course! Let me know how it turns out!
MacKenzie
I made these ribs for Easter and they were a huge hit. I can’t wait to make them again.
Umamiology
Glad you liked them!
Gloria
Grilling season is just around the corner. These ribs look cooked to perfection. The neighbors always know when we have the smoker running. They want to come over for dinner.
Umamiology
Let me know how these ribs turn out!
TAYLER ROSS
I made these ribs for dinner last night and they were amazing! Fall off the bone for sure and so tender!
Umamiology
Glad they turned out so tender!
Julie
My Dad- who is a bbq judge- was coming to visit and we made these for him. He loved them! Such a fabulous flavor with these beef ribs.
Umamiology
That is such high praise! Thank you!
Debbie
These beef ribs are literally fall off the bone melt in your mouth good. We followed your directions and cooked these on our pellet smoker. They were perfect !
Umamiology
Yes! Aren’t pellet smokers the best?
Kathryn
Wow these smoked ribs are so flavorful and so easy to prep. They really do fall off the bones so I’ll be making this again asap!
Umamiology
Glad you like them!
Elaine
I just made this recipe, and they turned out amazing! The ribs were tender, and the smoky flavor was spot on. They were a huge hit at my barbecue. This recipe is a keeper for sure! Thanks for sharing!
Umamiology
Glad they were a hit at your bbq!
Tammy
My mouth is watering and this sounds so delicious! I wish I had a smoker my family would go nuts for these.
Umamiology
You can try this beef rib recipe in the oven as well!
Amy Liu Dong
The ribs looks tender, juicy and is packed with flavors, i was right to have a look at this recipe because it did not disappoint me!
Umamiology
Glad you like this rib recipe!
Veronika
Absolutely loved these smoked ribs, the rub was so flavorful! Perfect combined with the Dr. Pepper bbq sauce.
Umamiology
Yes! These beef ribs and the dr pepper bbq sauce are perfect together!
Moop Brown
These ribs look so flavorful and juicy. Definitely a recipe I want to try making.
Umamiology
Let me know how it turns out!
Sandhya Ramakrishnan
Perfect timing to see this recipe. My neighbor is hosting a weekend grilling party and I just sent her the recipe. She is in love with the recipe and is going to make it for the crowd.
Umamiology
Awesome! Hope they turn out perfectly for her!
Ramona
There’s nothing better than a good old beef rib recipe. I have some in the freezer and I must make this one immediately. It looks insane and I’m drooling all over my keyboard right now- I could not stop myself from commenting on this recipe. Thanks so much for sharing!!
Umamiology
My pleasure! Let me know how it turns out!
kushi
These ribs look so flavorful and delicious. Thanks for sharing.
Umamiology
Glad you like them!
Gianne
The meat was so tender and flavorful, and the smoky flavor really took it to the next level. It’s the perfect dish for a backyard BBQ or any special occasion.
Umamiology
Yes, it works at any meal!
Paula
My daughter’s favorite food right now is ribs! Cant wait to make these for her! Yum!
Umamiology
Let me know how she likes it!
Dina and Bruce
Oh so tender and juicy! Loved this recipe!
Umamiology
Glad you love them!
Harriet Young
Oh wow, that smoky flavour, that tender meat – these were incredible! Well worth the time!
Umamiology
Glad you liked them!
Ieva
Superb recipe! From the rub to the cooking, these were the best ribs we ever had!
Umamiology
I’m so glad!
Heather
OMG, these are totally insane with flavor! Between the killer rib rub and the smoke flavor, they are an absolute winner! I’ll be making these repeatedly this summer! Thanks!
Umamiology
Glad to hear that, thanks!
Katherine
Oh wow – so tender and juicy!
Umamiology
Thanks!
Amy Liu Dong
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Heather
Killer Smoked Beef Rib recipe, rich, flavorful and so easy to make! Thanks!
Katheirne
I could practically taste those ribs through my screen! Got to give this a try asap.
Susan
You had me at fall off the bone ~ these are amazing!
Ashley
These ribs are so delicious, especially when served with your Dr. Pepper bbq sauce! The perfect summertime recipe!
Ashley
I am so excited for this new way to cook short ribs. I’ve always cooked them in the oven to serve over polenta or to use in a pasta sauce. This is a great summertime recipe!
Colleen
These ribs turned out tender, juicy and so flavorful. Great recipe!
Chenee
I love smoked ribs and these look incredible. Can’t wait to make them!
Kim
These were so good! I wish I’d made more because my family couldn’t get enough of them!
Justine
I can’t believe how tender this came out – absolutely amazing.
Elisa
Love this Fall-Off-The-Bone Smoked Beef Ribs recipe, looks juicy and delicious!! I will make it soon for dinner, we love ribs in my family. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Gloria
Guests will love this recipe. The perfect meat to serve at BBQ parties. So tender, and delicious.
Marta
I usually braise my beef short ribs, but this smoked version looks amazing. I’ll have to give it a go this weekend.
Veronika
These ribs were amazing! They packed a ton of flavor with the dry rub and mustard and they came out tender and juicy.
Bernice
wow! I’ll be dreaming of these ribs for days to come. This cut is a bit difficult to find where I live so when I find them, I snap them up! This is one of my favourite smokes and the whole family agrees.
Leslie
This recipe is the most perfect recipe for smoked beef ribs!! Wow..so tender and juicy!
Kathryn
These ribs are so good and they really do fall off the bone! Loved the smokey flavor. Making this again next week..can’t wait!
Tammy
Wow wow wow! The total definition of finger-licking good. These ribs are superb!
Giangi Townsend
It tastes like from fancy restaurant. I love how the meat is so juicy and flavorful and how it falls off from the bone. It’s perfection!
Ashley
Wow! These were the best ribs–no need for a knife! Thanks for the great recipe!
LaKita
These smoked beef ribs are so tender, flavorful, and delicious! Made them over the weekend and I know the family loved them because there weren’t any leftovers!
Tom
I’m picky about my beef ribs, and I have to say this recipe is perfect! I live in Texas, so I have had my fair share of beef ribs and can confidently say these turned out the best out of any recipe I’ve tried. Superb!
Juyali
Another delicious recipe from Umamiology! My family loved it so much they asked me when I can make it again. Thanks! 🙂
Jenny
I live in Greece right now and don’t get to enjoy ribs as much unless I find the right cut and make my own. I used your recipe last week for a small get-together and it worked so well. The short ribs were tender and so flavorful, falling of the bone. I am not an experienced smoker, still learning but managed to pull it off. Thank you so much.
Angela
These ribs are perfection! So juicy and tender. The best!
Holly
OMG! These are so good. I have just recently gotten into smoking and now I’m obsessed. These ribs were fantastic.
Chris
In my opinion beef short ribs are the best bite in BBQ. This recipe is a great method to make Texas style beef ribs at home.
Lauren
The ribs were just as you said – falling off the bone and delicious! These are the best ribs we’ve made on the smoker so far!