Simple Beef Ribs Recipe - GrillinFools

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This simple beef ribs recipe is about the easiest beef ribs primer out there. We do step-by-step, picture-by-picture, tutorial starting out with trimming and seasoning the beef plate ribs before setting up the grill. Then we move to slow smoking the ribs and creating that beautiful bark on these brontosaurus bones.

Basically, we document every step of the process to make this as foolproof as possible. 

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I think a lot of backyard grillers are a bit intimidated by beef ribs, particularly these beef plate ribs. 

Not a lot of barbecue restaurants carry them and it seems even fewer butchers/grocery stores sell beef ribs.

Furthermore, if a butcher or grocer carries beef ribs, they usually process them down to beef short ribs.

If it’s hard to get them, then how is one supposed to practice with them?

They don’t carry these monster beef plate ribs also known as “steaks on a stick,” or, “brisket on a stick.”

With as hard as it is to find and practice with these, so we decided to make this easy with this simple beef ribs recipe.

***Editor’s Note Part II: If you haven’t tried beef BACK ribs yet, you are really missing out. They are cheaper, cook more quickly and many prefer them to beef plate ribs like these because they have a higher bark to meat ratio***

Where to Find Beef Ribs

Any decent butcher can order beef ribs, although it just takes a little extra planning. Ask the butcher to provide them to you before they are cut into the smaller rib portions and you might even get a discount on the beef short ribs per pound rate because the ribs don’t have to be processed. Warehouse stores might have beef plate ribs in the case from time to time as well. Thus, I think the rarity (and price) of this amazing protein scares people. 

Simple Beef Ribs Recipe Ingredients:

• 1 3-bone section of beef plate ribs
• Spicy mustard
• Coarse ground steak seasoning or your favorite beef rub
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 cup dry red wine (you can easily substitute water for the wine and broth if you wish)

Notice there is no BBQ sauce listed here.

Beef ribs don’t need sauce.

Thus, a simple rub which creates an amazing flavor crust is all we need. Furthermore, that flavor crust (or bark) is the best part of the beef rib.

You can see that here on my friend Irene’s website that has a wonderful beef ribs recipe.

I had my first properly prepared beef rib a few years back at an Operation Barbecue Relief event while attending the American Royal in Kansas City. It was so wonderful! I couldn’t believe what I had.

It was like brisket on a stick.

I thought I’d love to be able to recreate that hunk of deliciousness but I had zero experience with the unfamiliar cut.

Fast forward to this year when I discovered that a store had them readily available.

Take a look at what the beef ribs look like unpackaged:

That was the meat side.

Then flip them over and check out the bone side.

Uh oh! That doesn’t look so simple.

Patience grasshopper.

Allow me to make it simple for you

Simple Beef Ribs Recipe Prep:

The membrane must be removed just like pork ribs but this membrane is thicker and tougher than the pork counterpart.

Let me introduce you to the spoon method.

Insert a soup/cereal spoon as shown and then work it around to loosen the membrane:

Once loosened, grip the membrane with a paper towel and peel.

Simple, eh?

It’s peeled but there’s still a lot of stuff in need of further trimming:

Then, slide the filet/boning knife blade under the additional membrane material to remove it.

Some suggest leaving this intact to hold the meat together, although I’m not one of them.

Therefore, I want the rub and smoke to hit as much meat surface as possible and not a membrane:

Isn’t that better?

Indeed, let’s move on to the meat side:

Work the blade under the fat and then lift.

This side trims easily and simply:

Honestly, the trimming is the hardest part of this simple beef ribs recipe.

So let’s get to the fun part. 

Mustard as a Binder

Flip the beef plate ribs over with the bone side up and apply spicy mustard and then top with your favorite beef rub.

I used one of my preferred coarse grind steak rubs which helps make a fantastic bark:

Then, flip back to the meaty side and repeat the seasoning process:

Option: Cover and refrigerate overnight or head straight to the grill/smoker.

Out to the grill

The pan? I used it to transport the beef ribs to the cooker but it will come into play a little later:

You might want to order those aluminum pans in bulk. We use them all the time. From smoking beans to holding the prime rib while we smoke it for Christmas dinner.

How to Grill Simple Beef Ribs

Back to the BBQ beef ribs recipe.

Set up for indirect cooking or two zone grilling – coals and smoke wood on one side and ribs on the other (cool) side:

Cooking temperature range is 275F-300F.

Hey, don’t dis my crusty thermometer!

As long as the cooking range is visible it’s ok, right?

How to cook beef ribs in the oven

Truth be told, these can be cooked in the oven. Simply set the oven to 300 and substitute the oven for a grill in this beef ribs recipe. Keep in mind there will not be any smoke flavor (or smoke ring) and will not have the same kind of bark because, particularly if it is an electric oven because fire and smoke are good things.

One hour in and indeed the bones are peeking out already:

Two hours in and the bones are really showing:

Add the liquids

For the third hour place the beef ribs into a half pan with cooling grate at the bottom.

Then add a cup of beef broth and a cup of dry red wine:

I used some leftover red wine but if wine isn’t your thing then add more broth or water.

Cook another hour uncovered to get as much smoke flavor as possible:

The bones know when the ribs are done

Bones are really showing now while a wonderful flavor crust forms on our slab of ribs:

3 hours in and reading 176F internal temp.

Thus, time to wrap:

If you don’t have an instant read thermometer, we highly recommend a Thermapen. They are extremely accurate, durable and the only true insurance policy to make sure the food is done right.

Stop guessing if the food is done right and know it is done right, because all the times in this recipe are extremely subjective (depending on the weight of the meat, fat content, heat of the fire, as well as weather conditions).

Even if you follow this recipe to a tee, if your slab of beef ribs is smaller or bigger or has more fat or less fat, the times are going to be way off for your cook than this one.

Not to mention if the heat of your fire is different from mine.

Get the thermometer. Trust me here.

An alternative to foil

Now back to the BBQ beef ribs recipe. Let me show you how to simplify the wrapping process. Rather than using foil or butcher paper, simply cover with another half pan.

Using these two pans will keep the moisture inside the chamber without wrecking the beautiful bark.

In the past with short ribs I’ve braised them in the liquid but I didn’t want to make the bark mushy so into the rib humidor they went for the next 2 hours:

After the beef plate ribs have been in the aluminum pan chamber for 2 hours:

My target temp was 205F to 210F which is just a bit more than the typical 203F for brisket. Although the temp is important the critical factor is when they probe like butter which may take a bit more than 203F.

Bark or Burnt?

Thirty minute rest next or you could wrap in foil or butcher paper (and then in a towel) and hold longer in an empty cooler or a turned off microwave or oven as is done with brisket:

What is Bark?

It’s the tastiest part of the meat. It’s that black outer coating of the meat that forms when the rub combines with smoke and the fat that renders out of the meat as the heat cooks the beef ribs. The black color comes from the smoke. For those who haven’t had great bark, it may not look all that great, but for those that know, that’s the best part right there!

Bark? Check. Smoke ring? Check. Juicy? Check. Tender? Check. Smoky savory flavor? Check. Like brisket on a stick! Check! Priceless!

How about a close up shot dropped on a bed of garlic mashed potatoes?

Simple Beef Ribs Plated

Here’s a little fancier plate:

Another sure fire way to know they are done to perfection?

The bones slide out clean:

Simple Beef Ribs Recipe Recap

Would I do anything differently next time? Probably, because I love to experiment in an effort to improve upon the previous cook(s). Wet aging the ribs for 30 days or a beefy flavor injection (or both) would be a couple options. But remember, keep it simple.

If you have any questions, feel free to leave them below or send me an email.

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Recipe Card

Print Recipe 5 from 3 votes

Simple Beef Ribs Recipe

A simple beef ribs recipe guaranteed to be as delicious as it is easy to make by keeping it to the basics and featuring some tricks to save time and effortPrep Time20 minutes minsCook Time5 hours hrs 30 minutes minsTotal Time5 hours hrs 50 minutes minsCourse: Entree, Main Course, RibsCuisine: American, American Fare, Barbecue, BBQ, Beef Ribs, Finger Food, Grilling, RibsKeyword: Barbecue, Barbecue Ribs, BBQ, BBQ Ribs, Beef, Beef Ribs, Beef Short Ribs, Charcoal, Charcoal Grill, Grill, Grilling, Ham Recipe, Indirect Grilling, Lump Charcoal, Recipe, Ribs, Simple Beef Ribs, Simple Beef Ribs Recipe, Smoke Wood, Smoked Ribs, SmokerServings: 6 People

Ingredients

• 1 beef plate ribs (3-bone section)
• spicy mustard
• coarse grind steak seasoning or your favorite beef rub
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 cup dry red wine (you can easily substitute water for the wine and broth if you wish)

Instructions

• Trim the membrane off the back of the ribs by using a spoon handle to get between the meat and the membrane and peel the membrane back and discard
• Trim the rest of the fat off the meat on the bone side and then do the same on the meat side
• Slather with mustard and then hit the beef ribs with your favorite beef rub
• Set up the grill for two zone grilling/indirect cooking with coals/smoke wood on one side and the meat on the other
• Target temp inside the grill is 275-325
• Smoke until the ribs hit approximately 175F internal (about 3 hours, but remember cook to temp, not time)
• Then place the beef ribs on top of a cooling rack in an aluminum pan and pour in the broth and red wine
• Place another aluminum pan on top, upside down to keep the moisture in
• After another approximate 2 hours of cooking, the ribs should be a little over 200 degrees
• Remove from the heat, allow to rest and serve.

Video

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This article was initially published on: April 19, 2021