Smoked Beef Ribs

Smoked beef back ribs with a dark, flavorful bark on a wooden cutting board with sliced ribs, barbecue sauce, and fresh parsley.

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These Smoked Beef Ribs are coated in a flavorful dry rub, slow smoked until tender, and finished with a rich layer of barbecue sauce for irresistible flavor in every bite. These meaty ribs are perfect for cookouts, game day, or any time you're craving serious barbecue.

Prep Time20

Cook Time4 15

Total Time4 35

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: ribs

Calories: 504kcal

Author: Valerie Brunmeier

Equipment

pellet grill or smoker
instant read meat thermometer optional but helpful

Ingredients

Dry Rub (Enough for up to 5 pound rack)

4 teaspoons kosher salt
4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika

For the Rest

1 rack beef back ribs up to 5 pounds
1 to 2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard or enough to lightly coat both sides
Apple juice, apple cider vinegar, or beef broth as needed for spritzing
BBQ sauce as needed (I use Kinder's Mild)

Instructions

Score the Membrane

Pat the rack of ribs dry with paper towels. Flip the ribs bone-side up. Using the tip of a sharp paring knife, make a shallow cut crosswise across the silver skin from one side to the other, repeating 5 or 6 times. Then, a second set of cuts diagonally from one top edge down to the other. This opens the membrane so smoke and seasoning can penetrate.

Season

Rub a very thin coat of yellow mustard over both sides (about 1 to 1½ Tbsp total), just a light film so the rub sticks. You won’t taste the mustard after smoking. Sprinkle the dry rub evenly over all sides.
Let the ribs rest while you heat your smoker to 250 degrees F.

First Smoke – 2 ½ hours

Place ribs bone-side down directly on the grates. Close the lid and let them smoke for 2 ½ hours. About halfway through the cooking time, spritz them lightly (apple juice, apple cider vinegar, or beef broth) to keep the surface moist.

Foil Wrap – 1 to 1 ½ hours

They’re ready to wrap when they are a beautiful mahogany color, not too dark. Pull the ribs off the grill and wrap them in heavy-duty foil with the opening at the top so it’s easy to check on them later.
Spritz lightly one more time before sealing the foil. Return the foil packet to the smoker and continue cooking at 250 °F for 1 to 1 ½ hours.
After 1 hour, check the ribs. The meat should have pulled back from the ends of the bones by about ½ to ¾ inch. When you lift the rack with tongs from one end, it should bend easily. If you poke between the bones with a toothpick or skewer, it should slide in with little resistance (like butter).
The internal temperature should be around 200 °F to 205 °F when the ribs are tender. That’s the sweet spot to take them out of the foil. If they aren’t quite there, close the foil and continue to cook them for another 30 minutes.

Sauce and Finish – 20 to 30 minutes

Carefully open the foil and brush the top and sides of the ribs with BBQ sauce. Remove and discard the foil.
Place ribs back on the smoker at 250 °F, bone side down, sauced side up. Close the lid and smoke for an additional 15 to 20 minutes to set the glaze.

Rest, Slice, and Serve

Remove the ribs from the smoker and let rest, loosely tented with foil, for about 15 minutes before slicing.
Place the rack meat-side down on a cutting board so you can clearly see the bones. Using a sharp carving or chef’s knife, cut between the bones into individual ribs.

Notes

Yield Note: Beef back rib racks can vary quite a bit in size and meatiness. The 5-pound rack I tested yielded 7 meaty ribs.

Refrigerate: Store leftover smoked beef ribs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Freeze: Wrap the ribs tightly in foil and place them in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheat: Place the ribs in a baking dish with a splash of beef broth or water and cover tightly with foil. Warm in a 300 degree F oven until heated through.

Nutrition