Smoked Beef Short Ribs: Perfect Addition to Your Summer BBQ

Summer is ideal for great camping and BBQ sessions with family and friends. So do you know what to prepare for your upcoming summer camping trip yet? The ideal option is smoked beef short ribs
The BBQ party will become boring without attractive, rich smoked beef ribs. The ribs are well-marinated, fragrantly smoked, and melt-in-your-mouth tender. What could be more wonderful, right? From how to choose ingredients, and smoking techniques to tips to make the dish more attractive, all will be revealed in this article.
Smoked Beef Short Ribs: What You Need?
To have appealing beef ribs, the first thing you need to prepare is beef ribs. There are many types of beef ribs such as short ribs, spare ribs, and baby back ribs. Among them, the ideal one for smoking is the beef short ribs. Because this kind of meat is made up of many short, thick bones with a lot of fat interspersed between layers of meat. This is full of fat; therefore, perfect for smoking long and staying moist, rich, and creamy.
The second step involves preparing what will be used to marinate the beef and the preparation of a smoker. If you don’t have a smoker, you can use a charcoal or gas grill with a smoking box. We will share the ingredients used to marinate beef in more detail in the recipe section.
Smoked Beef Short Ribs: A Delicious Recipe
One of the most important steps that directly determines the flavor of smoked short beef ribs is the step of marinating the beef. Right now, we will reveal a “secret” recipe, the key to the flavor of this dish.
You must first get ready for the following ingredients:
- Black pepper
- Kosher salt
- Paprika
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Brown sugar (optional for sweetness)
- Cayenne pepper (optional for heat)
- Mustard or olive oil (to help the rub stick to the beef ribs)
After obtaining all the ingredients stated above, they should be mixed to obtain a thick paste. Next, you spread some olive oil or mustard on the ribs to ensure that the benefit of adhesion is observed. Then, spread the mixture you have just created on the beef ribs evenly. You can use your hands to massage for some time so that spices are absorbed evenly on the chicken. Once we are done with marinating, let’s turn on the smoker and begin the smoking process smoking process immediately.

Smoked Beef Short Ribs: How to Make?
We’ve got everything we need. Now we will smoke the beef ribs. Here are simple and easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions for even non-cooks:
Preparation:
You need to prepare the necessary tools for smoking such as:
- Smoker: A charcoal, gar gill, pellet, or electric smoker is suitable for smoking the ribs.
- Wood chips or chunks: The best wood for smoking beef short ribs are oak hickory and pecan. Or you can prepare whichever sort of wood you have on hand.
- Meat thermometer: What is more, you require a meat thermometer to measure the temperature of the beef ribs during smoking.
- Spray bottle: Lastly, do not also forget to set a bowl of apple juice or apple cider vinegar to be sprayed on the meat as it is being smoked. This will ensure the meat retains the necessary moisture and has a better taste as compared to other normal methods.
- Aluminum foil or butcher paper: You will need them to let the ribs rest while smoking.
Next, you need to prepare the smoker. First, you have to prepare your smoker for cooking by heating it at the range of 225°F (107°C). Wood pieces or chips can be soaked and added to the smoker.
Smoking the beef short ribs
Once the smoker has attained the appropriate temperature that was set put the marinated beef ribs in the smoker. In that case, how long does smoking ribs take? Featuring beef short ribs, smoking will take approximately 3- 4 hours when cooked at 225°F (107°C) and the internal temperature of the ribs should be around 203°F (95°C). You need to spray apple juice or apple cider vinegar, at least once an hour to ensure that the meat does not dry up.
If you want to smoke it using the Texas Crutch method, you can wrap the meat in foil and smoke it similarly as above. When smoking, you should ensure the internal temperature of the meat is good by using a meat thermometer. It is recommended to maintain smoking until the temperature goes up to about 203°F or 95°C inside the container.
Rest and enjoy
Once the appropriate temperature is reached, take the ribs out of the smoker. With the usual method, you need to use foil to wrap the meat and let it rest for another 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, you can take out the meat, slice it thinly and enjoy. You can prepare some side dishes such as mashed potatoes or cabbage to make the dish more rich.
So we have finished the attractive smoked beef ribs dish. What you need to do now is sit down and enjoy a hot, fragrant piece of beef with some fatty potatoes and a little wine. What could be more wonderful, right?
Smoked Beef Short Ribs: Tips and Tricks for Beginners
One of the more satisfying culinary experiences is smoking beef short ribs. Here are some tips and tricks for beginners to ensure delicious results:
- Choosing the right beef ribs: High-quality beef ribs will increase the deliciousness of this dish. As such, you need to know how to choose the right type of beef ribs. The short ribs are a perfect suggestion for this dish due to the thick meat mixed with fat suitable for cooking yet still moist and tender.
- Wood choice: You will want to use hardwood, such as oak, hickory, or pecan. These woods have a strong flavor that will accompany the beef. Fruit woods will give you a much milder flavor.
- The important thing is temperature control: Keep the smoker at 225°F for the entire time. This low temperature and long cooking time are the secrets to tender, moist ribs. Along with your smoker temperature, you will want to check the internal temperature of your ribs regularly as well. For tender ribs, it should read a minimum of 203°F inside.

- Moisture maintenance: Apple juice or apple cider vinegar can be sprayed all over the ribs hourly to help keep the ribs nice and moist, adding flavor to them.
- The Texas Crutch: This is a faster way to soften ribs faster. You can take the ribs out after half the smoking time; wrap them in foil, then continue the process—helps the meat maintain its moisture a lot better, along with the benefit of shortening the smoking time.
- Resting: Let the ribs rest for a minimum of 30 minutes after smoking to redistribute juices.
You should smoke beef ribs with the bone side down. This will protect the meat from the heat, help it cook evenly, and lock in the juices. A flat part of the bones can provide an almost perfect heat shield to prevent the meat from becoming dry and give it a tender and rich flavor throughout.
No. You should smoke ribs for about 6-8 hours at 225-250°F. If you are smoking too long, this leads to beef sliced ribs that are dry and firm in texture, therefore staying away from as favorable a texture and flavor. You need to keep an eye on the internal temperature and follow the smoking duration if you want to get tender, juicy, and appealingly visualized beef ribs.
Final Thought
Summer is a great time to gather with family and friends, enjoy delicious food, and create beautiful memories. With rich flavor and melt-in-your-mouth tender meat, smoked beef ribs are the perfect dish for any summer BBQ party.
So you have completed the delicious smoked beef short ribs and are ready to enjoy it with your loved ones. Don’t hesitate to experiment and make this recipe become your “secret weapon” at every upcoming BBQ party. Wishing you success and delicious meals!