Smoking beef short ribs
Want little briskets on a bone done with a smoker or BBQ? Our homemade Memphis-style rub is used to dry brine the ribs overnight. The maple wood smoke adds a surprising sweetness too. The Kitchen Bucket List loves showing you how to have a smokehouse right in your backyard. ✨Memphis BBQ rub✨ Dry brine✨ Smoke✨ Enjoy✨
Equipment
- Smoker or BBQ
- Remote meat thermometer with sensors
- Drip pan
Ingredients
- 2 beef short rib racks (4 bones each)
Beef short ribs rub Memphis-style
- 1 tablespoons salt
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons Paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon celery seed
Instructions
- Unpack the beef short ribs, pat them dry with a paper towel, and place them on a tray/plate ready to season with the Memphis-style rub.
Make the Memphis-style beef short ribs rub and dry brine
- In a bowl combine all the spices and mix well to make the beef short ribs rub.
- Rub in the Memphis-style seasoning into the rib racks and place in the fridge to dry brine for at least an hour.NOTE: Our two rib racks were in the fridge for 16 hours.
- Preheat the smoker or BBQ to 250℉. BBQers use an indirect cooking method and place a drip pan with water in it. I like to add that cook's rub into the drip pan. I chose maple wood for this cook but this is totally a personal call.
Time to smoke, rest, and enjoy
- Bring your beef short rib racks out to smoke. You can place them flat, bone side down, or elevate them.NOTE: If you are doing a few racks you may need to make the "rib teepee". See Notes.
- Smoke for around 7 hours at 250℉ or until the internal temperature is between 195℉ to 205℉.
- After smoking the beef short ribs, I rest them for 15 - 30 minutes. If I can wait that long 😉.
- Time to serve these tender briskets on a bone. I do my best to cut between each rib to keep the amount of meat fairly equal. Enjoy!
Notes
- Short ribs: Each had 4 bones weighing 4⅓ lbs. and 3½ lbs.
- Rib Tepee for more rib racks: If you want to cook more you could easily get 2 or more racks of four ribs in an 18-inch BBQ. You'll just need to make some "rib tepees". Use a stout wood skewer to hold two racks together at the top. Double-check that you can close the BBQ lid or for smokers that you can get the racks in the smoke chamber.
