Smoked Beef Short Ribs – My Recipe

I love smoked beef ribs but sometimes they are too big and in that case, I look for some smoked beef short ribs to put on the smoker.

Not only are they smaller but, because of their size, also a lot cheaper. Plus you don’t have any leftovers.

I found some beef chuck short ribs for sale at my online butcher and will tell you all about how I make my smoked chuck beef short ribs.

Preparing Short Ribs

There is not much difference in preparing beef short ribs or pork ribs.

The main thing to do is remove the membrane. This can be a little harder for beef ribs since they are a little thicker compared to pork ribs.

I use a butter knife and stick it under the stick to wiggle it around and make some room for my fingers to get under the membrane.

Now I take a piece of paper towel or napkin and try to pull the membrane off in one piece.

Sometimes this works but many times you end up pulling off smaller pieces.

Seasoning Short Ribs

Today I was in the mood for some more spicy-tasting short ribs and adjusted my seasoning a little for that.

• 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar.
• 2 Tbsp. Black Pepper
• 1/2 Tbsp. Salt
• 1 Tbsp. Onion Powder
• 2 Tsp. Ground Mustard
• 2 Tsp. Garlic Powder
• 2 Tsp. Chili Powder
• 1 Tsp. Cajun Seasoning.

“If you prefer a little milder taste cut down or leave out some of the Chili or Cajun seasoning.”

Most of the time I season my meats overnight to give the flavors to penetrate the meat more.

Smoking Short Ribs

I have smoked short ribs on Traeger, Pit Boss pellet grills, and Offset smokers, and actually on any type of smoker this recipe will work.

If you like to know what wood to use you can read my opinion about the best wood for smoking ribs here.

Pre-Heat The Smoker

Don’t forget this step and let the temperature stabilize for a while. Believe me, I learned the hard way.

When I was just getting started with smoking meats this was a step I forgot and this made the temperature jump all over the place.

I like to smoke as close I can get to 225°F (107°C) but I see others prefer 250°F (121°C).

To check the temperature in the smoker I use a Digital thermometer.

Put The Short Ribs On The Smoker

Once the smoker stabilizes around my preferred temperature it is time to place the ribs on the smoker.

Make sure to smoke them meat side up. At least that is my opinion for the best result.

Close the smoker and let the wood and temperature do its magic.

Check The Temperature And Wrap

This part is the way I do it. There are tons of other ways and opinions about wrapping or not.

After about 1 hour I check the temperature with my digital handheld thermometer and if it gets close to 150 or 160°F (65 – 71°C) I pull them off the smoker and wrap them.

Since I had 2 short ribs I decided to wrap one in butcher paper and the other in Aluminum foil to see if this would give a different outcome.

In both, I added a little apple juice as I always do.

Finishing The Smoked Short Ribs

This part is a little tricky and took me a long time to figure it out.

We, my wife and I, like our ribs to be very tender so it does not matter to me if they stay on the smoker a little longer.

If you like them to have a little more of a bite to pull them off the bone you have to check them sooner.

After one hour on the smoker wrapped in butcher paper or aluminum foil, I check them and if I like the way they look and the temperature is about 190°F (87°C) I pull them and let them rest for a few minutes.

Butcher Paper VS Aluminum Foil

It was hard to see a difference between the short ribs in butcher paper and aluminum foil.

I believe the butcher paper made them a little softer and the aluminum foil gave them a little more crispy skin.

Smoked Short Ribs – My Experience

As I mentioned before there are many ways to smoke chuck short ribs and what I shared here is just my way of doing it.

You can smoke them on any smoker. I used my UDS (ugly drum smoker) but you can use an offset smoker or your pellet grill if you like.

In general, all beef ribs can be done the same way. I like short ribs so I don’t have a lot of leftovers that I have to find a way to use.

I have many of my smoker recipes for everyone interested.

If you have any experience with smoking short ribs feel free to share it in the comments.

If you tried these short ribs give them a rating to let others know how you liked them.

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Eddie van Aken

Eddie van Aken brings years of experience from running a full-service restaurant, where he honed his skills with all types of kitchen equipment. His expertise extends to mastering the art of outdoor cooking, utilizing the right recipes to enhance flavors on grills and smokers. Eddie’s in-depth knowledge allows him to provide comprehensive grill reviews and valuable outdoor cooking tips, helping enthusiasts make the most of their grilling adventures. You can read more on the About page for Eddie van Aken