Texas-Style Beef Short Ribs
These smoked beef short ribs are peppery, deeply savory, and cooked low until the meat turns tender enough to slice right off the bone.
Prep 15 min · Cook 6 hr · Total 6 hr 45 min · Makes 8 ribs
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup coarsely ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder, optional
- 2 racks beef short ribs, 4-bones each, 10- to 12-inches square, membrane removed and hard fat cap trimmed to 1/8 inch
- 3 to 4 chunks of a medium smoking wood, such as oak or hickory
- 2 large pieces of butcher paper
- Type of fire: Indirect
- Grill heat: Low
Directions
- Stir together the pepper, salt, and garlic powder, if you’re using it, in a small bowl. Coat the ribs generously on every side with the rub.
- Bring your smoker or grill to 225 degrees F, setting it up for low, indirect heat. Once it reaches temperature, add the smoking wood chunks. When the wood has caught and is giving off smoke, set the ribs inside with the meaty side facing up. Smoke until an instant-read thermometer reaches 165 degrees F in the thickest section of the ribs.
- Snugly wrap each rack in butcher paper, then place the ribs back in the smoker. Cook until the thickest part reads 185 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. The probe should slide into the meat without any resistance.
- Move the ribs to an empty cooler and rest them for at least 30 minutes, or as long as 3 hours. Cut between the bones to separate the ribs, then serve.