Beef ribs are a classic barbecue dish that results in finger-licking, fall-off-the-bone meat when done right. With the right technique, you can achieve competition-worthy ribs at home on your own grill. The key factors are cooking at an indirect heat, maintaining temperature, and allowing enough time for the collagen in the ribs to break down. With a few simple tips, you’ll master grilling incredible beef ribs.
Choosing the Right Ribs
You have a couple options when it comes to selecting beef ribs for grilling. The most common choices are:
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Short ribs – Cut from the plate primal, short ribs contain a single rib bone. They tend to be meatier and more tender than back ribs.
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Back ribs – Cut from the rib primal, back ribs contain multiple rib bones connected by meat and fat. They tend to be longer with more bone.
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Dino ribs – These extra meaty ribs are sliced from the plate primal close to the chuck area They contain both rib and spinal bones.
For ease of grilling, I recommend choosing short ribs or back ribs. Dino ribs work too but may require more time to cook through. Look for ribs with nice marbling throughout for best texture and flavor.
Preparing the Ribs
Before firing up the grill, you need to remove the thin membrane from the back of the ribs. This will allow smoke and seasoning to better penetrate the meat. Use a sharp knife to loosen one corner of the membrane, grab it with a paper towel, then peel it off slowly.
Next, trim off any excess hard fat for more even cooking. Finally, rub the ribs all over with a dry seasoning blend. Typical barbecue rub ingredients include brown sugar, chili powder, garlic and onion powder, salt, pepper, paprika, and cayenne.
Let the seasoned ribs rest for 30 minutes up to overnight in the fridge so the rub infuses the meat.
Setting Up the Grill
To properly grill beef ribs, you need a low and indirect heat between 225-275°F. There are a couple ways to accomplish this on a standard backyard grill:
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Two-zone fire – Pile the coals on one side of the grill, leaving the other empty. Place the ribs on the empty side and keep the lid closed as much as possible.
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Heat diffuser – Place a drip pan or inverted sheet pan between the coals and food. The pan will disperse the direct heat.
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Offset smoking – If you have an offset smoker, set up the firebox on one side and cook the ribs on the other.
The key is maintaining an even, low temperature over an extended period of time. Meat thermometers are very helpful for monitoring grill temp.
Estimated Grill Times
So how long should you actually grill beef ribs? That depends on a few factors:
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Thickness – Thicker, meatier ribs will take longer than thinner back ribs.
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Bone-in vs. boneless – Bones conduct heat slower than meat, extending cook time.
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Temperature – The cooler the grill, the longer the cook. Higher heat speeds things up.
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Doneness – Ribs for pulling should cook longer than those you want to slice.
For reference, here are some estimated grill times:
- 3-4 lb. short ribs, bone-in – 5-7 hours
- 5-7 lb. dino ribs, bone-in – 7-9 hours
- Beef back ribs, bone-in – 6-8 hours
- Boneless beef ribs – 4-6 hours
The only way to know exactly when they’re done is by checking for tenderness.
Checking for Doneness
After 4-5 hours, start checking ribs periodically with the following tests:
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Bend test – Pick up the ribs with tongs. If ready, they should bend easily without breaking.
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Toothpick test – Insert a toothpick into the meatiest part. It should slide in smoothly.
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Internal temp – For sliced ribs, remove from heat at 195-205°F. For pull-apart ribs, cook to 200-210°F.
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Visual test – The meat will have pulled back from the bones by up to 1/2 inch when ready.
If the ribs pass these doneness indicators, they’re ready to come off the grill!
Allowing Time to Rest
This last step is crucial. Once you remove the ribs from the grill, resist the urge to eat immediately. Let them rest, tented with foil, for 15-30 minutes. This allows the juices to reabsorb back into the meat.
If you skip the resting time, the ribs will seem dry as the juices spill out when you cut into them. A quick rest makes all the difference in the final texture.
Serving Your Masterpiece
You’ve conquered the grill and achieved smoky, fall-off-the-bone beef rib perfection. Now it’s time to impress your guests!
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For short ribs, slice between each bone into individual ribs.
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Back ribs can be served whole or cut into 2-3 rib sections.
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Dino ribs and boneless ribs are ideal for pulling and saucing.
I recommend offering a range of barbecue sauces on the side to let guests flavor to taste. A few sides like coleslaw, beans, cornbread, or a fresh salad balance out the rich ribs nicely.
Now sit back and wait for the compliments to roll in! Your patience has paid off with unbelievable beef ribs cooked low and slow on the grill.
Beef Short Ribs Recipe
- Prepare BBQ for indirect cooking, use a smoker or an indoor oven. Set the temperature of your BBQ kettle, pellet grill or smoker to 250f (121c) or your indoor oven to 302f (150c).
- For gas BBQs with 3 or more burners, set for indirect cooking (middle burner turned off) at 356f (180c).
- Hood/lid/door will need to be closed for the entire cook whether you use a BBQ kettle, smoker, pellet grill, indoor or gas.
- You can add 2-3 chunks of wood (such as hickory, maple, apple etc) to a BBQ Kettle for a smoked flavour.
3-4 bone-in trimmed beef short ribs (minimum 1.5kg) Olive oil (enough to cover entire ribs) Enough 50/50 mix of beef stock/water, apple juice/olive oil or plain water to spray the ribs throughout the cook
For the seasoning:1 tablespoon ground sweet paprika (can be substituted with smoked paprika) 2 teaspoons dry mustard powder 3 teaspoons garlic powder 2 teaspoons onion powder 1 teaspoon of light brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon celery salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon sea salt
Triple the seasoning ingredients and place in a jar, store in the pantry for 2 months.
Step one – Combine the sweet paprika, mustard powder, garlic powder, onion powder, celery salt, pepper and sea salt in a bowl. Set aside until needed.
Step two – Trim ribs of excess fat and pat dry with paper towel.
Step three – Cover the ribs entirely (be generous) with olive oil and the rub seasoning. Refrigerate for 2 -4 hours if you have time. Allow the ribs to reach room temperature before starting the low and slow cook. Coat the ribs again right before placing them in your preferred heat/cooking source.
Step four- Place the ribs (bone side down) on grill grates.
Step five – Spritz the ribs every 45 minutes.
Step six – Cook the ribs until the internal temperature reaches 205f.
Step seven – Rest ribs for 30-60 minutes before slicing and enjoying.
Charcoal BBQ – Indirect cooking. Place the ribs on the grill grate opposite to the charcoal. See here.
Pellet Grill/Offset Smoker – In the center of the gill.
Gas BBQ – Turn the center burner off and use the outer burners set to med/low. Use a roasting tray/rack designed for the BBQ which will keep the ribs elevated and off the direct BBQ grill grates. Add a little water to the roasting tray.
Indoor Oven – Use a roasting tray and place the ribs on a cooling rack (on top of the tray) to keep the ribs elevated. Add a little water to the tray.
Be sure to tag me on social media Come Grill With Me, so I can check out your Beef Short Ribs. Love, Irene XO
10 Things To Remember For The Ultimate BBQ Beef Short Ribs
- Ask your butcher for Trimmed Plate Short Ribs with 3 – 4 bones.
- You dont have to remove the membrane on the back of beef short ribs (as you would do on pork ribs). The thin membrane helps keep the ribs intact, making them easier to eat when theyre ready. Sure, the membrane wont be something youll rush to nibble on when its time to feast on the beef ribs but it will make them easier to dig into.
- Cook ribs at around 250f (121c) in a charcoal BBQ, Smoker or Pellet Grill. In an indoor oven, cook them at 302f (150c).
- Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature.
- Big cuts of meat (roasts, brisket, ribs etc) usually stall at around 160-170f (71c-76c). The “stall” can happen when you cook a big piece of meat low and slow. I had no idea what was happening the first time I experienced a brisket stall. The temperature stayed at 160f for just over an hour! A stall can put a big pause on a cook and the only way I have found to overcome it is to wrap the meat in foil and be patient!
- After the first hour, spray (spritz) ribs every 45 minutes or sooner if you feel they are starting to dry out. Use a 50/50 mix of beef stock/water, apple juice/olive oil or plain water. Keep spraying them every 45 minutes until you reach an internal temperature of 170f-180f (71c-76c).
- Wrap the ribs in foil or butchers paper when the internal temperature reaches 170f-180f (71c-76c).
- Never cook by time! Remove the ribs when the internal temperature reaches 205f (96c). Measure the temperature using the thickest part of the ribs. The probe should insert into the meat without resistance and like it would into butter. Allow for 5+ hours in time.
- When ready, rest ribs in foil for 30 – 60 minutes. Most people rest ribs wrapped in a towel, in a cooler to retain the heat.
- For saucy ribs, brush them about 30 minutes before you are ready to remove them or when they reach an internal temperature of around 200f (93c) and keep brushing every 5 minutes until they reach 205f.
Beautifully trimmed raw plate short ribs from Ashburton Meats in Melbourne
Cook the Perfect Juicy Beef Ribs Every Time | Dino Ribs
FAQ
How long does it take for beef ribs to cook on the grill?
Place ribs on grill and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. About 10 minutes before you remove the ribs from the grill, mop them with sauce. When you take them off the grill, mop again with sauce and sprinkle some more Magic Dust on them. Serve immediately.
How long does it usually take to grill ribs?
Cook ribs on the preheated grill, adding water every hour if liquid has evaporated, 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes. Add barbecue sauce to ribs and continue cooking for 30 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 145 degrees F (63 degrees C).
What is the 3-3-3 rule for ribs?
For epic Traeger 321 ribs, learn this full-proof smoking method from the pros. Smoke ’em for 3 hours, wrap ’em for 2, and throw them back on the grill in sauce for a final hour.
How long to cook beef ribs wrapped in foil on a grill?
Place the ribs on the grill over direct medium heat and cook for 1 hour, with the lid closed, occasionally turning the packets over for even cooking, making sure not to pierce the foil. 6. Remove the packets of ribs from the grill and let rest for about 10 minutes.