Smoked short ribs are always a crowd pleaser. The richness and texture of a short rib is close to that of a brisket point, with just a little more drama and flair (it doesn’t hurt that they look like a giant dino rib, and we can pretend we’re at a BBQ in the Flintstone’s backyard). \r\n\r\nIt’s because of the brisket and short rib’s similarities that we treat them the same when it comes to cooking—a bold black pepper rub with a mustard binder, and plenty of time on the smoker.
Instructions
- Prepare the grill for indirect, low & slow cooking, 225°–275°F. Remove the grates from the indirect side of the grill and place a foil drip pan on the flavorizer bars, then fill with 4 cups of water. Replace the cooking grates over the drip pan.
- Use the snake method to prepare the kettle grill for indirect, low & slow cooking. Place an aluminum foil pan in the center of the charcoal grate and fill halfway with water. Line the perimeter of the kettle with 2 rows of briquettes that circle ¾ of the way around, placing a 2nd row of 2 briquettes on top of the first row. Be sure that the briquettes are lined up vertically, and that all the briquettes are touching.
- Set the grill to 250°F. Preheat for 15 minutes and brush the grill grates clean.
- Place the wood chips in a smoker box over the lit burners. Preheat the grill until smoke appears and brush the grates clean.
- Place the wood chunks on top of the charcoal, toward the beginning of the snake. Light the snake with 8–10 lit briquettes and adjust the dampers to achieve a temperature of 225°–275°F
- Cut away the excess fat from the meat side of the short ribs and cut the ribs into separate bones.
- Cut away the excess fat from the meat side of the short ribs and cut the ribs into separate bones.
- Combine the mustard and pickle juice in a small bowl to make a binder for the seasoning. Combine the black pepper and salt in a separate bowl.
- Spread a thin layer of the binder over the meat, then generously coat the meat with the seasoning (note: it’s not necessary to season the bone-side, as there is no meat on that side of the short ribs).
- Insert a meat probe into the thickest part of the meat.
- Place the short ribs above the water pan and cook until the bark has set and the internal temperature is around 165°F, 4–6 hours (see recipe tips).
- Place the short ribs above the water pan and cook until the bark has set and the internal temperature is around 165°F, 4–6 hours (see recipe tips), rotating the cooking grate as necessary to keep the bottom of the short ribs from scorching as the coals burn.
- Remove the short ribs from the grill and wrap in butcher paper, then wrap in a layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil, being sure not to make the foil airtight.
- Cook the wrapped short ribs until a probe slides easily through the meat and the internal temperature is 201°–207°F, 2–4 hours more.
- Remove the short ribs from the grill, wrap them in a towel, and place them in a cooler to rest until the internal temperature is 140°–150°F before serving, 2–4 hours longer.
Special Equipment
- hickory wood chunks
- silicone grilling gloves
- Weber Butcher Paper
- Wood chips
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