Smoked Beef Back Ribs

Step 1

Remove the beef back ribs from the packaging and give them a good rinse under cold water.

Step 2

Lay the ribs on the cutting board and remove any large clumps of fat.

Step 3

Turn the rack of beef ribs over and remove the membrane on the boney side

Step 4

Get ahold of the thick layer of plastic-like membrane by prying up on it with your finger, a butter knife or whatever works best for you.

Step 5

Once you have it started, get ahold of it with a paper towel and pull it off.

Step 6

I don’t usually season the boney side of beef ribs.. just doesn’t seem to be justified but feel free to do so if you wish.

Step 7

Flip them over to meat side up and proceed with the seasoning process.

Step 8

Please note that you can apply the mustard and rub right before the ribs go into the smoker and it will be fine but if you have time to do this the night before and let them marinate in the rub for several hours, the ribs will be even better.

Step 9

Apply some yellow mustard to the meat side of the beef ribs.

Step 10

Rub the mustard into the ribs with your hands and don’t forget the sides and any crevices down between the rib bones.

Step 11

Put a tablespoon or two of Jeff's original rub onto the meaty side of the ribs and massage it in with the mustard to create a paste that is extremely flavorful. This paste not only tastes amazing, but it creates the perfect crust on the outside of the ribs.

Step 12

Wrap the ribs in plastic wrap and place them in the fridge overnight or for at least 4 hours to allow some of the flavor of the rub to get into the top layer of the meat.

Step 13

Note: I recommend placing the wrapped ribs into a cookie sheet or pan to prevent any runaway leaks.

Step 14

The next morning, remove the ribs from the fridge, unwrap them from the plastic and lay them in a Bradley rack or cookie sheet in preparation for transporting them out to the smoker.

Step 15

Prepare your smoker for cooking at about 225°F with indirect heat.

Step 16

If your smoker has one, fill the water pan with water .

Step 17

Let the smoker heat up to 225 °F before placing the meat in the smoker.

Step 18

Place the Bradley rack in the smoker or lay the beef back ribs directly on the smoker grate bone side down.

Step 19

I recommend a good hearty smoke like mesquite, hickory or pecan but you can use any smoking wood that you have available and they will be fine.

Step 20

I like to apply smoke for the entire time to replicate the flavor of a wood burning smoker but if you do not like a more subtle smoke flavor, it is ok to smoke them for less time and finish with just heat.

Step 21

Let the beef ribs cook until they are tender. (This usually happens at around 185-190 °F and can take anywhere from 4-6 hours or even more depending on variables such as weather, how often you raise/open the lid, and the starting meat temperature.

Step 22

Let the smoked beef back ribs rest for about 10 minutes, then slice them up and serve to your family and guests.