First beef ribs on the WSM


 
J

Jonas-Switzerland

New member
Hi guys, doing my first beef ribs this weekend.

It is going to be my fifth cook on the WSM, and the first time I am doing a fatty beef in my cooking career. And of course its for a party... Can you give me a sanity check on my timeplan? I can post pics for compensation :).

I ordered 1.5 kg ~ 3 pounds of beef ribs from my local butcher. I researched people smoking beef ribs (meaning I watched some youtube) and saw like a 6 hour cook time for 250-275F.

I add 2 extra hours buffer time, so I start 8 hours before serving. That should hopefully give me enough time. But honestly, I have no idea.
 
Welcome to the world of beef ribs! They're absolutely worth the wait, especially on a WSM. Your plan sounds pretty solid, but here's my take with a few tweaks for your first time:

Cook time: 6 hours is a good ballpark, but it can definitely vary. Those extra 2 hours of buffer time are a lifesaver, especially for a party. Here's the thing - rely on the internal temperature of the meat, not just the cook time. You want those ribs to hit that sweet spot of 195-205°F for fall-off-the-bone goodness.

Foil magic: Consider the "3-2-1 method" for extra tender ribs. Smoke them unwrapped for 3 hours, then wrap them tightly in foil for 2 hours (this helps them steam and get tender), then unwrap and crank the heat a bit (around 275°F) for the last hour to set the sauce (if you're using one).

Don't forget the stall: There's a good chance your ribs will hit a stall in temperature around the 3-4 hour mark. This is normal - don't be tempted to crank the heat! Just let them ride it out.

For pics, we'd love to see them regardless of compensation! Smoking is all about the experience and sharing the results is half the fun.
 
Beef ribs are awesome.
275 five hours. With a wrap.
Sometimes longer.
In a hurry, cut into singles. Much less time.

Again, your plan is solid. Even more time is good, ribs can rest for a while.

Remember, you can always use the oven at any time. Especially after wrapping. Do remember to be mindful of the smoke smell indoors though.
 
Tony Coloma said:
Even more time is good, ribs can rest for a while.
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Indeed. Those bones can hold some heat.

Skin the back sides as much as possible. Beef rib membrane is much tougher than pork.

Which cut of ribs did you get? Spare, plate or short?

From a personal preference standpoint, I like beef ribs with minimal seasonings: salt, pepper, and garlic and/or onion. Let the beef flavor come through; don't clutter it with a complicated rub. And definitely salt ahead of time.
 
Thank you guys for the nice replies.

I ordered the meat from a local butcher in advance. I got a "Featherpiece", which are ribs without the bone. Apparently bone-in cuts are so rare here they weren't able to get a cut within a week.


IMG_20240628_143923.jpg

But I got it dirt cheap for swiss beef. No idea what this piece would be classified as in the USDA system. It looks good to me.

IMG_20240628_143945.jpg

There was a layer of fat on the meat side, which I trimmed off. (Did not take a picture from the meat side...)
IMG_20240628_145451.jpg

I used worcester sauce as a binder, and rubbed it with 50/50 salt/pepper, with some garlic powder added. Its now wrapped up and waiting in the fridge for its big day tomorrow.

I know its a bit early, but I'd rather rub it today and have more time for other preparations tomorrow.
 
Jonas-Switzerland said:
Hi guys, doing my first beef ribs this weekend.

It is going to be my fifth cook on the WSM, and the first time I am doing a fatty beef in my cooking career. And of course its for a party... Can you give me a sanity check on my timeplan? I can post pics for compensation :).

I ordered 1.5 kg ~ 3 pounds of beef ribs from my local butcher. I researched people smoking beef ribs (meaning I watched some youtube) and saw like a 6 hour cook time for 250-275F.

I add 2 extra hours buffer time, so I start 8 hours before serving. That should hopefully give me enough time. But honestly, I have no idea.
Click to expand...
Sounds good! 6 hours at 250-275F is a great starting point with a buffer. Just remember, temp trumps time! Aim for 195-205°F internal and don't panic if there's a stall.
 
IMG_20240629_173153.jpg

Well, that was awesome.

I did not really know what to expect. I never did such a cout, nor had any such cut. I remember having fatty beef roasts at my uncle, but it was never that tender.

I chose to not wrap. I had enough time, and chose to spend it with my family instead (and witb the pork spitroast I was doing as well). I pulled at 83C/180F. My thermometer was already poking through butter, and I did not want pulled beef today. However, I did probably just proke the first "rib layer" . The cut had two layers, separated by a fat layer. The top layer, which I poked, was juicy and tender. The second layer was less tender. I'd say maybe it was undercooked. It also was not as juicy. I don't remember what layer my probe was in.

I defitively am my harshest critic today. People loved it. They too did not know smoked beef ribs. The cut was 50% larger than either the pork or the smoked salmon I served today. But it was gone first. I only had the scraps which I snacked in between tasks.

And I am starting to love my WSM. It was a difficult day. Winds picked up and died down every half hour. But my boy soldiered on. It never once overshot 275F, and always left me enough to adjust the vents between sprits.

People loved it. It won't be the last time I am doing beef ribs. Next time hopefully with bones.

Last but not least, I had fun. Man, smoking is for the soul.
 

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Well, that was awesome.

I did not really know what to expect. I never did such a cout, nor had any such cut. I remember having fatty beef roasts at my uncle, but it was never that tender.

I chose to not wrap. I had enough time, and chose to spend it with my family instead (and witb the pork spitroast I was doing as well). I pulled at 83C/180F. My thermometer was already poking through butter, and I did not want pulled beef today. However, I did probably just proke the first "rib layer" . The cut had two layers, separated by a fat layer. The top layer, which I poked, was juicy and tender. The second layer was less tender. I'd say maybe it was undercooked. It also was not as juicy. I don't remember what layer my probe was in.

I defitively am my harshest critic today. People loved it. They too did not know smoked beef ribs. The cut was 50% larger than either the pork or the smoked salmon I served today. But it was gone first. I only had the scraps which I snacked in between tasks.

And I am starting to love my WSM. It was a difficult day. Winds picked up and died down every half hour. But my boy soldiered on. It never once overshot 275F, and always left me enough to adjust the vents between sprits.

People loved it. It won't be the last time I am doing beef ribs. Next time hopefully with bones.

Last but not least, I had fun. Man, smoking is for the soul.
Click to expand...
It’s pretty cool to see a gent in Switzerland enjoying American bbq. You did yourself well on your first cook. Congrats!

The world is a better place when cultures exchange food and drink.

More food and wine and less wars. Excited to see what you cook next on your WSM.
 
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