What kind of beef ribs are these?

[CaseT]

MickHLR: Thanks for clearing that up. Great information. I might do the chuck short ribs again and do them longer this time wrapped in butcher paper about 1/2 way through. I only did them for 5 1/2 hours last time at 250 and they were still a tad tough.

Beef ribs really benefit from the wrap. I typically use the 3-2-1 method for beef ribs. The 2 hours wrapped allows them to braise and helps render the fat. I haven't tried butcher paper yet, always have used foil and about a 1/4 cup of liquid.

I buy from our one of our local grocery stores. They get all there meat in cryo-packed in primal state. If I want short ribs I ask for uncut or untrimmed short ribs. Usually two rack per cryo-pack. He will give me one or both. Same goes for back ribs aka DINO bones.

 

[MickHLR]

Hey Andy, yeah, I think you're on to something there. I usually smoke my beef ribs about 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 hours...and normally on my old stickburner I'd keep the temp between 250*-275*. No way I could dial it in to a certain temp, like we can these WSMs. And, I've never wrapped a rack of beef ribs...not even in butcher paper. I'm not even sure if that would help. Wayne Mueller, owner and pitmaster at Louis Mueller Barbecue in Taylor, TX, and one of the foremost beef rib cookers in the world, does his at 275*-300*. I've eaten his beef ribs many times, and Wayne consistently produces the best beef ribs anywhere. And, they've been doing them the same way since 1949. Once I started following his advice, my beef ribs got a lot better. I just don't put quite as much pepper on mine as Wayne does...and I'm not sure he really uses that much pepper. But, he is a great guy, as I've found most Texas Barbecue Pitmasters to be. And, none of them mind sharing what they do with us. Below is an email from him answering some of my questions.

"Hey Mickey!
Great to hear from you!... We use the 123A beef plateribs. I switched from the 130 chuck ribs about 5 years ago because the protein to bone ratio is greater in the 123A, which means greater value for the guest but more importantly, it's a better cut of rib... The fat distribution and muscle flavor I find to be superior in the 123A.
Congrats on finding the plate ribs! I will cook the beef ribs at temps from 275-300 using a rub that's 9 parts pepper and 1 part salt (by volume). I never flip the ribs - I place them bone-side down for the entire cook. I will rotate them 90 degrees to expose the tensest side of the rack to the heat source and I will pull them when I can insert my index finger into the cap about 2 inches in the center and at the 4 corners of the cap (about 2-3 inches from the edge). I don't use a thermometer on brisket or beef ribs because they will give you false positives and indicate they are ready to pull when they are not...
I wish you luck and success in all your endeavors!...Please keep cooking, feeding and spreading the gospel of smoke, pepper, salt and beef! There's nothing quite like it anywhere else in the world...
I hope our paths cross again soon.

Best always,
Wayne"

Wayne is a very personable guy, and Louie Mueller Barbecue is the epitome of Texas barbecue. It has been rated #1 - #4 in the state of Texas by Texas Monthly Magazine since they first started their rankings in 1972. Other joints come and go, but they just keep doing it the same way, in and out, every day. And, that's the difference in us and the professionals. On the Texas Monthly article below, they have them ranked #4, behind Franklin's, Pecan Lodge, and Snow's. And, it's worth pointing out that their top 3 are fairly new joints...Louie Mueller's has been doing this for 67 years. And, of course, everyone has a different taste for barbecue...and having eaten at the others, they are all good. I'm just more of a fan of Louie Mueller's.

http://www.texasmonthly.com/list/the-50-best-bbq-joints-in-the-world/louie-mueller-barbecue/

Oh, and Wayne's brother, John, owns John Mueller Meat Company in Austin...his are right up there as well.

http://www.texasmonthly.com/list/the-50-best-bbq-joints-in-the-world/john-mueller-meat-co/

And, Wayne's sister, Lee Ann, owns La Barbecue in Austin. La Barbecue also does some of the best beef ribs anywhere.

http://www.texasmonthly.com/list/the-50-best-bbq-joints-in-the-world/la-barbecue/

So, that's 3 family members, smoking meat the same way, that are all ranked in the top 8 barbecue joints in the state of Texas.


Good luck on perfecting those beef ribs. I'd rather eat beef ribs than a fine Ribeye steak.

 

[Chris A.]

Those look like chuck short ribs. I get them at restaurant depot whenever they are on sale. Good eats! The really long, and meaty beef ribs you are looking for are called plate short ribs. A little harder to find a bit more expensive. Either way...your rib look awesome!