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FAQ Subject: How Can I Make Great Beef Ribs?

Maybe I have just missed it because your wonderful site has so much good stuff but I can't find anything about barbecued beef ribs. There is a well known restaurant in Austin, TX that makes very good barbecued beef ribs and I would like to know how to get results like theirs. Can I just barbecue beef ribs with the same times and temps as pork ribs and expect to get good results? Are there any tricks to selecting good beef ribs?

Thanks!
Nate McClure

Hi Nate,

Most likely those ribs are either broiled or roasted rather than barbecued. Click into "According to Smoky" from www.barbecuen.com and read the "Glossary" for the distinctions.

The beef rib bone is a variable commodity. That part at the top, attached to the rib eye section, has tender meat that is very flavorable. The further down the rib bone you go the tougher the meat. Still tasty, but TOUGH. Usually they are called beef short ribs. These take slow cooking and patience to render tender enough to eat. Cook them at barbecuing temperatures (210°) for about 5-8 hours, basting with beef fat and seasonings until tender.

My advice is to buy the whole "semi-boneless" rib eye section, trim out the rib eyes and cook the ribs. They are very tasty roasted. They also make GREAT stock.

Have fun,
Smoky