Smoked Beef Back Ribs

These smoked beef back ribs are smoked low-and-slow until they reach the best ever juicy, tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture! The outside caramelizes beautifully, and the meat pulls right off the bone! Follow this easy 3 step method for effortlessly amazing smoked beef ribs!

Best Beef Back Ribs Recipe

One of the best parts of summer has definitely got to be all of the grilled and smoked foods! These super easy smoked beef back ribs are such a flavorful part of a delicious dinner that the whole family will love!

When I look at smoked beef ribs, I see a lot of photos of really meaty ribs that are certainly not what I can grab at most grocery stores. Those ribs would require a trip to the butcher and demand a heftier price.

Jump to:

• Best Beef Back Ribs Recipe
• What Are Beef Back Ribs
• 🥘 Smoked Beef Back Ribs Ingredients
• Best Woods for Smoking Beef Back Ribs
• 🔪 How To Smoke Beef Back Ribs
• 🥗 What To Serve With Smoked Beef Ribs
• 💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
• 🥡 Storing & Reheating
• ❓ Recipe FAQs
• 🔥 🥩 More Smoker Recipes
• 📖 Recipe Card
• 💬 Comments & Reviews

That is why these beef back ribs are the type of ribs that are usually served here in my home. They're readily available, and they're more economical!

What Are Beef Back Ribs

The ribs come from the same rib primal cut section on the cow as the ribeye.  The butchers tend to carve closely to the rib bones, not leaving a lot of meat, making this cut extremely affordable.

Since it is the ribeye that the butchers are carving from the bones, the same wonderful flavor from the marbling is found on the ribs!

🥘 Smoked Beef Back Ribs Ingredients

For the rib rub, I use my steak seasoning, which consists of salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika,  dried thyme, and dried rosemary. I love to add some ground sage, too, especially when I am going light on barbecue sauce!

Beef Back Rib Dry Rub

• Olive Oil - 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.
• Steak Seasoning - 1 batch of my steak seasoning (about 5 ½ tablespoons).

Beef Back Ribs

• Beef Back Ribs - 1 rack of beef back ribs with the silverskin removed.
• BBQ Sauce - 8 tablespoons of barbecue sauce (my honey BBQ sauce would be excellent)!
• Butter - 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter or a butter substitute.
• Apple Cider Vinegar - 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or an apple cider vinegar substitute.
• Brown Sugar - 2 tablespoons of dark brown sugar or a brown sugar substitute.

*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*

Best Woods for Smoking Beef Back Ribs

Beef ribs can stand up to a heavy smoke taste, so the best wood chips are really going to depend on your own preferences. Here are some of my favorites for smoking beef back ribs for you to choose from!

• Mesquite - is an oily wood that adds a distinctive flavor to your smoked meats.
• Hickory - adds a strong smoked flavor to your smoked meats and is one of the most popular woods used in smoking.
• Apple Wood - adds a great, mild smoked flavor with a touch of sweetness.
• Oak - a great smoked flavor that is not overpowering. Oak chips can be used on their own for longer cook times without needing to be combined with any other wood varieties.
• Pecan - a wood that is wonderful when used in combination with other woods for smoking. I like to mix pecan chips with fruitwood for the best flavor and to keep the pecan from adding a pungent flavor.
• Cherry - adds a mahogany-like dark coloring to your smoked beef bark. This is a great wood to use in combination with hickory, oak, or pecan.

🔪 How To Smoke Beef Back Ribs

Use the simple 3-2-1 method for a foolproof way to get meat that literally will fall off the bone! For 3 hours, you will smoke the ribs uncovered, 2 hours covered, and 1 hour uncovered and sauced.

To get started, you'll need a sharp knife, your measuring utensils, a basting brush, tongs, and of course, your smoker.

I find I typically get about 4 servings per rack of beef ribs. You can always add an extra rack or two if you need more!

Prepare The Ribs

1. Remove membrane. This is typically not already done. You will need to remove the silverskin ( thin membrane ) from the underside of the ribs by working the tip of a butter knife underneath the membrane. Use your fingers or a paper towel to get a good grip and pull the membrane off.
2. Rinse (optional). Rinse the ribs with cool water and then pat the ribs dry using a few paper towels. *I like to do this to remove any small bone fragments, though it is not something you have to do.
3. Preheat. Preheat your smoker to 225ºF (110ºC) and load your hopper, wood chip box, or tray with your favorite wood.
4. Season. Once your smoker has come to temperature, coat 1 rack of beef back ribs with 2 tablespoons (29.57 milliliters) of olive oil and generously apply 5 ½ tablespoons (98.45 grams or 1 batch of my recipe) of steak seasoning.

Smoke The Meat

1. 3-hour cook, uncovered. Place the beef ribs bone-side down (or up if your heat source is coming from the top) in the smoker at 225ºF (110ºC) and cook for three hours. You should have a nice bark established at this point.
   
2. 2-hour cook, covered in foil. Open your smoker and remove the beef back ribs. Spread enough aluminum foil to wrap completely. Add 2 tablespoons (29.57 grams) of butter, 2 tablespoons (29.57 grams) of brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons (29.57 grams) of apple cider vinegar over the ribs.  Seal tightly in aluminum foil and return ribs to the smoker bone-side up, and cook for two more hours. *Wrapping the beef ribs in foil like this is termed the 'Texas Crutch' and is a popular method for speeding the cooking time and retaining moisture in low and slow-smoked meats!
3. 
4. 1-hour cook, uncovered and sauced. Unwrap the foil from the beef back ribs, add 8 tablespoons (188.29 grams) of your favorite BBQ sauce, and return them to your smoker bone-side down for one more hour.

🥗 What To Serve With Smoked Beef Ribs

These BBQ smoked beef ribs will pair wonderfully with any of your favorite BBQ side dishes! Some classic choices could include smoked mac & cheese, baked beans, milk butter corn on the cob, twice-baked potatoes, or garlic green beans. Enjoy!

See my post on what to serve with beef ribs for more great side dish suggestions!

💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes

• Apple juice is a good alternative to apple cider vinegar if you're worried about the vinegar flavor diminishing the smoked beef or rub flavor in any way. Psst! Don't worry about that, they taste A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!
• You want to remove the silverskin (aka membrane) because it allows more smoke to penetrate into the meat. Setting your beef back ribs with the silverskin side down ( and in place still ) would block the smoke from really permeating the meat from the underside.
• The USDA does not recommend rinsing raw meats, but it is something I always do. I can't stand the little bone fragments occasionally found on ribs. However, if you choose to rinse the ribs, you should be extra thorough when sanitizing your kitchen after preparing your ribs.
• As beef ribs are very rich, the rub should be heavier on beef ribs v.s. brisket, for example. I typically will use about ¼ cup of dry rub per rib rack.

🥡 Storing & Reheating

Place leftover beef back ribs in an airtight container or tightly wrap them in aluminum foil and refrigerate them for up to 4 days.

Freezing Beef Back Ribs

For longer storage, wrap the ribs in foil and put them in a Ziploc freezer bag. Freeze them for 4-6 months. When you're ready to reheat them, let the ribs thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

Reheating Beef Back Ribs

Put your leftover beef ribs in a baking dish with a splash of broth or water. Cover them with foil and bake at 250°F (120°C/Gas Mark ½) for 20-30 minutes or until heated through.

If desired, you can uncover the ribs during the last 10 minutes of reheating and baste them with more BBQ sauce.

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🔥 🥩 More Smoker Recipes

• Smoked Duck - A whole smoked duck with rich flavor and golden, crispy skin!
• Smoked Chicken Thighs - Juicy and succulent chicken thighs with a wonderful smokey flavor!
• Smoked Surf N Turf - A buttery lobster tail and a thick, juicy steak are a match made in heaven!
• Smoked Corn on the Cob - Make your side dish right alongside the main course with this easy smoked corn on the cob!
• Smoked Italian Sausages - You'll love the flavor of these delicious smoked sausages. All you need is the buns and condiments!
• Smoked Meatloaf - A family-favorite dinner but with a delicious, smokey twist!

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