Texas beef short ribs, often called “Dino ribs” or “brisket on a stick” are a mainstay in Texas BBQ. Louie Mueller’s in Taylor, TX popularized them in response to Aaron Franklin of Franklin Barbecue‘s best brisket on the planet. Louie’s, Killen’s, Truth, and Hay’s County have some of the best Texas beef short ribs in the state. This recipe is your guide to creating authentic Texas beef short ribs in your own backyard. The seasonings and sauce come courtesy of Head Country Bar-B-Q.
Head Country Texas Beef Short Ribs
Rate this RecipeOften called "brisket on a stick" Texas beef short ribs are a mainstay of Texas BBQ. Here's how to create Texas beef short ribs in your backyard.
Ingredients
Method
- Fire up. Heat your smoker to 250-275°F. If using a grill, set it up for a 2-zone cooking setup with a water pan and wood for smoke. If your rack of ribs is less than 5 pounds, try to maintain the cooker temperature at 250°F. If you ribs weigh more than 5 pounds, shoot for 275°F.
- Trim. Using a very sharp filet knife, trim as much fat and silverskin as possible from the top (meat) side of the short ribs. Do not remove the membrane from the bottom (bone) side. You want to keep that membrane to help hold the ribs together.
- Season. Starting with the bone side, apply a coating of Head Country Marinade, followed by a dusting of Head Country Championship Seasoning, followed by a coating of Head Country Bar-B-Q Sauce, followed by a dusting of ground black pepper. Flip and repeat on the meat side. Pour the apple juice into a spritzer bottle, and lightly spritz the ribs all over with apple juice.
- Cook. Place the seasoned rack of short ribs meat-side up on the cooker away from direct heat. Smoke the ribs to an internal temperature of 170-180°F, about 4 to 5 hours, spritzing the meat with apple juice every 30 minutes. Add wood and adjust your cooker as necessary to maintain a temperature of 250-275°F.
- Wrap. When the meat reaches an internal temperature of 170-180°F, wrap the rack in aluminum foil along with a couple tablespoons of apple juice (or beef broth). Wrap it tightly with no rips in the foil to ensure a good seal. Return the wrapped ribs to the smoker and maintain a cooking temperature of 275°F. Cook until the internal temperature reaches about 203°F, about 1 hour. If you want a more crispy bark, remove the ribs from the foil when the meat's internal temperature reaches about 198 to 200°F, return the ribs to the smoker, and smoke until the internal temperature reaches about 203°F.
- Serve. Remove the rack of ribs to a cutting board, cut into individual ribs, and serve.
Notes
About the short ribs. Purchase a package of uncut beef plate short ribs from your favorite grocer or butcher. I recommend Prime or Choice grade beef. One package is usually a 3-bone rack with a weight of 4 to 6 pounds. For this recipe, go for plate short ribs because chuck ribs are not as meaty.
About the cooking temperature. If you’re pressed for time, you can cook the ribs in a smoker heated up to 325°F. The ribs won’t be quite as good when cooked at the higher temperature, but they will be done sooner.
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