Dino Ribs -- my first run

Beaumonty

I was intrigued by the beef back ribs @tydfan made last weekend and decided to use the recipe @nibblemethis outlined on his blog video.

Long story short, i cooked two racks at 325* for an hour fifteen minutes, foiled for an hour fifteen and finished in fifteen with thinned bbq sauce (Sweet Baby Ray's ColaQ) as a mop.  

I used a homemade rub with a baste of 1 tbsp "Better than Bouillon" beef base/1 tbsp Worcestershire.  Here are the prepped ribs:

Here is the stack after an hour and fifteen minutes.  I used pecan to smoke.

Here are the ribs foiled with brown sugar, onion, and water.

Here are the finished ribs:

I was really happy with the method: it predictably made tender, flavorful ribs.

I was expecting more meat considering how baby backs usually have a low bone - meat ratio.  Here, given the size of the bones, I thought I would be getting a lot of meat.  Also, it was a bit greasier than what I was expecting.  Nonetheless, I will be keeping my eye out for the ribs in the future. They're cheap, easy to make and very flavorful.  I don't know that I'd tweak anything.

nolaegghead

try short ribs - they're meatier.  Have to break down the connective tissue - long cook, but worth it.

Beaumonty

Personally, i prefer long cooks.  I stopped foiling my baby backs and don't mind overnighters on my pork butts.  Either short ribs or turkey breasts are my next project.

NibbleMeThis

With beef prices sky high, the beef back ribs are going to stay scrawny and skimpy as the producers are trying to milk out every bit of beef that they can. 

Definitely try the whole, untrimmed short rib.  Don't be surprised at the shrinkage, they do reduce a good bit.



Definitely meatier than beef back ribs.  They are both good, it's just a matter of preference and availability.  Sometimes it is difficult to get an untrimmed short rib unless you have a good butcher. 

The Cen-Tex Smoker

nolaegghead said:

try short ribs - they're meatier.  Have to break down the connective tissue - long cook, but worth it.

Agreed but ask your butcher to leave them long. Short ribs are the chuck ribs that start about the same size as you cooked. They just traditionally cut them short. If they don't have them out, just ask your butcher for whole chuck ribs. That is what we BBQ around here. Very meaty compared to the other beef ribs

boatbum

I cooked some of those last week - better than brisket.

 

gdenby

boatbum said:

I cooked some of those last week - better than brisket.

Are those "long" short ribs, or back ribs w. lots of the steak left on? I've never found any beef rib, short, chuck, or back so thick, and obviously tender.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

That is a chuck rib (long short rib). You can tell because all the meat is on top of the bone with very little in between the bones. 

The Cen-Tex Smoker

boatbum said:

I cooked some of those last week - better than brisket.

 

those look awesome. I like it better than brisket too.

gdenby

Beaumonty said:

Personally, i prefer long cooks.  I stopped foiling my baby backs and don't mind overnighters on my pork butts.  Either short ribs or turkey breasts are my next project.

Beef short ribs remain something of a mystery to me. I've read that there are plate short ribs, and chuck short ribs. I've also read that sometimes small back ribs are called short ribs. Most of what i have read indicate that the plate short ribs may be more tender than the chuck. Unfortunately, no place around me ever uses those descriptions. Its just "short ribs." I can't tell them apart visually, and so never know if I'm getting something that can go lo-n-slo, or something that also needs foiling.

I cook turkey thighs whenever i can find them. I think those might be candidates for best poultry BBQ.

I haven't yet found a way to cook beef back ribs, however meaty or meatless, that aren't a little greasy. I suppose its that even if the beef fat melts, it goes solid at human body temp. Once it gets on your lips, it is going to coat them and feel greasy. I always have some vinegar slaw or pickles on hand to balance that.

boatbum

Another name is Plate ribs. Got those at a Kroger. This is what they cut up into short ribs, I think there are 3 or 4 ribs for each side of the cow. Then the next ( however many ribs 11 or 12 ) are the dino looking one.

boatbum

I posted some pics last week - had some uncooked photos if you want to see what they look like. Not sure how to look up and link - but was in the Beef Forum.

billyray

When you break a front quarter of beef into the primals, the chuck and rib section are separated between the 5th and 6th rib. So the chuck has 5 ribs and the rib section has 7 ribs. 12 ribs total.

boatbum

TY for the specifics billyray, have heard of them referred to as plate ribs before?

billyray

The plate would be the lower section of the chuck where the ribs are longer. Think of the breast plate area on full pork spare ribs.

boatbum

The butcher where I got mine referred to them as plate ribs - not sure how accurate that was.   Not an expert on cutting up a cow.

 

Shiff

I went to our local market (Stauffers) and they were having a sale on Prime Rib Burgers.  When they have these sales (about once/month) they cut the meat off rib roasts and grind it for the burgers. They sell the rib bones that are left and they have quite a bit of meat on them.  These are much better than the frozen ribs that they get in from time to time.  I always buy as many as I can as long as they look meaty.  These were $2.99/pound.

I decided to try the recipe in this discussion and I am very glad I did. They came out great. These were the best beef ribs I have ever made.

I followed the recipe except that I used Agave syrup instead of honey. 

Looking forward to making these again.

Dyal_SC

Killer looking dino ribs!!  Nice job! 

Beaumonty

This is very helpful insight on the cuts.  I have a pretty good specialty butcher, but have also had pretty good luck with our local HEB butcher department; they're actually pretty darn responsive.

In fact, it was hard to find these ribs.  I had to go to Wal-mart and I am typically loathe to do so (for various reasons, mostly it's because I like supporting local) to even find beef ribs.

I believe my next mission will be finding beef chuck ribs. If they have plate ribs or know the meaty beef ribs by that name, then I'll use that terminology. 

Either way, I really appreciate everyone's insight.  

Is there a different method for Beef Short ribs beyond the high temp/braise/finish or is it just more extended times?

Alton

Need to try real soon...

Tydfan

Those look great!  I too was a little disappointed at the amount of meat on the ribs especially after the foiled part of the cook.  Did you notice they tended to be a bit greasy compared to pork ribs or was it just me?

Beaumonty

A bit more, but not in a bad way.  I think the solution is to try to find meatier cuts of ribs like was mentioned above...or cook pork ribs.  I really like them.  The fact that it's harder to find good ribs only encourages me.  Those pics above of the thick chuck ribs look amazing.  Plus, you look like the Chief Cave Man serving those monsters to guests!

nolaegghead

Beaumonty said:

This is very helpful insight on the cuts.  I have a pretty good specialty butcher, but have also had pretty good luck with our local HEB butcher department; they're actually pretty darn responsive.

In fact, it was hard to find these ribs.  I had to go to Wal-mart and I am typically loathe to do so (for various reasons, mostly it's because I like supporting local) to even find beef ribs.

I believe my next mission will be finding beef chuck ribs. If they have plate ribs or know the meaty beef ribs by that name, then I'll use that terminology. 

Either way, I really appreciate everyone's insight.  

Is there a different method for Beef Short ribs beyond the high temp/braise/finish or is it just more extended times?

Avoid wally world meat too.  They push their suppliers to reduce prices and they have to cut corners to make ends meet. 

You don't need a high temp braise/cook.  You can cook short ribs very slow and long.  You can get them cut korean style and cook like a steak (however marinating recommended).  I use sous vide on short ribs. 

U_tarded

I bought chuck ribs at Kroger. I just asked if they cut their own short ribs. Once they said yes I asked could I get some uncut, the guy ran to the back a minute later returned with a cryo weighting about 10 pounds (had 2 racks in it). I smoked them with oak about 275 for about 8 hrs until they probed tender (190 -198 depending on the spot with my thermapen). No foil no fiddling just looked for a big pullback and tenderness. They were awesome, super meaty 4 ribs to a rack, leftovers for lunch today.

Beaumonty

That. Is. WHat. I'm. TALKIN' ABOUT!=D>

Those look great.  I appreciate the quick lesson in "Butcherese" too.  Our regular store is Kroger, so I'll give them a shot.

Beaumonty

My emoticon didn't translate.  This is what I meant to do:

=D>

boatbum

Looks great.   Sometime, try cutting across the grain on the hump on top - before you separate the ribs.   My favorite meat.