Looking for Advice - Beef Short Ribs

NorthPilot06

Hey y'all - first time cooking beef short ribs low 'n slow (as opposed to braised...I know it's a sin). Just wanted to run a technique past y'all and see if you had any thoughts or suggestions:

Picked these beauties up at Costco earlier today:



Thus far I've removed the silver skin and I'm currently letting them dry brine in the fridge overnight. Generally speaking, I was planning to follow a brisket-esque approach:

- 225, indirect 
- Meat is done around 200 (probe test)
- Light hickory smoke 

Let me know if that sounds like a good gameplan. Also, I have a few Qs:

1. Should I cut the racks of 4 into smaller sets or leave as is?
2. Bone side down I presume?
3. Would you advise cutting off any of the fat cap?
4. Approx. Timing: Since these are about 1.25-1.5" thick, should these take ~6-7 hours to cook?

Thanks all!

Killit_and_Grillit

You're on a good track. I usually get mine with about 4 to 5 ribs per slab, so I can't help you there. Cook to the meat, not to time. I've had them take 8 and be done as early as 5 hours. 

Bone side down. 

I I try to get my fat caps flush so everything cooks evenly. 

Good luck. Take pics. 

gdenby

The chuck short ribs tend to be a little tougher than the plate. There is a seam of connective tissue, and a tougher muscle. The chuck is known to have more than average amounts of elastin, which does not break down w. heat. It looks yellowish.

Your cooking method seems about right. I usually go somewhat hotter, and they have never needed 7 hours. It cut into individual bones, they will go faster, but may also dry more.  Don't remove the fat. It will render itself.

When eating, you might want to cut away any yellow seams of elastin, as they will be like rubber.

NorthPilot06

Thanks for the feedback @Killit_and_Grillit and @gdenby

lousubcap

Great plan and wisdom above.  As @gdenby says, leave whole if you can.  I go til they pass the tooth-pick test and see anywhere from 5-7+ hours cook with a dome of around 250*F, FWIW.

Shiff

I consider braising them to be a sin, so your plan sounds great to me.  I generally cook them at 250 at the grate and do not cut them.

When I cook Beef back ribs I do remove the membrane but not with chuck short ribs since the meat is all on the other side of the bone.

I don't care for hickory and usually smoke them with Oak like I would a brisket, but I've also used Pecan and liked it.

I wish our costco carried them - I usually buy mine (not Prime, though) at Restaurant Depot which is about 40 miles away.

Enjoy

NorthPilot06

@Shiff thanks for the input!  Sadly I removed the membrane already at the suggestion of the Costco folks, but I thought the same thing as you...the meat is entirely on top of the bone. 

Definitely spoiled with our Costco down here in DFW - I was taking a look at the prime packers for 2.89/lb but I didn't have as much time today as that would require. 

NorthPilot06

Updates - unfortunately as I was removing the silver skin I inadvertently removed most of the fat as well - I wasnt aware that the silver skin only covered about half of the short ribs (the side with more meat). 

I put them on fairly recently dialed in at 240 grate temperature, figured I'd go a little lower since a good deal of the fat cap is gone (but still have a lot of intramuscular fat). 

Also went lighter with two chunks of cherry for some color. Not looking for an overpowering smoky flavor. Here are a few pics - I'll let you guys know how they turn out:

NorthPilot06

Ah and of course:

lousubcap

Looking great-brisket on a stick awaits.

smokeyj

Love beef ribs. I did a rack yesterday. 285 for 3 hours then dropped it down to 260 for 3 hours. 

NorthPilot06

Very quickly getting hungry. 

DMW

Coming along nicely!