Smoked Beef Ribs have a simple rub and are smoked low and slow for hours. They’re a carnivore’s delight and packed with so much flavor!

It costs approximately $38.97 to make these ribs. The recipe serves four, costing around $9.74 per serving.

You can never go wrong when deciding to make ribs for dinner! For more rib recipes, try my Smoked Ribs that are fall-off-the-bone-tender, Crockpot Spare Ribs, and Grilled Honey Garlic Sticky Ribs

The finished Smoked Beef Ribs on a wooden platter.

No summer BBQ is complete without a stack of beef ribs. Now you can step up your ribs game with these Smoked Beef Ribs.

The simple rub creates flavorful meat that is delicious when served with your favorite BBQ sauce on the side. Follow my step-by-step directions to learn how to smoke Beef Ribs perfectly.

Ingredients and Estimated Cost

Per Serving Cost: $9.74

Recipe Cost: $38.97

  • 4-bone rack of short plate or chuck ribs – $37.95
  • 3 Tablespoons spicy brown mustard – $0.09
  • 2 Tablespoons kosher salt or sea salt – $0.12
  • 2 Tablespoons cracked black pepper – $0.66
  • ¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar – $0.15

NOTE: The recipe prices are calculated by using grocery store websites. The actual cost of the recipe will vary depending on what ingredients you already have.

All of the ingredients needed to make this recipe.

How To Smoke Beef Ribs

  1. First, preheat the smoker to 250 degrees F. 
  2. Then dry the ribs with a paper towel and remove the membrane from the backside of the ribs. 
  3. Next, spread mustard over the outside of the ribs. 
  4. Mix together the salt and pepper and cover the ribs with the spice mixture. 
  5. Place the ribs in the smoker and smoke for three hours. 
  6. After three hours, spritz the ribs with vinegar every hour until the ribs reach an internal temperature of 203-205° F.
  7. Finally, remove the ribs from the smoker and wrap them in tin foil and place the ribs in a cooler for at least one hour before serving. Serve with your favorite BBQ sauce.

***For complete recipe instructions, see the recipe card below.

A picture collage showing how to smoke beef ribs.

Recipe Variations

  • You can use any style of mustard for the binder.
  • You can experiment with adding different flavors to the vinegar spritz; some suggestions are hot sauce or substituting for apple cider vinegar.
  • My favorite wood pellet choices for this recipe include apple, pecan, and cherry.

Storage and Serving Tips

SERVE: You can keep the ribs at room temperature for no longer than 2 hours before they will need to be refrigerated.

STORE: Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

FREEZE: Place the cooked ribs in an airtight container or freezer-safe Ziploc bags. Stored this way, they will keep for about four months in the freezer.

REHEAT: Thaw the ribs in the refrigerator overnight. Then, wrap them in foil and warm them on a grill heated to medium heat, or in an oven preheated to 325 degrees F for about 20 minutes.

A hand picking up a finished Smoked Beef Rib.

Recipe FAQs

How long does it take to smoke beef ribs?

The total time will vary from six to ten hours. For example, after smoking the beef ribs for three hours, you will spritz them with vinegar every hour. At this time, each hour, check the internal temperature of the ribs. Once they reach 203-205° F, they are done cooking. After smoking the ribs, wrap them in foil and set them inside a cooler for one hour before serving.

Do you wrap beef ribs when smoking?

You do not need to wrap the ribs while smoking them on the pellet grill. Instead, after the ribs are done cooking, you will wrap them tightly in foil for one hour to rest in a cooler before serving.

Should I remove the membrane from beef ribs?

Yes, you should remove the membrane from the ribs before spreading the mustard and dry rub over the ribs. Removing the membrane improves the quality and taste of the ribs. If you keep the membrane on the ribs, the results are tough and flavorless meat. Once the membrane is removed, the meat can absorb the spices and become tender during the low and slow cooking process.

The finished smoke beef ribs on a wooden cutting board with BBQ sauce.

More Grilling Recipes

Beef ribs that have been smoked on a wooden cutting board.
5 from 4 votes

Smoked Beef Ribs

Recipe Cost $ $38.97
Serving Cost $ $9.74
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 hours
Total Time 11 hours 20 minutes
4 people
Smoked Beef Ribs have a simple rub and are smoked low and slow for hours. They’re a carnivore’s delight and packed with so much flavor!

Equipment

  • Pellet gril
  • measuring cups and spoons
  • small mixing bowl
  • pastry brush

Ingredients
 
 

  • 4 bone rack of short plate ribs or chuck ribs
  • 3 Tablespoons spicy brown mustard
  • 2 Tablespoons kosher or sea salt
  • 2 Tablespoons cracked black pepper
  • Apple cider vinegar for spritzing about ¼ cup

Instructions

PREP SMOKER:

  • Preheat the smoker to 250° F. Close the lid.

PREP BEEF RIBS:

  • Using a paper towel dry off the surface of the ribs.
  • Remove the membrane from the backside of the ribs if it has not been removed. You can do this by using a butter knife to slide under the membrane to get started and pull off using a paper towel to grip the membrane.
  • Cover the outside of the ribs with mustard, this acts as a binding agent for the spices.
  • Mix together the salt and pepper and cover the ribs.

SMOKE RIBS:

  • Place ribs on the center of the smoker grates away from any hot spots and close the lid. Smoke for 3 hours.
  • After the initial 3-hour smoke, spritz the ribs with vinegar every hour until an instant-read thermometer reads 203-205° F. This can be an additional 3-6 hours.

TO FINISH:

  • Remove the ribs from the smoker and double wrap them in aluminum foil or butcher paper.
  • Rest the ribs inside a cooler for at least 1 hour.
  • Serve with your favorite BBQ sauce.

Notes

● You can use any style of mustard for the binder.
● You can experiment with adding different flavors to the vinegar spritz, some suggestions are hot sauce or substituting for apple cider vinegar.

Nutrition

Serving: 1rib | Calories: 587kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 64g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 195mg | Sodium: 3828mg | Potassium: 1240mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 24IU | Vitamin C: 0.04mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 8mg

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4 Comments

  1. Sisley White - Sew White says:

    I made these for my partner and he was obsessed from start to end. He didn’t share so I think that shows how tasty they were.

  2. Jyoti Behrani says:

    Looks amazing! I can’t wait to try this recipe. Thank you for the step-by-step instructions!

  3. These easy beef ribs were super tasty. My meat loving husband loved them.

  4. Oh wow! Definitely perfect for a summer BBQ. These ribs look amazing and I absolutely love those flavors.