Smoked Beef Back Ribs: How to Make Juicy Smoked Beef Back Ribs!

Name: Smoked Beef Back Ribs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 420 min
Total time: 430 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 kg beef back ribs; 2 tablespoons montreal steak seasoning; 1 tablespoons cumin; 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar; 4 rosemary srpings

Recipe Print Comments

5 from 2 votes

These smoked beef back ribs are incredibly delicious, easy to make, and have a lovely smokey flavor from the aromatic spiced marinade. They're finger-licking good and perfect for a summer BBQ or any time you're craving something hearty and tasty.

Contents

🌟 Why this recipe works
🍽 Key ingredients
🔪 How to make smoked beef ribs
💭 Expert tips for cooking beef back ribs
💖 Favorite smoker for beef ribs
🪵Best Wood for smoked beef back ribs
📖 Beef ribs recipe variations
🥗 What to serve with smoked beef ribs
🙋 Frequently asked questions
🧊 Storing and ♨️ reheating
🍳 Related Recipes
👪 Serving size
📋 Recipe
💬 Comments

🌟 Why this recipe works

This smoked beef back ribs recipe is incredibly easy to make and only requires a few simple pantry ingredients.

The beef back ribs are first seasoned with a spice blend, then smoked until cooked through. The result is tender, juicy, and flavorful ribs perfect for any occasion.

The great thing about this recipe is that it is very easy to make. The beef ribs only need to be marinade for a couple hours and then smoked for 7 hours. You will need a smoker for this recipe, but you can easily use a grill if you don't have one.

The marinade for these beef ribs has a fantastic blend of flavors that yields fantastic results with a wonderfully smokey, aromatic taste that is sure to please any rib lover.

The biggest difference between these ribs and oven ribs is the flavor from the smoking process, which creates a tender and juicy rib that is truly delicious. The addition of the rub also gives these ribs a unique flavor that enhances the ribs while being smoked.

Carry on reading to see how to make them or if you want some more tasty smoked recipes, check out these easy pork ribs and melth in your mouth tri-tip recipe.

🍽 Key ingredients

All you need to make this mouth-watering dish is good quality beef back ribs, a few pantry spices, and a smoker. The smoker is essential to give your ribs that unique smoky flavor.

Beef back ribs - You will need 2 to 3 racks of beef back ribs for this recipe. I like to use Costco ribs because they are great value for money, and the quality is very good.

Montreal steak seasoning - This spice blend gives these ribs a fantastic smokey flavor perfect for any barbecue.

Cumin - Cumin is a spice that adds a lovely depth of flavor to these ribs.

Balsamic vinegar - The balsamic vinegar gives the ribs a lovely acidity that works well with the other spices and helps to tenderize them.

Garlic cloves - The garlic cloves add a fantastic flavor to the ribs and help to create a delicious rub.

Rosemary - Rosemary is a great herb to use in this recipe as it has a lovely aromatic flavor that works well with the other spices.

Butter and apple cider vinegar - The butter and cider vinegar is used to keep the ribs nice and moist during the second phase of smoking.

Substitutions

Beef back ribs

A good substitute for beef back ribs is beef short ribs or beef prime rib roast.

Dry rub

If you don't have all of the spices listed for the rub, you can easily substitute them for others that you have on hand.

For example, if you don't have rosemary, you could use thyme or oregano. If you don't have cumin, you could use smoked paprika.

The important thing is to use spices that you enjoy to complement the beef.

🔪 How to make smoked beef ribs

This recipe for smoked beef back ribs is quick and easy to make. The ribs only need to be rubbed with the spices and then smoked for 7 hours. Follow my simple instructions on smoking beef ribs for the best ribs EVER!

Preparations

Step 1
Place the beef back ribs on a chopping board and remove the membrane from the back of the ribs with a butter knife.

Step 2
Rub the back ribs with the Montreal steak seasoning.

Step 3
Then sprinkle the cumin on both sides.

Step 4
Peel and smash the garlic (no need to chop it into pieces).

Step 5
Transfer the back ribs into a ziplock bag and the crushed garlic, rosemary sprigs.

Step 6
Pour balsamic vinegar and allow the marinade to infuse the ribs for at least 2 hours refrigerated.

Tip: While the ribs marinate, start heating your smoker with wood chips until a temperature of 225 degrees Fahrenheit (110 degrees Celsius) is achieved.

Cooking instructions

Step 7
After 2 hours, remove the beef back ribs from the ziplock bag and transfer the leftover marinade to a bowl for basting the ribs later.

Step 8
Place the entire rib rack in the preheated smoker for 3 hours.

Step 9
After 3 hours have passed, remove the smoking beef ribs to a clean surface lined with a large piece of aluminum foil or butcher paper. (Place the ribs bone side up so that the rib bones don't penetrate the foil)

Step 10
Place the rosemary sprigs and crushed garlic from the marinade on top of the ribs. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar into the foil and tightly crimp the edges of the foil so that no air can escape.

Step 11
Gently transfer the foil-wrapped ribs to the smoker for another 4 hours.

Step 12
After 7 hours of smoking, your ribs will be falling apart and super moist.

Step 13
Transfer the ribs smoked beef to a plate, cut the tender meat into pieces, and share them with your friends and family for the best ribs EVER!

smoked beef back ribs with rosemary bone fall apart

💭 Expert tips for cooking beef back ribs

Remove the membrane

Always remove the membrane from the back of the ribs before cooking them. This will help the rub's flavor penetrate the meat and make them more tender.

Covering with aluminum foil

When making the foil packet, make sure to tightly crimp the edges so that no air can escape. This will help create a steam that will keep the ribs moist during cooking.

Let the ribs rest

Allow the ribs to rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting into them. This will allow the juices to redistribute and make them even more tender.

💖 Favorite smoker for beef ribs

I'm currently using and love the Pit Boss Pro 1150 pellet grill, which replaced my Traeger 575 pellet grill.

While smokers can be expensive up front, they last years, are inexpensive to operate, and the food tastes divine.

Smokers worth considering:

Camp Chef
Masterbuilt
Z Grills
Weber
Louisiana

🪵Best Wood for smoked beef back ribs

Hickory is my favorite for smoked beef back ribs. However, oak, apple, mesquite, cherry, and pecan are great options.

Smoke and flavor-wise, I buy lumberjack, bear mountain, and knotty wood pellets.

If you are a meat lover like me, I recommend you to check out Traeger Gourmet Blend in Costco that is well priced. This is the one I used to make my beef ribs recipe and my easy smoked beef plate ribs recipe.

📖 Beef ribs recipe variations

To change the flavor of these smoked beef back ribs, you can add additional spices or sauces to this recipe to give them extra sweetness or heat.

Sweet and smoke

This easy dry rub is soo flavorful and works with beef or pork ribs. It's a delicious rub with pantry spices like smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper, and the addition of brown sugar and cinnamon gives it sweetness.

Barbecue sauce

After the ribs have finished smoking after 5 hours, spread half a cup of your favorite BBQ sauce ( I use this rich homemade BBQ sauce recipe) on top and place them back in the smoker for another hour to give them sticky and sweet flavor with a delightful char.

Make them spicy

If you love your food spicy, you may want to up the ante on the rub with a teaspoon of chili powder and half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper. After 5 hours of smoking, remove the juice from the aluminum foil, spread half a cup of hot on the ribs, and smoke for 2 more hour to give them a spicy kick.

🥗 What to serve with smoked beef ribs

You can serve these smoked beef back ribs with favorite sides like corn on the cob, coleslaw, roasted potatoes, or a simple salad. Here are a few easy recipes to try at home that pair well with these delicious ribs.

Mashed potatoes

Creamy mashed potatoes with cream cheese and green scallions are easy to make in less than half an hour and taste great with these ribs.

Asparagus

Asparagus is a great green vegetable to serve with ribs because it's simple to cook and only takes about 15 minutes from start to finish.

This sauteed asparagus recipe adds sliced almonds to the skillet, and the tender asparagus is sauteed in butter and lemon juice for a delicious twist.

Air fryer Brussel Sprouts

These crispy air fryer Brussel sprouts only take about 10 minutes to cook, and get a dose of parmesan cheese on top to give them extra flavor.

They make a great side dish for smoked ribs or any other grilled meats!

🙋 Frequently asked questions

What are beef back ribs?

Beef back ribs are cut from the back of the cow in the dorsal area behind the shoulders. The rib area is where prime rib roast and ribeye steaks are cut. Basically what you get from the beef back ribs cut is a little of meat that remains attached to the rib bones after the prime rib roast has been sliced.

What is the best way to remove the membrane from the beef ribs?

The best way to remove the membrane from the ribs is to use a butter knife. Place the ribs on a cutting board and insert the tip of the knife under the membrane. Gently lift it and then use the knife to scrape it off.

How to cook beef back ribs without a smoker?

You can cook beef back ribs without a smoker by using a BBQ grill with a lid. Set the grill up for indirect heat and cook the ribs on the cooler side of the grill with the lid closed. Use a meat thermometer to gauge the internal temperature.

🧊 Storing and ♨️ reheating

You might not have any leftover ribs from this delicious smoked beef back ribs recipe, but if you have made lots of them, then you'll be pleased to know that they store well.

Fridge - Transfer the left beef ribs to an airtight container and place them in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Freezer - You can freeze the ribs for up to 2 months. Wrap them tightly in freezer paper or place them in a freezer bag.

Reheating - The best way to reheat the ribs is in the oven. Preheat it to 350F and place the ribs on a baking sheet, cover with foil, and heat for 15-20 minutes until warmed through.

You can also reheat them on the grill for 5-10 minutes until warmed through.

If you like this smoked beef back ribs recipe you should check my related delicious smoked meat recipes. Including my smoked sirloin tip roast recipe.

Looking for easy busy weekday short ribs recipe? I got you covered with my braised boneless short ribs slow cooker recipe which tastes fantastic!

👪 Serving size

This recipe makes enough servings for 4 people, depending on the size of your ribs! It's easy to scale too for bigger crowds, and because this recipe yields exceptional results, I always make more to have enough pieces to go around twice.

This recipe for smoked beef back ribs is so easy and delicious that you'll want to make it all summer long! The dry rub is full of flavor, and the ribs are cooked to perfection in the smoker. Serve with your favorite sides for a complete meal. Enjoy!

📋 Recipe