Smoking beef at a barbeque or home is one of the finest treats you can have. Nothing can beat the juicy, mouth-watering, and well-smoked ribs. The experience itself is fun-filled and rewarding, providing a good ambiance to catch up with friends or family.
One fact that cuts across all the many rib smoking recipes and techniques are that the best way to do it is with low heat. Even though it will take a longer time to cook, you can be guaranteed excellent results with succulent and fall-off-the-bone ribs.
Just like preparing any other meal, you need adequate preparations. Using a smoker to smoke ribs is not an activity that you can comfortably undertake without proper planning.
Warm it up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius), which is the recommended beef smoking temperature. While the smoker heats up, start preparing the ingredients for the food. You can start by grinding some black pepper to get the smaller size according to your preference. A coffee grinder will easily do this for you, and there is no need to shop for another grinder.
It’s time now to start preparing the meat. You will need to wipe off any fluids on the beef ribs after unwrapping them. It is highly recommended that you remove the outer membrane on the backside of the ribs, and you can easily do this using a knife. All you need is a paper towel, get a grip and peel the membrane away, and you are good to go. It is also advisable not to remove all the fat; instead, remove only the excess fat. Remember, the fat prevents the meat from drying out and also adds flavor while smoking.
The next step you need to undertake is seasoning the ribs. Apply olive oil first to ensure that all other ingredients stick to the meat. Sprinkle salt on all sides of the beef ribs, and if it’s a large rack, you will need to use more salt to ensure the meat flavor pops out well. Sprinkle the salt and pepper on all sides of the rack of ribs.
It is now time to place the ribs on the smoker. Open your smoker and gently place the ribs on the grate and close the lid. Leave the ribs in the smoker for the next 5-6 hours. You will, however, have to add some smoked wood at the second-hour mark. Closely monitor the meat temperature and avoid opening the smoker as you will be adding an extra 15-20 minutes every time you open the lid. We advise that you use a cooking thermometer to monitor the temperature as it will help you to succumb to the opening temptation.
The recommended temperature of the ribs is ninety-two degrees Celsius (197.6F). This is the temperature when you know the meat is ready. If you get any temperature close to this, then you should probe for tenderness. Alternatively, if you can easily get the probe through the meaty part of the ribs, you can test for doneness.
Wrap the cooked ribs in foil and wait for an hour before you serve it. You should keep the smoked beef in a cooler for an hour if the temperatures outside are cold. The main reason to wrap the meat is to let it rest, sealing in the juices while the outside cools a bit. Wrapping the smoked ribs ensures that the juices do not escape the meat when being served.
After an hour:
- Unwrap your juicy, tender, and delicious smoked beef ribs, and be ready to enjoy the magic.
- Slice the smoked meat rib on the fat line and serve it up.
- The prerogative of the chef is to take a piece and taste it first before serving!
We can guarantee that you get mouth-watering well-smoked ribs that are tender. You may choose to serve your ribs with a side of barbecue sauce though this is optional. Perhaps now you have the best recipe for preparing juicy smoked ribs and there is no reason to shy away from inviting people to join you for that barbecue. For more great Bradley tips and tricks along with how to get the most of your Bradley Smoker, check out the awesome articles on our Bradley Smoker Food Smoking Blog.
