Smoked Short Ribs (Smoke-Braised)
Individual short ribs are the easiest way into beef ribs. Smoke them for a few hours to build bark and flavor, then braise them in a covered pan of broth so they turn spoon-tender and juicy. You get the best of barbecue and braising, plus a rich sauce to spoon over the top.
- Keto, gluten-free and sugar-free: As written. Use a gluten-free beef broth with no added sugar. The onion adds only a few carbs per serving.
- Halal: Use certified halal (zabiha) short ribs and halal-certified broth. There's no wine or alcohol in this recipe.
- Kosher: Chuck short ribs are a forequarter cut and widely available from kosher butchers. The recipe has no dairy. Use kosher-certified broth, and cut the added salt by about a third, since kosher beef is pre-salted.
* Depends on certified ingredients or a simple swap. See the notes above.
Ingredients
- 6–8 English-cut beef chuck short ribs (single bone, about 4–5 lb total)
- 2 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp coarse black pepper
- 1 tbsp granulated garlic
- 1 tbsp olive oil or yellow mustard (binder)
- 1½ cups beef broth
- 1 onion, sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme or rosemary (optional)
English-cut means each piece has one thick bone with a chunk of meat on top. They're different from flanken-cut (thin strips across several bones, used for Korean-style grilling) and from the big plate short ribs ("dino ribs"). Wood: oak, hickory or cherry.
Instructions
- Trim and season. Trim off any thick, hard fat cap. Coat lightly with oil or mustard and season all sides with the salt, pepper and garlic.
- Fire up. Bring the smoker to 275°F.
- Smoke. Place the ribs bone side down with space between them. Smoke about 3 hours, until the bark is dark and set and the meat reaches about 165–175°F.
- Set up the braise. Scatter the onion, garlic and herbs in a foil or disposable pan just big enough to hold the ribs. Add the broth. Nestle the ribs in, bone side down.
- Braise. Cover the pan tightly with foil and return it to the smoker (or a 300°F oven). Cook 2–3 hours, until a probe slides into the meat like butter, around 200–205°F.
- Rest. Uncover and let rest 15–20 minutes. Skim the fat off the top of the braising liquid.
- Serve. Serve the short ribs whole with the onions and a spoonful of the juices. They're great over mashed potatoes, polenta or cauliflower mash.
Make-ahead tip: braised short ribs are even better the next day. Refrigerate them in the braising liquid, lift off the hardened fat, then reheat covered at 300°F until hot.
Thermapen ONE by ThermoWorks
Short ribs are done when they're probe tender, not at a set time. A thin, fast probe makes checking each piece easy.
See it at ThermoWorksWant the big Texas-style version? Try Smoked Beef Ribs (Dino Ribs).