Short rib is possibly my favourite cut of beef. I still remember the first time I had one – this massive slab of beef attached to a monster bone that was just so insanely flavourful and tender. This recipe for hickory-smoked beef short rib will give you a taste of true BBQ.

Short ribs come from the plate and flank area of the cow (not the upper rib area as you may assume). The ones you buy at the butcher tend to be cut across the bone, so you end up with almost bit-sized ribs once cooked. The ones you want though should be cut lengthwise – because anything worth eating comes with a handle!

INGREDIENTS

• 1.5k beef rib, cut lengthwise, not across the bones, we used Ranger’s Valley, and found this is more than enough for up to 3 people.
• Salt & Pepper (or Moonshine BBQ Beef Rub)
• Hickory Wood

METHOD

1. Get your smoker going, and bring it up to a temperature of 250F
2. Trim your short ribs of any large chunks of fat on the top. The cut itself has a lot of marbling, so the rendering fat inside it will create the tenderness. Also remove the silver skin from the underside of the ribs.
3. Rub the cut with salt and pepper, or use Moonshine BBQ beef rub, and leave to come to room temperature for half an hour.
4. Add some hickory chunks to get the smoke going
5. Pop the ribs on the plate, bone down, close the lid and walk away for 4 hours
6. Do a temp check, you want it at about 150F and a bark forming.
7. If the bark is looking dry, spritz with water (you can also use apple cider or beer)
8. When the ribs hit an internal temp of 205F-212F, probe for doneness. They should probe like butter. If not leave a little longer. Temp is not always an indicator of doneness.
9. Once you’ve let it rest for half an hour (wrapped), remove the ribs from the foil and slice lengthwise down the bone, and serve.

Enjoy!