Smoked beef short ribs are one of the most rewarding things you can put on a smoker. They take time — six to eight hours on a properly run smoker — but the process is mostly passive. Here is how to do it correctly.
Prep the Night Before
Remove the short ribs from the vacuum seal and pat dry. Apply a generous coating of coarse kosher salt on all sides — enough that you can see it clearly. Place on a wire rack uncovered in the refrigerator overnight. This dry brine seasons the meat deeply and dries the surface, which helps the bark develop during smoking.
The morning of the cook, apply your rub. Simple works best for short ribs: equal parts coarse black pepper and kosher salt, with garlic powder if you like. The meat is flavorful enough that a complex rub can compete rather than complement.
Smoker Setup
Target temperature: 250°F. Use oak or post oak if you are in Texas — both produce clean smoke with a flavor profile that pairs naturally with beef. Hickory is an acceptable substitute. Avoid fruit woods for short ribs — they are too mild and the sweetness can clash with the fat.
Place the ribs bone-side down on the smoker. Set a probe thermometer in the thickest part of the meat, not touching the bone.
The Cook
Leave the ribs alone for the first three hours. Resist the urge to open the smoker frequently — every time you lift the lid, you lose heat and smoke and extend the cook time.
Around the 160–165°F mark, you will hit the stall. Internal temperature stops rising or rises very slowly. This is normal. The stall is caused by evaporative cooling — moisture evaporating from the surface cools the meat at the same rate as the smoker heats it. You can push through it by wrapping the ribs tightly in butcher paper or foil (the Texas crutch), which cuts the cook time by 1–2 hours. Unwrapped, the stall resolves on its own in another hour or two with slightly better bark development.
Target internal temperature: 200–205°F. At this temperature, a probe should slide into the meat with almost no resistance. This is the collagen conversion point — the moment when connective tissue has rendered into gelatin and the ribs are ready.
Rest
Rest is not optional. Wrap the finished ribs in butcher paper and place in a cooler lined with towels for at least 45 minutes, ideally an hour. The rest allows juices to redistribute and the interior temperature to equalize. Cutting immediately after the smoker loses most of the accumulated moisture.
Pick up our beef short ribs in the Ribs collection.