I attempted my first set of ribs on the Big Green Egg and they didn't turn out well.

I went to HEB and bought beef short ribs so they would fit on my pit better. I thought I got all of the membrane off better I didn't. They started drying out and were crunchy by the time I pulled them off. I used "Grub Rub" with no mustard bone down on 200-250 for 3.5 hours.

What did I do wrong and how do I make them better? I love ribs and would like to be to have some at home.

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I attempted my first set of ribs on the Big Green Egg and they didn't turn out well.

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Liar. Everything cooked on the BGE is always perfect.

1st mistake: Bought beef ribs
2nd mistake: Didn't buy pork ribs

To add value:

I've never done beef ribs (don't really like'em) but my friends that do them take closer to six hours to finish.

Stick to pork.

Don't take it personal. Beef ribs are tough to cook. You gotta smoke em a while then wrap them and cook for a long time to get them tender. I mop mine several times too while they are smoking.

Pork ribs are way easier.

Maybe the truth behind the BGE is coming out now?

We do beef ribs all the time down at the coast on the Ol' Smokey. Just dry rub, cook for about 30-45 minutes, and they are always awesome!

beef ribs = steak with bones in it that you cook a little longer, but MUST keep moist.

FYI, I've had some killer good beef ribs, but they were first smoked, then basted and put in a foil pan to finish.

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I went to HEB and bought beef short ribs

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There was your first mistake.

Only beef short ribs I ever ate that were good were boiled in BBQ sauce.

beef ribs shouldn't be slow cooked IMO. they don't have enough collagen in the meat. they should be cooked higher temp, almost like a roast.

start with pork.
baby backs are hard to mess up.
spare ribs are better though IMO.
need to smoke for about 5 hours on your BGE at 200-250.

Beef short ribs need to be cooked like a steak (cross cut or boneless) or braised (any cut). Next time try cooking them in a dutch oven in a liquid braise at 350 on your Egg.

you shouldn't try to slow cook beef ribs. try pork ribs next time.

Pork ribs are easy, but my gramps has cooked some beef ribs that would give the best pork a run for its money.

For the record, Pete's Fine Meats here in Houston will occasionally do beef ribs for their BBQ/deli side and when I've had them they are, without a doubt, the best BBQ I've ever tasted. Far better than even the best pork I've ever had.

Sbisa used to have some great beef ribs...they were greasy as hell though, and didn't make the gut feel any better.



OK, maybe they weren't so great.

I like the country style boneless beef ribs. They are basically thick chuncks of steak. I usually marinate mine in "Absolutely Wild" bbq sauce overnight and cook them on the gas grill for about an hour or so in the 300 - 350 degree range. The boneless pork ribs are very good also.

[This message has been edited by str8shot1000 (edited 6/11/2009 1:57p).]

I slow smoke beef ribs (my preference) right alongside pork ribs (my wife's preference) all the time (going to do some this weekend in fact). I do baste both racks about every half hour until wrapping. They come out great. 5 hours (3 open smoke, 2 foiled) at 220-250.

Beef ribs are great, but you gotta mop beef ribs... and you gotta take your time.

You "baby" beef ribs. I don't use foil on ribs but I can live with it if ya gotta. "Not enough collagen" is simply perplexing as an excuse and incorrect. (Collagen is not a good thing... it simply is an obstacle you are trying to break through... or "break down" in this case).

Beef (Finger) Ribs are what I use.

All of these things that yall are saying that you "have to do" to beef ribs...I have never done. We cook them all the time: Dry rub, fire up Ol' Smokey, cook over flames for about 30-45 min. They are always awesome. I don't see the point in taking 5 hours to cook them.

Grilled ribs vs smoked ribs...somewhat different taste.

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Liar. Everything cooked on the BGE is always perfect.

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>>they don't have enough collagen in the meat<<

While heavy collagen likely means slow cooking is necessary, the opposite is not true. The pot roasts I slow cook have less collagen than the short ribs.

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I don't see the point in taking 5 hours to cook them.

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Because that's the way I like to do them.