Smoky and Savoury Beef Ribs: A BBQ Lover’s Dream Recipe

Ah, beef ribs. The smell of perfectly marinated, deliciously tender, juicy ribs is enough to bring anyone running. Whether you love spending your Sundays out on the deck grilling or are more of an indoor-with-a-glass-of-wine cook, beef ribs are universally enjoyable. Both to make and to eat.

But how do you create the perfect batch? The kind that falls off the bone and almost dissolves on your tongue with every bite? There’s a trick to it, and as suppliers of high-quality Angus beef ribs, we’d like to give you our tips. Read on for some tried-and-true advice for cooking your beef ribs and one of our favourite recipes.

Tips for Perfectly Cooking Beef Ribs

When it comes to cooking your ribs, you’re in charge. Over the years, meat lovers have found many ways to enjoy this delicious cut. Here, we offer a way to create a signature dish that will make you a favourite at the grill and the table. When you cook ribs, there are some basic rules of thumb to abide by to ensure your results are as delicious as possible.

• Choose the right ribs. Of course, all great recipes begin with choosing the best meat. Great beef ribs should be beautifully marbled, as this loads every bite with flavour if you can; select grass-fed and dry-aged ribs to bring out as much delicious smokiness as possible.
• Marination = flavour. Marinating your ribs in your chosen spice profile goes a long way to suffusing every inch with flavour. Additionally, elements like pineapple juice, vinegar, or even a squeeze of lemon will help tenderise the meat further.
• Low and slow is best. When cooking ribs, low and slow is the best way to go. While ribs are delicious on the barbecue, giving these ribs time to tenderise and fall off the bone will always give you a mouthwatering result.

Your Dream BBQ Beef Rib Recipe

Whether you’re impressing some guests on a Saturday night or just want to spend some alone time with your smoker, this is the perfect recipe. 

This BBQ Beef Rib recipe uses our deliciously marbled short ribs for maximum flavour. Remember that this recipe uses a smoker for maximum impact and will take some time to complete, so shop your cut well in advance.

Ingredients

2 racks of beef ribs (approx 2.5 kilos)

Salt and black pepper, to taste

Your favourite wood chips for smoking (we recommend hickory or manuka)

For the dry rub:

•       2 tablespoons brown sugar
•       1 tablespoon smoked paprika
•       1 tablespoon garlic powder
•       1 tablespoon onion powder
•       1 teaspoon ground cumin
•       1 teaspoon chili powder
•       1 teaspoon black pepper
•       1 teaspoon salt

For the BBQ sauce:

•       1 cup ketchup
•       1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
•       1/4 cup brown sugar
•       2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
•       2 tablespoons honey
•       1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
•       1 tablespoon smoked paprika
•       1 teaspoon garlic powder
•       1 teaspoon onion powder
•       Salt and black pepper, to taste

Method

1. Generously season your dry-aged ribs with salt and black pepper on both sides.
2.  Mix your dry-rub ingredients in a small bowl, ensuring everything is fully incorporated.
3.  Wearing gloves, rub the dry mixture evenly over the surface of every rib, ensuring they’re completely covered. Let them sit, covered, at room temperature so the flavours can mingle and penetrate the meat. 
4.  Prepare your sauce. Place a saucepan on medium heat, then combine all the BBQ sauce ingredients. 
5.  Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook gently for no more than ten minutes, stirring only occasionally. This approach should thicken the sauce slightly. Once it evenly coats the back of a spoon, take it off the heat and set it aside.
6.  Prepare your smoker. Preheat according to manufacturer instructions, adding the wood chips to the smoker box to begin smoking. 
7.  Place the ribs on the smoker rack, leaving space for the smoke to circulate. 
8.  Close the lid and allow them to smoke for three to four hours. Periodically baste the ribs with the BBQ sauce as they smoke. You’ll know the ribs are done when the meat is tender and easy to pull away. 

Serve with a side of salad and potato for the ultimate BBQ feast.

Discover what ribs are really supposed to taste like.

At Matangi, we manage a boutique herd, ensuring we can provide the highest quality beef ribs on the market. From field to grill, our eyes are on every part of the process to ensure your dry-aged Angus beef surpasses expectations.

Ready to experience how good ribs can be? Discover our delicious short ribs. 100% grass-fed beef enhanced by our unique 3-week dry-ageing process to bring out all that beautiful flavour. Get yours here.