The great beef rib experiment

smoked 3/23/17

The great beef rib experiment is underway.  Since this is the first time we have done the "dinosaur bones" I'll keep track of the process and update as we go along.

I've heard plus and minus about keeping the membrane on.  Being lazy, I decided to leave it on this time.  As usual, we had to trim the slabs down just a tad to fit in our little bullet water smoker.  Excess blood was washed off then the meat side got a light dowsing in soy sauce.  North Main BBQ All "N" 1 steak seasoning was added generously.  Then into the smoker with hot charcoal and a good pile of pecan and oak wood.   Start time was about 12:35 pm.

 

 

A little less than 3 hours in and the meat was at temperature but still a little tough.
Samples were delicious, but still a bit chewy. 

I know how to fix that.  We wrapped them in heavy foil, added a bit more spices, and a splash of beef broth.  Now into the oven at 250 degrees.  We'll check them hourly until done.

There were still some coals and good smoke on the smoker so we whipped up 3 pounds of burgers and pitched them on the grates.  No use wasting good fire and smoke.

1 hour in and the beef ribs are tendering up nicely.  Still a ways to go.  I'm going to give them one more hour wrapped at 250 in the oven.

Here's the finished product after 2 hours wrapped in the oven.  My Mrs said it was a grand slam but I think it was maybe a triple with two runs scored.  Still, not bad for our first beef rib cook.  The finished product was definitely worth more than 97 cents a pound.  Moisture, tenderness, and smoke flavor  were all excellent.  The biggest negative was these cheap beef ribs didn't have a lot of meat on the bone.  It took 3 to fill my belly.  Probably just a matter of getting the right cut of beef rib.  Hopefully we can try this again soon with some meatier beef ribs.