Smoked Dino Beef Ribs Texas-Style

Name: Smoked Dino Beef Ribs Texas-Style
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 420 min
Total time: 480 min
Yield: 4 ribs
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 tbsp coarse black pepper (16 mesh); 2 tbsp kosher salt; 1 tbsp garlic powder; 1 rack of beef plate ribs (3-4 bones, about 6 lb); 2 tbsp yellow mustard (binder)

480 min 4 ribs Hard

All Recipes

Massive plate ribs with a peppery bark smoked until the meat trembles on the bone — the most impressive thing you can pull off a smoker.

Prep

15 min

Cook

420 min

Total

480 min

Servings

Difficulty

Hard

Beef plate ribs, affectionately called dino ribs for their prehistoric size, are the ultimate showstopper in Texas BBQ. Each bone carries a thick slab of heavily marbled meat that, when smoked properly, becomes impossibly tender with a deep, beefy flavor that needs nothing more than salt and pepper.

Instructions

Trim

Remove the membrane from the bone side. Trim any hard fat deposits but leave the heavy fat cap on top — it will render and baste the meat throughout the cook.

Season

Apply a thin coat of yellow mustard. Mix coarse pepper, salt, and garlic powder. Apply a heavy, even coat. Texas-style means keeping it simple — no sugar, no complex rubs.

Set smoker

Preheat smoker to 250-275°F with post oak or oak splits. These ribs benefit from a bold smoke flavor that stands up to the rich, beefy meat.

Pro tip: If using a pellet grill, add a smoke tube with oak pellets for extra smoke flavor.

Smoke meat side up

Place ribs bone side down on the smoker. Smoke for 4-5 hours until the bark is dark and firm and internal temperature is around 170°F. Spritz with a 50/50 mix of water and apple cider vinegar every hour after hour 3.

Wrap or push through

For a softer bark, wrap in butcher paper and continue cooking. For a firmer bark, leave unwrapped. Cook until internal temperature reaches 203-207°F and a probe slides in with almost no resistance, about 2-3 more hours.

Rest

Keep wrapped (or wrap if unwrapped) and rest in a cooler for at least 45 minutes, up to 2 hours. This is essential for the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.

Cut and serve

Slice between each bone to separate. The meat should tremble and jiggle when you handle the rib. Serve immediately on butcher paper.

Serving Suggestions

Cut between the bones and serve each massive rib on its own. These need no sauce — the rendered fat and smoke do all the work.

Nutrition per serving

620

Calories

48g

Protein

46g

Sticky, sweet spare ribs glazed with a caramelized Dr Pepper reduction — the secret ingredient that makes these ribs unforgettable.

Medium330 min

See the recipe

Kitchen & BBQ gear

What we use for recipes like this

See the whole store

Coffee & Drinks · French Press

French Press Coffee Maker 34oz – Stainless Steel & Glass Coffee Press with 4-Level Filtration, BPA-Free Cafetiere for Camping or Home – Large, Durable for Hot & Cold Brew

$39.99

Kitchen Appliances · Toasters

Elite Gourmet 2-Slice Cool Touch Toaster – 6 Browning Levels, Extra Wide 1.25” Slots for Bagels & Thick Bread, Cancel Function, Compact, ETL Certified, Black

$23.69

Pit Boss Grills

All-In-One BBQ Tool

$15.99

Affiliate links. Prices come from Amazon and are refreshed at least every 24 hours.