Beef Short Ribs...Need Opinions Here

[kew_el_steve]

I was at Sam's today and noticed a package that was going to expire tomorrow. They're Beef Short Ribs. I talked the guy in to giving me a great deal on them. They are now safely in their Foodsaver cocoon in my freezer, waiting for the weekend.

I don't seem to be able to find a recipe on the web that directly addresses how to smoke this cut. They are 5 lb., across the bones, and have a fat cap on each piece. Each piece is about 3/4" thick.

I've done plenty of full and half beef racks, but not this cut. I know that beef is different than pork. I also know that I usually do about a 2-1.5-(quick grill with Sweet Baby Ray's) treatment, with salt and pepper as a rub before smoking. Probably going to be Hickory chunks.

I'm thinking on these, since they are not going to pull from the bone since it's going in the other direction, about a 2-1-grill treatment, directly on the grates with a spritz at 1 hour of dark beer. I have a GOSM gasser with water pan.

I am looking for opinions on the best way to do (not over-do) these. Maybe in a pan with beer over them like KickAssBBQ would, or some other way??? God help me, but I'm looking to the brain-trust(?!?) here to help me.

 

[ajthepoolman]

New one to me. I say rub em, slap em on the rack and just do it!

 

[deejaydebi]

Did they slice across the rib bones? I never saw that before. Seems like alot of extra work.

Dutch is there are reason for this way of cutting?

 

[Dutch]

They usually do that for grilling-it exposes more meat to the heat so they will cook quicker.

 

[kew_el_steve]

Ok, not getting a lot of action here. AJ is right. I'll just have to keep it on the low side of 225 and sneak up on it. I'll report early next week. I see this cut every time I go to Sam's, so it's common, at least there. I just happened to see an opportunity today that I could take advantage of. Maybe we'll all learn something new.

Usually on this deal, you can eat your mistakes.

 

[homebrew & bbq]

Steve, I'm pretty new to smoking and all this related stuff, so this is probably a dumb idea, but....

When I saw those pieces of meat, they sort of reminded me of beef bacon so I wondered if it would work to cure them and then give them some smoke. I know their 3/4 inch thick so they won't end up really being bacon but it might be a tasty result.

Just a thought.

 

[deejaydebi]

I knew Dutch would know! Thanks Hon! I'd hate to have to cut all those bones. Must be frozen first or something. Around here they separate all the ribs the long way and sell them loose.

Let us know how they come out!

 

[flash]

Shoot just lather them up in mojo like my Beef rib post and smoke em. Beef is really kinda hard to screw up unless you over cook them. You really only need around 3 hours tops, maybe less, but color will tell you when they are done. Pick one up for a taste test and go from there.
Check out my post Beef Ribs and Split turkey breast here in this section.

 

[kew_el_steve]

Hey Flash...NICE JOB on those ribs over on your thread.

Question: what did you use as a Mojo? Did you buy or make from your own recipe? Same question as on your rib thread.

 

[flagriller]

If it were me, I'd marinade them, season and grill them over a wood fire. While grilling, baste with a mixture of soy sauce and wostershire once or twice. When almost complete slather on BBQ sauce, when done cover with BBQ sauce cover and let sit for 10-15 minutes in the sauce. Make sure the baste and sauces are warm not cold.

 

[triple b]

There is a reason they do that cut.
The ribs on a beef carcass goes a lot farther down than what you see on a cleaned up Prime Rib roast.Probably 12 inches or more.So if you think about it,there isn't much meat or fat over that part of the rib cage.
So the easiest thing for the butcher(meat cutter) to do is to run it through a band saw.Hence the short style ribs.
They are usually braised or stewed,but,I can't see anything wrong with smoking them with any rib recipe.
And yes the meat does pull back from the bone as it cooks and tenderizes.

Hope this a help.
Enjoy!

 

[flash]

I am close to Miami. LOL, so it is cheap here. I usually get Iberia or Goya. We have a Mexican Tienda in Chiefland I check out also. Easy to get so I go with the mix instead of making it myself. Goya is seen the most, but I prefer Iberia, for its sticking power.

 

[squeezy]

I agree totally with Triple B ... and they are quite common here, although admittedly, I haven't done them.

 

[kew_el_steve]

I like the idea of using Mojo marinade. Just have to decide whether to do them in a hotel pan or on the grate. I'll take pix either way. Thanks to the "brain-trust (?!?)" for help.

 

[deejaydebi]

I think being beef ribs I'd go for a mild thin teriaki marinate. I love teriaki beef! A bit of Italian dressing and few shakes of garlic, onion and ginger and a spoon of brown sugar will do it.

 

[flash]

Very funny. Went into Winn Dixie today and there were the SAME ribs. Never seen them there before. I think some butcher screwed up somewhere and shipped them thru out the country.

 

[kew_el_steve]

OH MAN...maybe they came from China and I'm gonna die from lead poisoning!!! Oh well, I'll go with a smokin' smile on my face.

 

[kew_el_steve]

My grocery store here (Publix) has Goya, so that's what I'll use on the shorts.

As an experiment to familiarize myself with the Goya Mojo before using on the shorts, I tried it on some chicken breast-strips. It went horribly RIGHT!!! This came out wonderful:

Mojo Chicken and Macaroni Salad

2-3 lb. Boneless, skinless Chicken breast
Mojo Marinade (Goya or equivalent)
16 oz. Elbow Macaroni

1/2 large, ripe Tomato -- diced
1/4 Green Pepper – finely diced
1/4 sweet Onion – finely diced
1 rib Celery – finely diced
1 TBS. Fresh Cilantro – finely diced

2 TBS. Miracle Whip
1 tsp. Lemon Juice
1 tsp. Lime Juice

Slice chicken in to thin strips. Place in non-reactive container and cover with marinade. Marinade for 20 minutes stirring occasionally.

Boil macaroni until done and drain/butter. While macaroni is boiling, grill chicken strips on perforated cooking sheet. Do not discard marinade. As chicken is turned while grilling, baste with marinade; discard any remaining marinade.

Chill chicken and macaroni.

Cut chicken in to bite sizes.

In large bowl, mix all ingredients. Donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t go overboard with the Cilantro.

Serve cool to cold. S&P to taste.

 

[flash]

Remember to go easy on the mojo with chicken/turkey. The acids in it can really work over these items, much more so than beef or pork which can marinade all night. Shoot for 2 hours or so with poultry.

 

[kew_el_steve]

Yeah, I hear that. The recipe calls for 20 minutes in the Mojo. You can see and feel the acids in the citrus doing their thing. Went through two batches in two days. Man, what a great recipe that turned out to be.

Tomorrow, Mojo beef shorts and rubbed beef racks...the only thing that could make it better is if the PATS were destroying someone again. Oh well, have to wait until next weekend for that.