Beef plate ribs

7 hr 30 min · 25 min hands-on · pull 205°F · rest 45 min

Ingredients

6 lb on the fire · ~3.3 lb to the table · 7 plates at 8 oz

• beef plate ribs (3-bone)1 rack (6 lb)
• kosher salt2 tbsp
• coarse black pepper2 tbsp
• granulated garlic1 tsp

Method

1. 1

   Trim silver skin on the meat side. Leave the hard fat on the bone side. Season heavily — these are thick.

2. 2

   Smoke at 265°F, bone-side down, until a deep bark forms, 5–6 hours. No wrap unless the surface is drying before 170°F internal.

3. 3

   Continue to 203–208°F. The tell is a probe that slides in with no tug, and meat that has pulled back an inch from the bone ends.

4. 4

   Rest 45 minutes, tented. Slice between the bones. Serve with nothing but the drippings.

If you don’t have it

• Plate ribs (3-bone) → Chuck short ribs. Smaller, faster, same salt-and-pepper. Still cook to probe-tender, not to a steak temp.
• Post oak → Oak or a light hickory mix. These can take more smoke than a steak. Still skip a full hopper of mesquite.
• No wrap → Paper wrap after bark sets. Wrap only if the surface is drying before 170°F. Foil will soften them toward braise.

Same cook, different day

• Hot and fast short ribs

  Weeknight beef ribs. 300°F until 205 probe-tender, 4–5 hours on chuck ribs. Still rest 30 minutes.

• Korean-ish glaze

  You want sticky ribs. Smoke unwrapped to 190, then a thin gochujang-soy glaze for the last 30 minutes. Do not start sweet.

• Braised backup

  The smoker died. Covered Dutch oven, 300°F, beef stock to a third up the ribs, 3 hours. Different dish, still dinner.