Apple-Wood Smoked Beef Short Ribs: Fall Right off the Bone!

Oct 8, 2022 | BBQ'ing Tips, Recipes

Boo and Henry's BBQ Beef Short Ribs Recipe

If you love smoked meats, these beef short ribs are a must-have. Make this ribs recipe your go-to for your next backyard barbecue or Game Day feast-ivities!

For fall-off-the-bone tenderness, you can’t beat the sweat equity you earn from a labor of love, tending to your meat – and its bold, tangy kick of flavors – all day. Sprinkling on Rub Me Tender Dry Rub and basting with Red Hot Vinegar BBQ Sauce helps create a mouth-watering full-flavor, matched with the delicious depth of wood-smoked aroma.

And to upgrade the lip-smacking goodness, add Mexican Coke to your basting liquid. Mexican Coke is made with pure cane sugar, not high fructose corn syrup like major brands, and you can find it at almost any grocery store. It adds hints of sweetness to the meat’s depth of heat, spice and wood smoke.

Since smoking requires using the indirect heat, make sure to set your grill up properly, and monitor the wood chips, replacing them as they dry out and lose their essence.

Apple-Wood Smoked Beef Short Ribs Recipe

Yields: 4 (2-bone portion) servings

Preparation and Cook time: 6+ hours

Ingredients:

  • 8 Bone-In Beef Short Ribs
  • Boo and Henry’s Rub Me Tender BBQ Dry Rub 
  • Boo and Henry’s Red-Hot Vinegar BBQ Sauce
  • 2 cups Apple Juice
  • 2 cups Mexican Coke
  • 2 cups Water
  • 2 Garlic Heads, coarsely cutOlive oil
  • 1 Sweet Yellow Onion, coarsely cut

Additional Tools:

  • Charcoal
  • Apple Wood Chunks
  • Basting Mop

Preparation and Cooking:

  1. Season Beef Short Ribs generously with Rub Me Tender BBQ Dry Rub.
  2. Start the fire with charcoal, and bring to medium heat, keeping the fire indirectly to one side of grill.
  3. Soak wood chunks in water and put one piece on charcoal when needed.
  4. Make basting liquid with 2 cups Apple juice, 2 cups Mexican Coke, 2 cups water, coarse cut garlic, coarse cut onions and 1/2 cup BBQ Dry Rub.
  5. Place Ribs on the opposite side of the grill, not directly over coals. Apply basting liquid. Cover and slow smoke at 250°- 275° F.
  6. Every hour, check fire (add charcoal, apple wood, garlic and onion pieces), and baste ribs with liquid mixture.
  7. Repeat procedure for 6-8 hours (BE PATIENT – deep, rich flavor take time).
  8. When rib meat begins to loosen from bone, baste with Red-Hot Vinegar BBQ Sauce, and smoke for 30 minutes more.
  9. Give the Ribs one last glaze with Red-Hot Vinegar BBQ Sauce and serve.

Serve 2-bone portions, and enjoy with favorite BBQ sides!

By Daly Thompson, Executive Pitmaster. Decades ago, Daly hung up his starched apron as executive chef at four- and five-star restaurants and returned to his boyhood love of barbeque. Founder of four restaurants, including The Pig in Los Angeles and Boo and Henry’s in Phoenix, Arizona, Daly is a master BBQ educator and enthusiast, bringing authentic, Memphis-style BBQ to the world. Learn more about Boo and Henry’s BBQ.