Smoked Beef Short Ribs Temp and Time: Probe-Tender Near 203°F

Short ribs are rich, bony beef full of collagen. They need a long cook to turn tender, and they are ready when they feel tender, at a temperature that varies a few degrees from rack to rack.

Which short ribs you have

"Short ribs" describes how the ribs are cut more than where they come from. ThermoWorks notes they can come from the chuck, plate, rib, or brisket area. Meat Church names the two you are most likely to find: 4-bone chuck short ribs, common at grocery stores and warehouse clubs, and the bigger 3-bone plate ribs that Texas barbecue serves.

This guide covers chuck short ribs and cut pieces. Whole 3-bone plates are bigger and run 8 to 10 hours; the beef plate ribs guide covers that cook.

Done when probe-tender, usually near 203°F

Collagen begins breaking down around 170°F and goes faster as the meat climbs, according to ThermoWorks, which takes short ribs to 203°F. Push a probe or toothpick into the meat between the bones. Done ribs let it slide in with almost no resistance. If it still grabs, give them more time and check again in 20 to 30 minutes.

How long short ribs take

Published cooks run from about 5 to 10 hours. ThermoWorks wrapped its short ribs when the stall started and finished in about 5 hours. Smoking-Meat.com smokes a rack at 250°F for 7 to 9 hours to 200 to 205°F. Meat Church gives 8 to 10 hours for 3-bone plates at 250°F.

Wrapping in butcher paper or foil pushes through the stall faster and softens the bark. Leaving them bare builds more bark and adds hours. The meat stall guide explains why the temperature stops climbing.

The Smoking Time Calculator has a Beef Short Ribs setting for racks of 2 to 8 lb. It plans 75 minutes per pound, with at least 5 hours and at most 9, so a 6 lb rack gets 7 hours 30 minutes. For buying, the Meat Per Person Calculator plans about a pound of bone-in short ribs per adult.

Resting and holding

Rest short ribs about 30 minutes before slicing between the bones. If they finish early, wrap them and set them in a dry cooler with a probe in the meat for up to about three hours off the pit, including the rest. Keep them at or above 140°F the whole time. For a longer wait, move them to a warm oven or warming drawer set to 150 to 170°F. The Rest & Hold Calculator lays out that plan from the time they come off and the time you serve.

Checklist for a short rib cook

• Trim hard fat and silver skin. Leave the meat side ready for the rub.
• Run the pit at 250 to 275°F. Oak or hickory.
• Decide on wrapping. Wrap at the stall for speed, or leave bare for bark.
• Probe between the bones from about 195°F. Done ribs give almost no resistance.
• Rest about 30 minutes. Hold at or above 140°F if dinner is later.