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How to Smoke Beef Back Ribs on the Big Green Egg (Dino Beef Bones)

How to Smoke Beef Back Ribs on the Big Green Egg (Dino Beef Bones)

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I find that most people don’t even know what a beef back rib or Dino beef bone is let alone how to smoke or cook them. To best clear the air the easiest way to describe a beef back rib is to think of it almost as a baby back rib but the meat is more like brisket on a rib. It is a tougher meat but you wont regret making it if you follow this slow and low recipe!

Unlike baby back or spare ribs, beef back ribs basically just have meat on the outer part of the rib. In fact, you really don’t even have to remove the membrane on the rib because all the meat is found in between and on the outer side of the back rib. Beef ribs are found on the plate section of the ribs and are usually the first three or four ribs which is cut prior to getting into the smaller ribs.

To cook beef back ribs (Dino beef bones) we will fairly closely be following one of my favorite ways to make spare or baby back ribs which can be found here if you would like to try this recipe as well. This beef back rib recipe will be utilizing my favorite rub Raging River by Dizzy Pig. If you don’t have it I highly recommend it. It is an excellent rub and very versatile.

Smoked Beef Back Ribs Ingredients

Beef Back Ribs Ingredients
  • Beef Back Ribs (Dino Bones)
  • Raging River Rub by Dizzy Pig (or other if you prefer)
  • Yellow Mustard (This helps hold the rub, you wont taste this)
  • Beef Broth – Bouillon

How to Prepare the Beef Back Ribs to Be Smoked on the Big Green Egg?

As previously mentioned, the preparation of the beef back ribs is the same as my favorite rib recipe.

Beef Back Ribs Membrane

The first step in preparing beef back ribs is option. Traditional ribs it is recommended to remove the membrane prior to cooking. This is optional with beef back ribs due to the meat being on the outside of the bone unlike regular ribs. I personally still remove it to get it out the way but many like to remove it to help the meat hold together throughout the cooking process.

Beef Back Ribs Mustard

Start out by putting a small even coat of mustard on the beef back ribs. Don’t worry, you won’t taste the mustard. The mustard is just used to help the rub adhere to the beef back ribs.

Beef Back Ribs Raging River

Now that you have a nice even layer of mustard on the beef back ribs it is time to add your favorite rub to the mustard. For me, this is Raging River by Dizzy Pig.

Beef Back Ribs Ready For The Big Green Egg

Continue this step with all slabs of beef back ribs and ensure you do it on all sides of the meat to ensure a nice flavorful bite at the completion of the cook.

How to Smoke the Beef Back Ribs on the Big Green Egg?

Start out by firing up the Big Green Egg (or Kamado Joe) and get it dialed into right around 250 degrees. Beef back ribs are cooked on indirect heat so get the plate setter or conv”egg”tor installed with the feet facing up and put the grill grate on top.

Beef Back Ribs On Big Green Egg

Once the Big Green Egg is dialed into 250 degrees it is time to throw the beef back ribs on. These are initially cooked directly on the grate which allows the smoke flavor to be absorbed.

Beef Back Ribs Thermometer In

Once the beef back ribs are ready and on you can then throw the thermometers in and let them smoke. You’ll smoke them for about two hours in which you are looking for an internal temperature of 160 degrees.

Beef Back Ribs Exposing Bone

Once your beef back ribs hit an internal temperature of 160 degrees it is time to get them wrapped. At this point, you should notice the meat starting to pull back from the bones exposing them at the end. This is a great sign that you are on the correct path to a successful cook!

Beef Back Ribs Tin Foil

The beef back ribs are then placed in tin foil to help prevent them from drying out the remaining portion of the cook.

Beef Back Ribs Beef Broth

To also assist with preventing the back ribs from drying out put a decent amount of beef broth or bouillon in the bottom of the tin foil. If you don’t have beef broth you can make some by simmering 1 teaspoon of bouillon in a cup of water and then add it to the tin foil.

Beef Back Ribs Wrapped In Tin Foil

Once the beef broth has been added wrap the beef back ribs all the way up and get the back on the Big Green Egg.

Beef Back Ribs Thermometer Through Tin Foil

Add your thermometers back and continue to cook until they are tender. Being so similar to Brisket this will usually be when they get into the 203-205 degree range. For this particular cook it took about another two hours to reach the range I was going for.

Once you’ve reached the 203-205 range your beef back ribs should be done. To test, you can take a tooth pick or meat thermometer and insert it into the meat and pull it back out. In doing this you shouldn’t have any friction, it should just pull right out.

Beef Back Ribs Tendernous Check

You will also notice that the meat of the back ribs will have pulled back more exposing more of the bone. This is perfect and exactly what you are looking for.

Beef Back Ribs Wrapped In Towel

At this point, you can wrap the beef back ribs back up in tin foil followed by a towel and put it in a cooler for a minimum of 10 minutes. This allows the juices to be reabsorb as well as any side dishes to be finished up.

Beef Back Ribs Fall Off The Bone

I’ve left them like this for up to an hour and they were still perfectly cooked to the point that the meat would just fall off the bone!

Enjoy and don’t forget to comment or share other successful recommendations or cooks! I’d love to give them a try!

Beef Back Ribs

Smoked Beef Back Ribs

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 4 minutes
Total Time: 24 minutes

Beef back ribs are like the perfect combination of ribs and brisket and they are so delicious you'll surely make this recipe again.

Ingredients

  • 1 Beef Back Ribs
  • 1 Raging River by Dizzy Pig (Or your favorite rub)
  • 1 Yellow Mustard (You wont taste this)
  • 1 Beef Bouillon or Broth

Instructions

  1. Remove the membrane of the beef back ribs
  2. Spread even layer of mustard on the back ribs
  3. Apply a generous amount of Raging River by Dizzy Pig (or your favorite rub)
  4. Let rest in the fridge for up to 12 hours.
  5. Heat the Big Green Egg up to 250 degrees. Beef back ribs are an indirect cook in which the plate setter / conv"egg"tor should be inserted with the feet facing up and the grill grate on top.
  6. Add the beef back ribs to the Big Green Egg, bone side down. Insert thermometer and cook for about 2 hours in which the internal temperature should be 160 degrees.
  7. Prep some tin foil by adding enough beef broth or bouillon to line the bottom of the tin foil. Add the beef back ribs to the tin foil, wrap and place back on the BGE.
  8. Insert the thermometer and cook for approximately another 2 hours. Beef back ribs should be tested for tenderness and pulled right around 203-205 degrees.
  9. Once achieve, placed the wrapped beef back ribs in a cooler and wrap in towels for a minimum of 10 minutes and up to an hour. This will allow you to finish cooking any sides you maybe cooking and then enjoy!

Notes

BBQ is good to have on hand for those who like it but beef back ribs are delicious without any sauce.

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Annie Moss

Saturday 11th of September 2021

Hi, I love your website and all your great sounding recipes. We just purchased the BGE so are new at this. I’m regards to your beef ribs, at what point do you add bbq sauce? Thanks! Annie

Ben Esman

Friday 23rd of December 2022

Congrats on your new investment. I hope you like to cook on it as much as I do! As for the BBQ sauce, we tend to just dip the ribs in it when we eat it because it already has so much flavor. You can sauce them though. To do this, just put them back on the BGE for another 15-20 minutes until the BBQ sauce gets tacky. Enjoy!

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