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Black Pepper Smoked Beef Ribs

Black Pepper Smoked Beef Ribs

By Austen Granger

Traeger chef Austen Granger has a secret ingredient that gives his black pepper beef ribs a deep savory flavor, and chances are it’s in your pantry: beef bouillon. Austen mixes it into a paste with oil and slathers it over the ribs. The high salt content acts like a brine transferring flavor deep into the meat and helping to guarantee tender, juicy results. A coating of black pepper adds texture as well as flavor and creates a deep, dark bark. Plan ahead: You want to season the ribs a day ahead of cooking, and the ribs can take as long as 8 hours to cook depending on their size.

Prep Time

20 Min

Cook Time

7 Hr

Pellets

Hickory

Ingredients

Number of People Serving

6

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Units of Measurment:
main
2 3-bone beef ribs (123A plate)
1/2 Cup granulated beef bouillon, such as Knorr
1/4 Cup olive oil
Coarsely ground black pepper
1 Cup apple cider vinegar
1 Cup Worcestershire sauce
1 Cup apple juice

Step

  • Watch Video

    Austen Granger’s Smoked Beef Ribs

    Austen Granger’s Smoked Beef Ribs thumbnail

  • 1

    Tear off the membrane from the bone side of the rack. Using a sharp knife, trim away the fat and silverskin on the meaty side. (Pro tip: Freeze the ribs for 30 minutes to firm up the fat and make it easier to trim.)

  • 2

    Set a wire rack on each of two rimmed baking sheets. Place the ribs on the racks. Combine the beef bouillon and olive oil to form a paste. Rub the paste all over the ribs to coat well on all sides. Generously sprinkle the black pepper over all sides. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours.

  • 3

    When ready to cook, heat the Traeger with the lid closed to 225°F; use Super Smoke if available.

    225 ˚F / 107 ˚C

    Super Smoke

  • 4

    Insert a meat thermometer into the middle of the thickest part of the meat avoiding bone. Place the ribs directly on the grill grate bone side down until the internal temperature reaches 160°F, 4 to 5 hours. (The time will vary depending on the size of your ribs, your grill, and the weather.)

    225 ˚F / 107 ˚C

    160 ˚F / 71 ˚C

    Super Smoke

  • 5

    Combine the apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire, and apple juice in a clean spray bottle. Once the ribs have reached 160°F, increase the grill temperature to 275°F and spritz the ribs. Continue cooking and spritzing the ribs about every half hour, until the ribs are exceedingly tender—a skewer inserted will feel like it’s going into room temperature butter—with an internal temperature of around 204°F, another 2 to 3 hours.

    275 ˚F / 135 ˚C

    204 ˚F / 96 ˚C

  • 6

    Remove the ribs from the grill. Cut two pieces of butcher paper large enough to wrap the ribs. Spray the paper with some of the spritz then wrap the ribs in the paper. Next wrap the ribs in plastic wrap. (The plastic wrap seals in the moisture softening the bark a bit just the way Austen likes it. The reason for the paper first is that the bones can easily pierce the plastic.) Transfer the wrapped ribs to a cooler, if available, and let rest for 1 hour. Alternatively, let the ribs rest in a warm place for 1 hour.

  • 7

    To serve the ribs whole, slice them between the bones. Alternatively, slice the meat off the bones and cube it to serve more folks. Enjoy!

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