Beef ribs are one of the foods Wake the Dead was made for. The coffee-and-rosemary profile stands up to a long smoke and the richness of the meat without disappearing.
What you need
- Chuck or plate beef ribs
- Olive oil
- Mustard
- Wake the Dead
Prep
- Trim as needed and pat the ribs dry.
- Rub lightly with olive oil, then mustard.
- Coat generously with Wake the Dead.
- Refrigerate covered. An overnight rest works well, but even 30 to 60 minutes gives the seasoning time to settle in.
Smoke
Cook low and slow with your preferred smoking wood. We like pecan. Keep the cooker in roughly the 250°F to 300°F range and cook until the ribs are deeply browned and probe-tender. Time will vary by rack size and cooker, so use tenderness as the final test rather than the clock alone.
A quick rib-cut note
Chuck ribs are a strong choice when you want generous individual portions. Plate ribs are the giant, showpiece version. Back ribs can work too, but they typically carry less meat because they are cut from the area next to the ribeye.
Made a rack worth showing off? Tag @zombiespicerub.