How long does it take to cook beef ribs

BBQ Beef Ribs – These ribs are moist, juicy, and tender. They are slowly cooked at a low temperature to make a perfect hit. They are smoky, sweet, savory, and full of flavor.

Easy Grilled Beef Back Ribs Recipe

Summer is never complete without seasoned BBQ beef ribs coated with juicy BBQ sauce. BBQ Ribs are delicious beef ribs with dry rub-mix matched with sweet sauce. These are perfect for your next game day, casual dinner, or family party however, they can be tough to make. Here’s a simple recipe for grilled beef ribs that you can try out at home.

I used an outdoor charcoal grill for that smoky taste. However, if you don’t have an outdoor grill, no problem. I have added an option for the oven and crockpot method in the recipe box below. 

I also used beef back ribs, but you can use the short ribs or side ribs which are meatier, if that is what is available to you.

Slow-cooked beef ribs

They are savory and sweet, slowly roasted and brushed with bbq sauce, and best paired with coleslaw or served over a bed of your favorite fried rice. 

It’s important to slowly cook the ribs over the grill because:

Beef ribs need to be cooked slowly at a low temperature so that they have time to develop their flavors and get tender and juicy. The grill does a great job of accomplishing all this for you. You’ve got the nice texture and flavor of ribs as well as the mouth-watering smell. It’s barbecuing at its finest! But what makes this recipe so special? It is the slow cooking on the grill! It helps to:

1. Concentrate the flavors of the meat so much more than anything else
2. Maintain that yummy pink color on the meat.
3. Give that perfect caramelized char.

For making this recipe, you can make your own rub or use the store-bought ones. I like making mine because I can control the amount of each ingredient, especially the salt.

Barbeque Beef Ribs Rub

The rub is a mixture of brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin powder, salt, and black pepper. You can make excess and keep the remaining for your next cooking.

Homemade BBQ sauce

The homemade BBQ sauce is a mixture of garlic powder, apple cider vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, black pepper, onion powder, yellow mustard powder, cayenne pepper, and apple juice.

You will simmer the mixture for about 8 minutes until it forms a syrup. While simmering in the saucepan, ensure that you stir occasionally using a wooden spoon.

The BBQ beef ribs aren’t complete without this sauce. It is the crown over the beef. You can add as much sauce as you desire and enjoy!

Ingredients for making BBQ Beef Ribs

• Beef ribs – You can get your beef ribs at a local grocery or meat store. For this recipe, I use full slab back ribs.
• Brown sugar – You need brown sugar to make the rub mix and the BBQ sauce.
• Paprika – Add paprika to the rub mix to get that smoky flavor.
• Garlic, Onion, and Cumin powder – you need this in the seasoning mix to make the ribs tasty and delicious.
• Salt – Add salt to taste
• Apple cider vinegar acts as an acid to help the meat tenderize. You can also use lemon if you don’t have apple cider vinegar.
• Liquid smoke – This is optional, but you can use it, especially if you are not using the charcoal grill.
• Other ingredients for the BBQ sauce include Ketchup, Black pepper, yellow mustard powder, Cayenne pepper, and Apple juice or water.

How to make Grilled Ribs Recipe

To make the best Beef Ribs, I recommend slow cooking at a low temperature. This will help soften the connective tissue that binds the muscle fibers in the meat, which will, in turn, help the meat to fall apart more easily.

Follow these easy steps to make perfect BBQ Beef ribs.

• Peel the membrane and trim any excess fat: Place the ribs on a wide tray or a wooden slab, pull off the membrane, and remove any excess fat. If using short ribs, you can leave out the membrane. Pulling off the membrane will help the meat fall apart easily.
• Mix the dry rub seasoning. Mix all the rub ingredients (brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin powder, salt, and black pepper) in a small bowl. Season the ribs generously with the rub mix by pressing the rub firmly onto the ribs. Cover up with foil while you prepare the barbeque sauce.
• Prepare your BBQ Sauce. Mix all the barbeque sauce ingredients and brush generously over the front and back of the ribs. Leave to marinate for at least 3 hours in the refrigerator. The time can be shorter but 3 hours is good if you have the time.
• Grill or Bake the BBQ Beef Ribs. 
• Serve warm. Yummy!!

Grilling BBQ Beef Ribs

• Start by preheating your grill at 250°F.
• Place the meatier side of the ribs down on the grill over indirect heat.
• Cook for about 2 hours, turning every 20 minutes.
• Baste with barbecue sauce (pour the BBQ sauce over the meat) in the last 10-20 minutes.
• Serve it warm and enjoy.

Oven-Baked Beef Ribs

• If baking is convenient, preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C).
• Place the rib on a tray and cover the tray with another foil
• Bake in the oven covered for 2 hours. The foil prevents the beef from drying out.
• Remove the foil and bake for another hour or until the ribs reach an internal temperature of 200°F. You can put additional sauce during the last open baking. This isn’t necessary.
• Cook for an additional 30 minutes if you want ”fall off the bone” ribs.
• Serve and enjoy.

What Kind of Beef Ribs should you buy?

We have the full slab back ribs and the short beef ribs. I like the full slab ribs for this recipe because it works well with my dry rub seasoning and BBQ sauce. You can use the short ribs to make the braised recipe.

The full slab ribs are mostly found at the back of the cow. You can request directly from the butcher or check into your local grocery store.

Equipment for making BBQ Ribs

• Gas grill with two or more burners / Oven – You need this for cooking the ribs
• Tongs – this is for turning the ribs sideways from time to time
• Oven thermometer – use this to check the doneness of the rib
• Metal drip pan – You need this to collect the liquid from the meat while baking or grilling.
• Aluminum foil – keeps the beef moist and prevents it from drying out. It also helps the seasoning to circulate deep into the ribs.
• Basting brush or mopping tool – You need the brush to apply the BBQ sauce.

How to tell that your beef ribs are done?

It takes long for beef ribs to be tender. One of the signs of tenderness is that the bone begins to fall off. You will know that the rib is done when the internal temperature reaches 200°F. You can cook them a bit longer for them to be completely done.

If you don’t have a thermometer to measure the internal temperature, you can gently lift the rib bone. If the rib falls off, the beef is done. If you want to try this, ensure that you use a kitchen towel to prevent Another option is to use your thong to twist the center rib; the ribs are ready if it falls out easily.

You can also cut into the meat to see if it is done. If there is no pink, the meat is done completely. Lastly, you can use a toothpick to check. The meat is done by inserting a toothpick into the flesh and removing it easily. 

What to serve with BBQ Beef Ribs?

Pair the BBQ beef ribs with Baked potatoes, Fresh French bread, Easy Sauteed Skillet Green Beans and Bacon, Asparagus, a bowl of savory salad, white rice, corn, Chakalaka, herbed potatoes, mashed potatoes, Browning Sauce, and a homemade bbq sauce for dipping.

Other grilled recipes you would enjoy.

• Grilled Plantain
• African Grilled Catfish
• Oven Grilled Tilapia
• Dry Rub Roast Chicken
• Peri-Peri Chicken

• Charcoal or gas grill.

• Oven

• Thongs – this is for turning the ribs sideways from time to time

• Oven thermometer – use this to check the doneness of the rib

• Metal drip pan – You need this to collect the liquid from the meat while baking or grilling.

• Aluminum foil – keeps the beef moist and prevents it from drying out. It also helps the seasoning to circulate deep into the ribs.

• Basting brush or mopping tool – You need the brush to apply the BBQ sauce.

• 2 slabs of beef ribs
• 2-4 tablespoons olive oil

Rub:

• 2 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

Barbeque sauce:

• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup ketchup
• 5 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 2 tbsp yellow mustard powder
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 cup apple juice or water

Instructions:

• Place the ribs on a wide tray or a wooden slab, pull off the membrane, and trim any excess fat.

• Rub the oil all over the ribs. Then mix all the rub ingredients in a small bowl and season the ribs generously with the rub mix by pressing the rub firmly onto the ribs. Cover up with foil while you prepare the barbeque sauce.

• Mix all the barbeque sauce and brush generously over the front and back of the ribs and leave to marinate for at least 3 hours in the refrigerator (if you have the time). If you are short of time, you can cook immediately.

Grill method:

• Prepare the grill and heat to 275 degrees F.

• Place the meatier side of the ribs down on the grill over indirect heat. Cook for at least 2 hours, turning every 20 minutes. Baste with barbecue sauce in the last 10-20 minutes of cooking. Serve warm.

Oven method:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C).

• Place the rib on a tray and cover the tray with another foil, then place in the oven and bake for 2 hours.

• Uncover the foil and bake for another hour or until the ribs reach an internal temperature of 200°F. Cook for an additional 30 minutes if you want ”fall off the bone” ribs.

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