1. BRAISING
Heat a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat and add oil. Sear the beef short ribs on all sides until browned, then remove them from the pot. Add chopped onions, carrots, and celery to the pot and cook until softened. Return the beef short ribs to the pot, along with beef broth, red wine, and herbs such as thyme and rosemary. Cover and simmer on low heat for 3-4 hours, until the meat is tender and falling off the bone.
2. SMOKING
The pit masters approach to smoking beef short ribs focuses on patience, precise temperature control, and allowing the meat's natural flavours to shine.-Seasoning: Slather the ribs with olive oil or hot sauce for the rub to adhere. Season the beef short ribs with a dry rub of your choice. A simple rub recipe often includes kosher salt or a medium grain natural lake salt, coarsely ground black pepper. Apply the rub generously to all sides of the ribs.
- Resting: After seasoning, let the beef short ribs rest at room temperature for about an hour to allow the flavours to penetrate the meat.
- Prepare the Smoker of your choice whether it be an offset, gas wood chunk or electric pellet smoker. Choose a hardwood of your choice (we love using Australian Grey Ironbark for our brisket). Maintain the cooking temperature at around 250-275°F (121-135°C). The use of a water pan will help keep the short ribs moist and help adhere the smoky flavour to the meat.
- Low and Slow Smoking: Once the smoker is ready, place the seasoned beef short ribs on the cooking grate. Smoke the ribs at a consistent low temperature for several hours, typically 6-8 hours or more, depending on the size of the ribs. The goal is to achieve a tender and flavourful result.
- Mopping and Spritzing: Throughout the smoking process, Franklin occasionally mops or spritzes the short ribs with a mixture of water, apple cider vinegar, and the rub's seasoning. This helps keep the surface moist and enhances the flavour.
- Internal Temperature Check: Monitor the internal temperature of the beef short ribs using a meat thermometer. Aaron Franklin looks for an internal temperature of around 203°F (95°C) for properly cooked ribs. Keep in mind that short ribs have more connective tissue than brisket, so they benefit from cooking until they have a nice "probe tender" feel, easily penetrating the second membrane with a toothpick or meat thermometer.
- Resting and Serving: Once the beef short ribs reach the desired internal temperature, remove them from the smoker and let them rest for at least an hour, preferably wrapped in butcher paper. Resting allows the juices to redistribute within the meat, resulting in a tender and flavourful final product. Slice the short ribs and serve them with your favourite barbecue sauce, pickles, and other sides of your choice.
