Best Texas Beef Ribs (Pellet Grill)

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Using your Pellet Smoker and a little bit of culinary know-how, you can make authentic Texas-style beef ribs that are just as good as the BBQ joints in Texas.

If you have been to intimidated to try making Texas beef ribs don't be, it actually very straight forward and more forgiving than brisket. Just follow my recipe and helpful tips and you will have some of the best bbq ever without driving to Texas.

Looking for More Smoked Beef Recipes Checkout Pulled Smoked Chuck Roast - BBQ Chuckies, Smoked Eye Round w/ Beef Au Jus, Smoked Beef Brisket

Why You Should Make Beef Ribs

Over the summer, I had the opportunity to taste some of the world's best BBQ joints in Austin, Texas. The beef plate ribs at Terry Blacks were incredibly amazing. A single bone weighing in at just under a pound looked like something of prehistoric folklore. The meat was fatty but melted in your mouth, barely needing to chew.

The post oak commonly used in central Texas gives the meat a subtle yet complex smoky flavor while preserving the natural flavor of the beef. I am blown away that salt and pepper are the only seasonings used. Since I live 1500 miles from Austin, I had to figure out how to recreate these ribs by using my pellet smoker at home. Honestly, the method for smoking beef ribs is very similar to smoked brisket. I jokingly refer to Beef Ribs as “Brisket on a Stick."

What you'll need for Pellet Grill Beef Ribs

• Meat: For this recipe, I used 8 lbs of beef plate ribs, specifically two 4-bone racks of plate ribs. If you are looking for a recipe substitution or variation, you can also use pork ribs, chuck ribs, or dino ribs. The best way to find any of these cuts of meat is to stop by your local butcher shop.
• Seasoning: Get the best flavor with 8 tbsp of salt, pepper, and garlic from Spiceology.
• For Rub/Cooking: 4 tbsp of olive oil.

Equipment needed for Texas Beef Ribs

• Smoker: It doesn't matter what type of smoker you use; just pull it out and get started! For this recipe, I used a pellet smoker with a blend of wood chips or chunks.
• Sharp Knife: Taking the skin off or slicing up the ribs? Make your life easy by using a quality sharp knife.
• Cutting Board: When it comes time to slice these juicy ribs, place them on a sturdy, quality cutting board.
• Optional Seasonings for a DIY Beef Rub: If you are looking to make your own rub, consider using some of my favorite seasonings, such as kosher salt, garlic powder, chili powder, brown sugar, coarse black pepper, onion powder, and cayenne pepper.

How to make Beef Ribs on Pellet Grill

1. Preheat the smoker. Pre-heat your pellet smoker to 250 Degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Remove skin. If you flip your ribs over to look at the bone side, you will find a layer of skin on top of the bone, also known as silver skin, connective tissue, or tough silverskin. Before you get started, you will want to remove the skin from the ribs.
3. Rub down the meat. Pour two tablespoons of olive oil on each rack of ribs and rub into the meat on all sides.
4. Season the ribs. Season the ribs on all sides using the salt, pepper, and garlic seasoning from Spiceology.
5. Start smoking. Place the ribs in the smoker and cook for 3 hours before checking for color. Place a probe between the thickest part of the ribs.
6. Continue smoking. Continue cooking until you reach an internal temperature of around 170 degrees F.
7. Wrap the meat. Wrap ribs tightly with two layers of peach or pink butcher paper. Replace the probe back into the ribs.
8. Continue smoking and cooking until you reach a temperature of 205 degrees F. (about 2 hours). Unwrap the ribs and poke with a toothpick or probe to check for doneness. The meat should be tender, like butter. If the meat is still challenging, continue to cook until tender.
9. Leave wrapped and let rest. Once the meat is tender, wrap the ribs and let them rest until the temperature lowers to around 160-170 degrees (about 1 hour).
10. Enjoy! Once the meat has rested, slice, serve, and enjoy!

How to Season Beef Plate Ribs?

Seasoning Texas Beef Ribs is quite simple. I use a spice blend from Spiceology that contains just three ingredients: Kosher salt, pepper, and garlic. If you’re feeling adventurous, I recommend a pinch of granulated onion, but other than that, let’s keep things simple.

Before seasoning, I like to rub the ribs down with a few tablespoons of oil to help the seasoning stick to the meat. Don’t be shy with the seasoning. Beef ribs can handle a good amount of salt, so make sure you hit both fronts and back, and don’t forget the sides.

Pellet Grill Beef Ribs ... Set it and forget it ... almost!

Part of the advantage of pellet grills (especially the Rec Tec 700) is the precise temperature control.

Once your pit has reached temperature, place the ribs on and place the probe between the bones, aiming for the thickness part of the rack. Then, walk away for about 3 hrs. As they say, “if you’re lookin’ it ain’t cookin’ “

After about 3 hours, the meat should tighten on the bone. The end rib always seems to pull away a bit more and may separate by the end of the cook.

Don’t worry, it will be just as delicious as the two presentation ribs in the center. After taking a quick peek at the 3 hr mark if all is well and you’re happy with the color you can shut the lid and go for about 2 more hours before checking.

Should I mop these Texas Style Beef Ribs?

I didn’t mop or spray these ribs, but if you feel they’re looking dry, a spray bottle with some Worcestershire and diluted beef broth is all you need.

Once the rack has reached an internal temperature of around 170, it may stall, similar to brisket, as the heat begins to break down the connective muscle fibers in the meat.

That’s when I wrap the beef ribs in peach food-grade butcher paper. I've never looked back since visiting Texas and using butcher paper instead of aluminum foil.

The butcher paper seals in the moisture while letting the meat breathe and not steam, resulting in a much more tender and juicy final product. I do recommend a double layer of butcher paper; no parchment paper won’t work. The butcher paper is much stronger and won’t tear on the corners. 

Should I use foil on these Texas Beef Ribs?

Once the ribs are double-wrapped in butcher paper, you can plunge the probe back into the rack, aiming for the center as best you can.

Place the ribs back in the smoker and continue cooking until they reach an internal temperature of about 205 degrees F. At this point, poke the ribs with a toothpick or probe to test for tenderness.

The probe should go into the meat without any tension, almost like butter. If it fights back or requires effort to puncture, then continue cooking.

Beef Ribs on Pellet Grill FAQs

More like this Beef Ribs Pellet Grill recipe

• Smoked Beef Brisket: Tips and Tricks
• Pellet Smoker Recipe: Reverse Sear Tri-Tip w/ Smoked Tomato Salsa
• Smoked Corned Beef: Pellet Grill Recipe
• Smoked Eye Round w/ Beef Au Jus
• Reverse Sear Tomahawk Ribeye w/ Chanterelle Mushroom Cream Sauce