The Cut Of Ribs One Pitmaster Warns Against Buying, And What He Recommends Instead
When it comes to buying beef ribs, knowing which types are easier to prepare and which offer more meat on the bone is valuable knowledge. So we tapped Barrett Black, the pitmaster at BBQ institution The Original Black's Barbecue in Lockhart, Texas, to get his tips for cooking beef ribs, and which cut isn't worth the effort. According to Black, it's best to "stay away from [beef] back ribs."
Not to be confused with baby back pork ribs, which are famously juicy and delicious, Black say the beef version has insufficient meat on the bone and a less-than-desirable texture when cooked.
Instead of beef back ribs, which can produce chewy meat that's tough to enjoy, opt for beef short ribs "either from the chuck or plate section of the cow" for the most tender cut. "The chuck will be smaller, and the plate will be significantly larger, richer in flavor, and impress not only your guests but yourself too," he says.
Why are beef short ribs a superior cut?
Chuck short ribs consist of the first to fifth ribs of the cow and have a relatively shorter rib bone. Plate short ribs come from the lower section of the ribs (sixth to tenth) and have longer bones. Both cuts have a generous amount of meat on top of the bones. Either cut of short rib cooked low and slow by braising or smoking produces succulent, fall off the bone meat.
Comparatively, back ribs have very little meat because they are attached to the prime rib, and the butcher cuts away as much meat as possible for the prime rib roast. Beef back ribs aren't necessarily less flavorful than short ribs — they just require a long cook time to break down connective tissue and achieve tenderness and have much less meat.
There are various braising liquids that will do the job when it comes to oven-braising beef short ribs. We love this red wine braised beef short rib recipe which ends with reducing the rich braising liquid into a mouth-water sauce before serving. This stout-braised short rib recipe is also a winner, using dried smoky chiles for an added depth of flavor. No matter which way you braise them, they are the perfect match for our creamy garlic mashed potatoes.