Smoked Beef Short Ribs.
Dry-brine wagyu short ribs with salt and Cattle Drive, then smoke low until the bark cracks and meat pulls clean
Dry-brine wagyu short ribs with salt and Cattle Drive, then smoke low until the bark cracks and meat pulls clean
Ingredients
FOR THE RIBS
- Casa M Spice Co™ Cattle Drive™ or Uncontrolled Cattle Drive™
- Salt
- Beef Short Ribs and we highly recommend Texas Craft Wagyu
Method
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01
Set up your dry-brine station
2 minPlace the short ribs in a plastic storage bin — it contains the seasoning and makes cleanup a breeze. This container will be your dry-brine vessel, so pick one with a tight-fitting lid.
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02
Salt the ribs
2 minSprinkle about 1/8 teaspoon of table salt per pound of meat across all surfaces. Salt draws moisture out and begins breaking down proteins, which is the whole point of a dry brine.
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03
Apply Cattle Drive rub
3 minUse our stainless steel shaker to coat the ribs generously with Casa M Spice Co™ Uncontrolled Cattle Drive™, dialing in as much rub and heat level as you like. This is where you build the flavor base and eventual bark.
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04
Dry-brine overnight
480 minCover the bin and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but overnight is better — the salt and spices continue to penetrate the meat, and the surface dries out slightly for better smoke adhesion. Cold ribs also stabilize your smoker temperature when you load them in.
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05
Fire up the smoker
15 minLoad your smoker with a mix of hickory, mesquite, and apple wood, then bring it to 250°F. This temperature range lets the meat cook gently while absorbing smoke flavor without drying out.
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06
Smoke the ribs low and slow
240 minPlace the cold ribs on the grate and smoke until the internal temperature hits 200°F — you're looking for a deep bark that cracks when you touch it, and meat that's tender enough to pull clean from the bone. Timing varies by rib size and smoker efficiency; ours took about 4 hours from cold.
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07
Rest and serve
10 minPull the ribs from the smoker and let them rest for 10 minutes — this lets the juices settle back into the meat so you're not losing them on the cutting board. After that, get them on the platter before they disappear.
From Mike's Notebook
Dry-brine the ribs 12 hours ahead; the salt won't make them tough, it'll season deep into the meat.
Watch for the bark to crack — that's when the Cattle Drive has done its job, not before.
Pull the ribs at 203°F internal temp, not 190°F; the connective tissue needs those extra degrees to actually release.
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