Easily cook short beef ribs with an electric smoker. Garnished with dry mustard and black pepper, this hickory smoked rib is the perfect centerpiece for a barbecue.
Note: This recipe is specifically for electric smokers. If you have a pellet or charcoal smoker, or use an outdoor grill, check out my smoked ribs recipe .
Many people consider ribs a holiday meat, but I like to smoke them throughout the winter and even during the warmer months when I have red meat cravings.
Whether you’re cooking it up for the holidays or summer, prime rib definitely makes a statement. A full ten pound prime rib can serve as the centerpiece and feed up to ten people.
In this recipe, I show you how to prepare it, how to season it, and how to smoke ribs in your smoker . Let’s get into that.
What is rib?
Prime rib is a huge, juicy cut of meat from the cow’s rib section(called prime rib). It can contain anywhere from two to seven ribs, and the sixth to twelve bones are cut from the cow’s rib cage. A huge cut of beef, prime rib is usually served on the bone, and the good news is that it’s the best part of the beef rib department.
Why is the “primary” rib called? When meat is cut, it is usually divided into eight parts, each called the primary parts. Each of these pieces is then sent to a butcher to be cut into smaller pieces that YOU see in stores and at meat counters.
You may also call it “foot rib,” but for the sake of simplicity, today we’re going for prime rib!
How does ribs taste?
If you’re new to ribs, you’ll be delighted. Along with classics like brisket and brisket, this barbecue favorite is considered one of the best cuts of meat to smoke. Thanks to the rich fat content and marbling around the cow’s rib cage, prime rib has a deliciously rich meat flavor and strikes a perfect balance of toughness and tenderness.
Cow rib ribs are wonderfully tender and rich in flavor(Just look at the sizes of some of our beef rib recipes ). This is due to the large marbled piece of meat in the middle of the main rib, also called the “eye”. When this portion is smoked quietly and slowly, THE meat WILL BE juicy and delicious.
Where to buy ribs
Prime rib can be bought at some high-end places, but you may find it as “foot roast” or “rib roast with bone”. The best place to find a good piece of rib eye is at your local butcher shop rather than a large supermarket or department store. This would give you a better chance of getting a better quality cut of meat with more marbling.
You can also turn to the internet for a little help. Our favorite online retailers offer beef ribs and deliver at the time of purchase.
Wood
For this recipe, opt for an easy blend of hickory and oak . Hickory produces a rich flavor that will add a deep, earthy note to your latest meat dish.
While we don’t typically recommend hickory for meats like chicken or pork, a cut of beef like roast short ribs can handle the intense smoke it produces. I mixed it with oak just to be on the safe side.
Writer & content creator. BBQ fanatic!
