Beef Back Ribs, simply seasoned, smoked for a few hours in a kamado grill and then foiled. One slab of beef ribs had beef broth added to the foil and the other had red wine. The beef back ribs were put in foil for about an hour and then taken off the aluminum. They were put back on the grill for about 30 minutes to firm up the bark and finish cooking.
It’s been a while since I’ve seen beef BACK ribs in my big box club stores. I’ve been meaning to make something with them, and now I finally have the chance. Since I had never cooked beef back ribs before, I kept things very simple to see what all the fuss was about with this suddenly easy-to-find cut of meat. Sure, they’ve always been available through special order. Although, now you can grab a slab or two from the case without having to call ahead. For our first attempt, we went real basic. Scroll down for the complete, step-by-step, pic-by-pic, foolproof instructions for Grilled Beef Back Ribs.
As soon as the weather starts to warm up, I start craving the smoky, finger-licking flavor of beef ribs cooked over a hot grill Juicy, fall-off-the-bone beef ribs with a beautifully caramelized crust are like meat candy – one of the ultimate treats for any barbecue lover!
While beef back ribs and short ribs get most of the attention, beef finger ribs (also called flanken style ribs) have a special place in my heart. These small, meaty ribs are cut across the rib bones so you get a higher ratio of crispy, browned edges per bite. The flavor is wonderfully beefy and rich.
Cooking beef finger ribs on the grill may sound intimidating, but it’s actually pretty simple if you follow a few easy steps. Whether you’re grilling for a backyard barbecue or just to have a flavorful protein during the week, these saucy ribs always satisfy! In this article, I’ll walk through my foolproof method for making mouthwatering beef finger ribs on the grill every time.
Benefits of Grilling Beef Finger Ribs
Compared to larger beef ribs finger ribs have a few advantages
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They cook faster since they are smaller in size. Back ribs can take 5+ hours to get tender while finger ribs need only 1-2 hours. That makes them ideal for weeknight grilling.
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More surface area means more crispy, caramelized bits! Who doesn’t love those tasty browned meat morsels?
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The smaller bones make beef finger ribs really easy to eat. You can even eat them with your hands.
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Pound for pound, beef finger ribs are often cheaper than back ribs or short ribs. That helps stretch your grocery budget.
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Finger ribs work great when feeding just 1-2 people. You can grill up a few pieces without having tons of leftovers.
So if you want an easy, crowd-pleasing grilled rib recipe, look no further than these finger lickin’ beef finger ribs!
Tips for Choosing Beef Finger Ribs
You can find beef finger ribs (also called flanken cut ribs) at most grocery stores and butcher shops. They are cut from the beef plate primal. Here are a few tips for picking the best ribs for grilling:
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Look for ribs that are 1.5-2 inches thick. Thinner ribs will dry out on the grill. Thicker ones will take too long to cook.
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Choose ribs with plenty of marbling. This intramuscular fat keeps the ribs juicy and flavorful as they cook over the hot fire.
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Get them cut across the bones, not between the bones. Ribs that are cut across the bone are true flanken cut finger ribs.
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Pick ribs that are moist and reddish pink, not dark or dried out. The ribs should have a fresh beef aroma.
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Buy individual ribs or ask the butcher to cut a full slab into smaller sections. Individual ribs are easiest for grilling. Or have the slab cut into 2-4 piece sections so they cook evenly.
Follow these simple tips and you’ll end up with perfect beef finger ribs ready for the grill!
The Key to Great Grilled Ribs: Proper Seasoning
The first step after choosing your ribs is to season them well. A flavorful dry rub will give the ribs a savory crust and infuse them with spice and aromas.
Here is my go-to beef rib dry rub recipe:
Beef Rib Dry Rub
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1⁄2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Apply the dry rub generously onto both sides of the ribs, gently pressing it into the meat. Let the ribs sit for at least 15-30 minutes to allow the seasonings to penetrate.
The brown sugar will help the ribs caramelize on the grill. Smoked paprika delivers a touch of smokiness while the garlic and onion powders provide aromatic flavor. Dry mustard adds zing while the salt and pepper give the ribs a balanced savory taste.
Feel free to tweak the dry rub to your tastes – add some chili powder or cayenne for a kick of heat, use light or dark brown sugar, or play around with the herbs and spices. Just make sure to thoroughly coat the ribs all over with the rub for maximum flavor.
Grill Those Ribs Over Direct High Heat
The best way to grill beef finger ribs is using a direct high heat method – similar to how you would cook a great steak. This allows the ribs to quickly sear and caramelize while still remaining juicy inside.
Here are step-by-step instructions for grilling finger ribs:
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Prepare your grill for direct high heat cooking. For a charcoal grill, spread the hot coals evenly across the bottom. For a gas grill, turn all burners to high. Preheat the grill on high for 10-15 minutes so it is piping hot. Scrape the grates clean.
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Place the seasoned beef finger ribs directly on the preheated grill. No need to oil the grates first – the brown sugar in the rub will help the ribs caramelize.
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Cook the ribs for about 5-7 minutes per side, or until they develop a nice sear. This short cooking time gives the ribs a beautifully caramelized exterior while keeping the meat inside tender and juicy. Don’t walk away or you risk overcooking!
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Move the ribs over indirect low heat to finish cooking through without burning the outside. Or keep them over direct heat if you like deeply charred ribs. Cook another 10-15 minutes until the ribs reach your desired doneness. The juices should run clear when pierced with a fork.
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During the last 2-3 minutes of grilling, glaze the ribs with barbecue sauce to coat them with sticky sweetness. Apply sauce on both sides.
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Let the grilled ribs rest for 5 minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute through the meat.
And that’s all it takes to make the best grilled beef finger ribs! With just 15-25 active minutes over the hot grill, you’ll have tender and juicy ribs packed with smoky barbecue flavor.
Nailing the Perfect Doneness for Beef Finger Ribs
It can be tricky to gauge when beef ribs are done since you can’t use a meat thermometer like with chicken or pork ribs. Here are some visual signs to look for to know when they are cooked properly:
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Rare: Flesh is reddish pink in the center. Juices are blood-tinged. Ribs feel very soft and tender but squishy.
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Medium-rare: Center is pink but warmed through. Juices are lightly pink. Ribs are softly firm but still tender. This is the ideal doneness for most ribs.
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Medium: Interior meat is warm light pink. Juices run pale clear. Ribs have a meatier chew but still feel tender.
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Medium-well: Just a hint of pale pink in the center. Juices are clear. Ribs are quite firm with a pronounced chew.
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Well done: No pink interior color. Juices are clear. Ribs are tougher and chewy.
I recommend removing the ribs from the grill when they are at the medium or medium-rare stage. They will continue cooking a bit more as they rest. That little bit of lingering rareness keeps the ribs extra juicy and tender.
The ribs are done when you can twist a bone easily with tongs or your hands and the meat tears away cleanly. Be careful not to overcook them into shoe leather!
Fun Variations for Grilled Beef Finger Ribs
Once you nail down the basics, there are endless ways to switch up grilled beef ribs:
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Coat ribs in a zesty wet rub of yellow mustard, vinegar, and spices before seasoning.
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Swap in different rib rub spices like lemon pepper, chili powder, ginger, coffee, or herbs.
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Glaze ribs in homemade barbecue sauces like tangy tomato, sweet and spicy, or Asian fusion.
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Toss ribs in a flavorful marinade before grilling, like soy sauce, wine, or citrus.
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Top grilled ribs with crispy fried onions for a dynamic texture contrast.
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Serve ribs with fun side dishes like cornbread, coleslaw, baked beans, or mac and cheese.
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Chop grilled ribs and pile them on toasted buns for smoky barbecue sandwiches.
However you flavor and sauce them, beef finger ribs cooked over the hot grill always hit the spot. I hope my guide gives you the confidence to start grilling your own mouthwatering ribs this barbecue season. Just be ready for neighbors knocking on your door, drawn in by the irresistible aroma of smoky finger lickin’ ribs
Step by Step Grilling Instructions:
Next, spark up the grill by lighting some American made Rockwood charcoal and dump it into the cooker. This is my Primo Ceramic Grill, which is a kamado grill and the only one made in the United States.
Target temp for the grill is 225F.
With the Primo being oval, as a result, I can bank the charcoal to one side and place the slabs on the other.
This is one way to get the two-zone or indirect grilling action these beef ribs need to be cooked right.
The ribs go on the cool side and a chunk of Butlerwood oak wood is placed on the coals.
I can stack two slabs of ribs on top of each other on my grill rack with a spacer. This lets air and smoke flow around the ribs.
Here is the first slab:
Here are both slabs of beef back ribs on the Primo:
Although, if you don’t have access to oak wood, simply reach out to the fine folks at Butlerwood.
You can also look at this list of smoke woods and what they go well with to find out what woods will work well with beef in your area.
Next, close the lid on the smoker/kamado and let the heat and smoke work their magic.
Here are some pictures of the BBQ beef ribs getting ready to be foil-wrapped when they reach 150F–170F:
Our smoked beef back ribs have been on the cooker for about 2. 5 hours. As a result, we are in our window of 150F-170F.
Remove the beef ribs from the grill. Afterward, foil the slabs:
What wine should one use to foil beef baby back ribs? It just seemed appropriate!
I have no idea if this wine is any good. Since we were cooking pretty early in the day, I won’t say I tasted it, but it worked great for covering the ribs with foil.
We foiled the other slab of BBQ beef ribs with beef broth. Incidentally, we didn’t use low sodium broth. The beef broth brought an extra saltiness to the ribs. It wasn’t overpowering, although it wouldn’t take much more to make it overly salty. Hence, we recommend low sodium beef broth if you want avoid the wine.
Then, wrap up the slabs in the foil and stack them back on the Primo:
After about another hour and a half in the smoker, our slabs are ready to be taken out of the foil.
Thus, the beef ribs are between 186F and 198F depending on the thickness of the ribs:
The smoked beef back ribs go back on the Primo to firm up the bark. As a consequence of the outside of the meat being soaked in red wine (or broth) it needed to be firmed up. I flipped these over before closing the lid:
After about 30 minutes the bark has firmed and darkened.
Although, some will look at the bark and think it’s burnt. It’s not. That is bark and bark is not just good, it’s GREAT!.
Here’s a close up of that bark and the bones of the red wine slab.
Indeed, the bones have reddened a bit:
Here’s the other slab of smoked beef back ribs coming off the grill:
Finally, the bones tell me the ribs are done (these are the beef broth bones):
After 5-10 minutes of rest, time to slice the super tender BBQ beef ribs.
Thus, the knife went through the meat like butter:
Grilled Beef Back Ribs Ingredients:
- 2 slabs of beef back ribs
- Salt, pepper, and garlic (SPG seasoning)
- Aluminum foil
- 6 ounces of beef broth low in salt or 6 ounces of red wine
Let’s get after this beef ribs recipe
How to Grill Beef “Finger” Ribs the Old School Way (Open Fire Style & Recipe)
FAQ
Are beef finger ribs good?
Is beef finger meat tender?
How do you keep beef ribs moist on the grill?
Are finger ribs the same as short ribs?