Texas Style Smoked Beef Ribs

Preparation: 10 Minutes | Cooking: 2 Hours 20 Minutes | Serves: 4

These smoked ribs are sweet, sticky and flavoursome – they’re the perfect addition to a relaxed gathering of family or friends.

Ingredients

• 12-16 beef short ribs
• ¼ cup mesquite wood shavings
• 4 sprigs thyme, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp brown sugar

Marinade

• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 pinch freshly ground cracked pepper
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 cups tomato passata
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp chilli flakes
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• Barbequed corn cobs and green salad, to serve
  

Method

1. Combine ingredients for the marinade and coat ribs in marinade. Cover and refrigerate for one hour, or preferably overnight.
2. Place a piece of foil inside a wok and place wood shavings, thyme and sugar on the foil. Place over high heat until mixture starts to smoke. Place ribs on a circular rack that fits inside wok and cover wok with its lid. Reserve remaining marinade. Smoke for 15 minutes over medium heat.
3. Place ribs in a roasting dish lined with baking paper. Add one cup of water to the dish and cover tightly with foil. Cook in the oven at 150°C fan forced for 2 hours. Baste with reserved marinade then cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes at 180°C fan forced to crisp up. Place any leftover marinade in a small saucepan with any cooking juices from the baking dish and bring to the boil.
4. Place corn on a barbeque or chargrill pan and cook for 10 minutes, turning regularly until cooked. Serve with ribs, a green salad and reserved reheated marinade.
   

Tips

• Marinating your ribs overnight makes them more tender.
• Make a double batch of marinade and freeze half for next time.
• You can interchange short ribs with spare ribs or chuck ribs.
• The ribs shrink during cooking, so if you are cooking for hungry guests, cook a few extra.