Beef Plate Ribs (Dino Ribs) (2024)

Beefy and tender Beef Plate Ribs, also called Dino Ribs, are seasoned with BBQ rub before being grilled low and slow. If preferred, slather the Dino Beef Ribs in a rich BBQ sauce before grubbing down.

Short plate ribs will quickly become one of your favorite rib recipes along with our 3-2-1 Ribs, Sous Vide Short Ribs and Instant Pot Ribs.

Other popular smoker recipes: pork belly burnt ends, smoked tri tip, smoked prime ribandsmoked london broil.

What Are Beef Plate Ribs

Beef plate ribs, not to be confused with beef back ribs, come from the belly so they’re thick, meaty and well-marbled. Beef short ribs are actually just smaller sections cut from the beef plate ribs.

Read up on the differences between St Louis Ribs vs Baby Back Ribs.

Plate Ribs

Beef plate ribs go by several names. When shopping, look for any of the following:

• Short Plate Ribs
• Dino Ribs
• Plate Ribs
• Short Ribs (Plate Ribs cut into small sections)

If your local store doesn’t sell it, here are a few online suppliers we purchase beef plate ribs from: Wild Fork Foods,Snake River FarmsandButcherBox. We buy Denver Steak from them as well.

Dino Ribs

Here are the steps you’ll be taking to make beef short plate ribs:

Prep the Rack

Clean up the ribs by removing the membrane from the boney side of the rack. If you’re unsure how to do this, watch thisquick video for guidance. Generously coat the ribs with olive oil and BBQ rub. Let sit for an hour (ideally), to let the spices penetrate.

Smoke ‘Em

Place the ribs on the smoker, bone side down, and smoke, with the lid closed for 2 hours. Spritz the ribs with water or beer (see the notes in the recipe card for more options!) every 30 minutes to help keep the meat moist. Continue to smoked for 3-4 more hours until the internal temperature reaches 200°F – 210°F.

Sauce ‘Em

Baste the beef dino ribs with BBQ sauce, if desired, and smoke for 10 final minutes before removing the smoked beef ribs from the grill.

Temperature

The beef dino ribs should have an internal temperature between 200°F – 210°F, when pulled from the grill. If they’re still a bit firm, keep them on the grill until they reach this temperature.

Dino Beef Ribs

Smoked beef plate ribs are easy to make and can be made on any grill.

• Gas Grill –depending on the brand, a good setting to test out is turning half the burners (on the same side of the grill) to medium-low while the other burners are off. You’ll create smoke by using a smoker box to add chips/chunks. Aim for a temperature of 225°F-250°F.
• Charcoal –Pre-heat the coals until just washed over. Dump them on the far side (either left or right) of your grill to create a dual zone cooking area. Open the vents enough to maintain the temperature at 225°F-250°F. Create smoke by placing wood chunks directly on the pre-heated coals.
• Pellet/Electric Smoker –When making beef dino ribs, pre-heat your grill to 225°F. Follow the manufacture’s instructions to get an even smoke.

Short Plate Ribs Supplies

Here are the supplies you need to make Smoked Dino Ribs:

• Energy Source –Make sure to stock up on your selected energy source: charcoal,pellets, propane, gas, etc.
• Smoking Wood –Chunks,chipsorpellets.
• Thermometer –Always use a thermometer. Our go-to digital thermometer is theThermaworks Dot. It never fails.
• Smoker Box –You’ll need one to impart the smoke flavor if using a gas grill to make smoked beef ribs. We’ve usedthis onefrom Amazon in the past.

Wood Recommendations

Apple wood, cherry wood, pecan and oak all make great wood options for Dino Beef Rib. For more wood recommendations you can reference our list of The Best Wood For Prime Rib.

Plate Ribs Recipe Timing

It takes about 5-6 hours, start to finish, to make these beef plate short ribs.

BBQ Rub

Our homemade bbq rub recipe is simple, yet flavorful, and is the perfect dry rub to use on these bad boys. Any store brand BBQ rub will work just as well, however.

You can usehomemade barbecue sauce or store bought for this recipe. We love Sweet Baby Ray’s and keep a bottle on hand for nights we’re too lazy to whip up a batch of our own sauce.

Serving Size

Dino ribs tend to weight between 5+ pounds, however the majority of weight comprised of bones. As such, one slab of dino ribs will serve 3 people, 1 bone each.

Recipe Tips

• To maximize moisture, add a cup of water or beer to a fire proof cup or container and place on the grill next to the ribs. We’ve used water, Guinness beer and beef broth (Instant Pot Bone Broth),in the past, with success.
• Make sure to spritz the ribs every 30 minutes, after the initial 2 hour cook time. This helps prohibits moisture loss while the ribs cook.
• Always use a meat thermometer when making dino ribs. You want to cook based on temperature not time. Our go-to digital thermometer is the Thermaworks Dot.
• Don’t forget to remove the membrane from the boney side of the rack.
• Collect the fat trimmings to make beef tallow (How to Make Beef Tallow).

Beef Dino Ribs Side Dish Ideas

Just addSmoked Queso, Smoked Potatoes,Dill Pickle Pasta Salad,orInstant Pot Mac and Cheeseon the side for a killer meal!

Wine Pairings

White –Pinot Gris, Prosecco

Red –Zinfandel, Aged Cabernet Sauvignon