Smoked beef short ribsJacob's ladder, plate vs chuck, and how long

Beef short ribs are the cook to do when you want people to go quiet at the table. They take less skill than brisket, they're very hard to dry out, and a three-bone rack sitting on a board looks like something from a cartoon. They cost more than pork, so it helps to get the order right at the butcher's.

What are short ribs? Jacob's ladder explained

Short ribs are the lower sections of the beef rib bones, with a thick layer of meat on top and plenty of fat and connective tissue through it. That fat and collagen is why they suit low-and-slow cooking so well: hours in the smoker turn them from chewy to spoon-soft.

In the UK, the traditional butcher's name for a strip of short ribs across several bones is Jacob's ladder, because the bones look like rungs. Some butchers sell it as "short rib", "braising rib" or "Jacob's ladder" depending on the shop, and most of it goes into stews. You want it in one piece.

Plate vs chuck short ribs

Short ribs come from two parts of the animal, and the difference matters for smoking.

Plate ribs are the showpiece, with more meat per bone and more forgiveness if the cook runs long. Chuck ribs are a perfectly good alternative and often easier to get hold of. Either is better than not doing it. Our UK vs US BBQ cuts guide has more on translating American cut names for a British counter.

What to ask your butcher for

Be specific, because "short ribs" alone could get you anything from a single chunky bone to a tray of thin strips.

• "A whole Jacob's ladder, three or four bones, from the plate end if you can." If they can only do chuck, that's fine.
• "Leave it whole, don't cut between the bones." The meat stays juicier as one piece.
• "Not flanken or thin-cut, please." Flanken-style ribs are sliced thin across the bone for fast grilling. They're nice, just not for this.
• "Keep a bit of the fat cap on top." You can trim it yourself.

Order a few days ahead, more in the run-up to bank holidays. A good local butcher will often have plate ribs from a whole side if they know you're coming.

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When should the short ribs go on?

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Cook time: 7–10 hours at around 120–135°C (change)

This guide's rule of thumb, which our researcher is still checking. Use your own recipe's figure if you have one.

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Trim and season

Trim any thick, hard fat off the top to leave a thin, even layer. Peel or slice off the tough silverskin on top of the meat if it's there. On the bone side there's a thick membrane; leave that on, because it holds the meat to the bones.

Seasoning can be very simple. Equal parts coarse salt and coarse black pepper is the classic beef rib rub, with a little garlic powder if you like. Short ribs are rich enough to carry big, plain flavours. Our rub ratios guide has a starting mix if you want to get more creative. Season an hour before or the night before.

Smoking short ribs

Set the smoker somewhere around 120–135°C and let it settle. Oak is the natural choice for beef in the UK; beech or ash work well too, and a bit of cherry gives a darker colour. A few chunks at the start is enough, and our smoking wood guide covers what each British wood does.

Put the ribs on bone side down, meat side up, and close the lid. They'll sit there a long time.

Most cooks leave short ribs unwrapped the whole way. The fat keeps them moist and you get a thicker, darker bark. If they stall for ages or you're short on time, wrap in butcher paper once the bark has set. See the stall and our wrapping guide for the trade-offs.

A spritz of water or diluted cider vinegar every hour or so after the first few hours is optional. It keeps the surface from drying too much, but each lid lift costs heat.

Start checking tenderness early on chuck ribs. Their thinner meat layer can overcook while you're still waiting on a time you read for plate ribs.

When are they done?

Like brisket, short ribs are done when they're tender, not when they hit a single number. Push a probe into the meat between the bones: it should go in with no resistance at all, like poking soft butter. That usually happens somewhere around 93–98°C internal, but the feel is what counts. The meat will also have pulled back from the bone ends, and the bones should wiggle slightly.

As a rough guide, plate ribs take around seven to ten hours and chuck ribs a bit less. That's a wide window, so plan to finish early. The smoking time planner helps you work backwards from dinner, and the approach in our brisket smoking time guide applies here almost exactly.

Rest, then slice

Wrap the ribs in butcher paper or foil and rest them in a dry cool box with a towel for at least an hour. They'll hold heat much longer than that. Resting lets the juices settle and makes the meat easier to slice cleanly. Our guide to resting smoked meat has the method.

Slice between the bones to serve one bone per person, or pull the meat off and slice it across the grain. Leftovers make an excellent ragù, which is a sentence nobody has ever said about leftover chicken breast.

Ring your butcher a few days before the weekend, ask for a whole plate Jacob's ladder, and pencil in an early start.

FAQs

What's the UK name for beef short ribs?

Jacob's ladder is the traditional British butcher's term for a strip of short ribs across several bones. Some shops call it short rib or braising rib.

Are plate or chuck short ribs better for smoking?

Plate ribs are meatier and more forgiving, so most cooks prefer them for a showpiece. Chuck ribs are easier to find and still very good; they just cook a little faster.

How long do beef short ribs take to smoke?

Usually somewhere around six to ten hours depending on the cut and thickness, at around 120–135°C. Cook to tenderness, then rest them for at least an hour.

Do I need to wrap short ribs?

No. Most recipes leave them unwrapped for the best bark. Wrap in butcher paper if they stall for a long time or you need to speed things up.