The Best Beef Ribs To Grill Vs Smoke

For barbecue enthusiasts, few things are more enticing than a big, juicy beef rib. Perfectly cooked, falling off the bone tender with a hint of char, beef ribs are a thing of beauty that is hard to beat. But when choosing between grilling and smoking, it's important to know what kind of cut is best for each application.

Tasting Table turned to Aaron Franklin, pitmaster extraordinaire and owner of Austin's famed Franklin Barbecue, and winner of the James Beard Award for Best Chef Southwest 2015, to get some tips for what type of ribs to use when grilling or smoking. To share his knowledge further, he is hosting Smoke & Fire, a cooking master class and summit in Mendoza, Argentina, in partnership with The Vines Global, where, from February 12 to 16, 2025, he will join Argentine grill master Francis Mallmann on a hands-on deep dive into all things barbecue and asado.

If you're grilling your beef ribs, Franklin recommends using chuck ribs. These come from the shoulder area and are cut from ribs two through five. The greater amount of marbling makes them different from the rest of the ribs, helping them stay moist when grilling, although they are also frequently cooked in a braise. This braised beef short ribs recipe serves as an example of such.

If you are going the low-and-slow route with the smoker, plate ribs are your best bet. These come from the short plate — the section right under the prime rib — and adjacent to the brisket and the flank steak. A rack consists of ribs 6 through 8, which can be up to a foot long and weigh up to 6 pounds.

According to Aaron Franklin, grilling and smoking beef ribs are complex procedures that require a lot of learning and practice. As such, he has some tips for cooking beef ribs, regardless of how you prefer them.

"Chuck ribs can be grilled because of the intermuscular fat content, just be careful to grill at a lower temperature than a normal grill setup," Franklin advised. "These don't have as much flavor, so you can get creative with your seasonings, adding garlic or other spices to the rub. However, if they're going to grill over direct heat, leave out the sugar in the rub or marinade, or it will burn."

Plate ribs are larger — the ones that we usually picture when talking about beef ribs. They also have more fat, which leads to a longer cooking time than chuck ribs. Like brisket, they need to be grilled or smoked for several hours. "For these, I keep seasoning super simple, just salt and pepper — a lot of salt and pepper since the fat will counteract the salt," he explained.