Texas style smoked beef ribs

Serves 4
Preparation time 10 mins
Cooking time 140 mins

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 falkes

  • 1 tsp salt

  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed

  • Barbecue corn cobs and green salad, to serve

Method

  1. Combine ingredients for 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 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 oven at 150C fan forced for 2 hours. Baste with reserved marinade then cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes at 180C 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 barbecue 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.

  • The ribs shrink during cooking, so if you are cooking for hungry guests, cook a few extra.