Competition-Style Smoked Beef Ribs with Spiced Dry Rub
Beef ribs seasoned with a bold, spiced dry rub and smoked slowly to tender perfection, ideal for serious BBQ lovers. This American-inspired barbecue recipe, ready in about 445 minutes, pairs beef ribs (flanken cut), kosher salt, coarse black pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 700 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 5 lbs beef ribs (flanken cut)
- 3 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp coarse black pepper
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 3 cups dry apple wood chips
- 2 tbsp yellow mustard
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat your smoker to 225°F and soak 3 cups dry apple wood chips in water for 30 minutes.
- Step 2: In a bowl, combine 3 tbsp kosher salt, 2 tbsp coarse black pepper, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 2 tbsp smoked paprika, 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 tbsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp onion powder, and 1 tsp cumin to make the dry rub.
- Step 3: Lightly coat 5 lbs beef ribs with 2 tbsp yellow mustard to help the rub adhere, then generously apply the dry rub all over the ribs.
- Step 4: Place the ribs on the smoker grate, add the soaked apple wood chips to the smoker box, and smoke for 6-7 hours until the ribs are tender and have a deep mahogany bark.
- Step 5: Remove ribs from the smoker and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing between the bones.
- Step 6: Serve the smoked beef ribs hot with your favorite BBQ sides for a flavorful and hearty meal.






