These wine-braised beef short ribs become incredibly tender and flavorful thanks to a two-part cook: a period of smoking followed by a slow braise in red wine and beef juices.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Smoker Temp: 225°F (107°C)
- Meat Finish Temp: 195–200°F (91–93°C)
- Recommended Wood: Cherry
- 2–3 lbs beef short ribs
- Spicy brown mustard (about 1/4 cup)
- Jeff’s Texas style rub (or your preferred beef rub, about 1/4 cup)
- Sweet red wine or Cabernet (about 1 cup)
- Jeff’s barbecue sauce (for finishing)
Short ribs often come with a heavy layer of exterior fat and silver skin. Trim away excess fat and the silver skin so the rub can penetrate the meat and the finished ribs aren’t overly greasy. There’s plenty of internal marbling, so removing surface fat won’t make the ribs dry. A very sharp knife speeds the job and makes cleaner cuts.
Fat and silver skin removed. A sharp knife makes trimming much easier.
Place the trimmed short ribs in a zip-top plastic bag. Add about 1/4 cup spicy brown mustard and roughly 1/4 cup of your rub. Seal the bag and gently massage or roll the ribs inside the bag until they’re evenly coated. The mustard acts as a binder for the rub and helps form a nice crust during smoking.
For deeper flavor, refrigerate the coated ribs overnight. You can also cook them immediately; any resting time helps the rub adhere and seasons the meat. Do not rinse the ribs after marinating. For easy handling and cleanup, place the ribs in a disposable foil pan and leave them in the pan through the entire cook.
Looking delicious!
Set up your smoker for indirect cooking at about 225°F (107°C). Use cherry wood for a sweet, mild smoke, though other hardwoods will also work. Place the ribs in the foil pan on the smoker and smoke for roughly 2 hours to build smoke flavor and develop a bark.
After about 2 hours of smoke, pour approximately 1 cup of sweet red wine into the pan—Rosa Regale or a similar sweet red works well. Cover the pan tightly with foil and return it to the smoker. Braise at 225°F (107°C) for about 3 hours. The wine and beef juices will steam inside the covered pan, braising the ribs and breaking down connective tissue to achieve supreme tenderness.
Note: If you prefer not to use alcohol, sparkling red grape juice or regular red grape juice produces a similar sweetness and braising effect.
After the braise, remove the foil and increase the heat to about 300°F (149°C) to set the glaze and firm up the bark. If your smoker can’t reach that temperature, finish on a hot grill or in a preheated oven.
Make a glaze by mixing 1 part barbecue sauce with 2 parts red wine (for example, 1/3 cup sauce + 2/3 cup wine). Brush the ribs liberally with this mixture and repeat 2–3 times over the next hour to build a glossy, flavorful finish.
Check doneness with a reliable digital meat thermometer. The ribs are done when they reach about 195–200°F (91–93°C) and are fork-tender. Tenderness and the meat pulling back from the bone are the best indicators of readiness.
Remove the ribs from the heat and serve immediately while hot. The wine braise creates tender, richly flavored meat that pairs well with mashed potatoes, creamy polenta, or roasted vegetables.
Wine Braised Smoked Beef Short Ribs
Ingredients
- 2-3 lbs beef short ribs
- ¼ cup spicy brown mustard
- ¼ cup Jeff’s Texas style rub
- 1 cup sweet red wine (Rosa Regale or similar)
Barbecue Sauce/Wine Glaze
- ⅓ cup Jeff’s original barbecue sauce
- ⅔ cup sweet red wine
Instructions
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Trim fat and silver skin from the short ribs using a very sharp knife.
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Place ribs in a zip-top bag with ¼ cup spicy brown mustard and ¼ cup rub. Seal and massage to coat evenly.
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Optionally refrigerate overnight to deepen flavor. Do not rinse before cooking. Place ribs in a disposable foil pan for the cook.
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Preheat smoker to 225°F (107°C) for indirect heat.
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Place the ribs in the pan on the smoker and apply cherry smoke for about 2 hours.
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After 2 hours, pour in about 1 cup sweet red wine. Cover the pan tightly with foil and braise at 225°F (107°C) for 3 hours.
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If you prefer not to use wine, sparkling or regular red grape juice can be substituted.
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Uncover and raise heat to 300°F (149°C). If necessary, finish on a grill or in an oven that can reach this temperature.
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Combine 1 part barbecue sauce with 2 parts red wine (for example, ⅓ cup sauce + ⅔ cup wine) and brush onto the ribs. Repeat 2–3 times over the next hour.
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Use a digital meat thermometer to check doneness. Aim for 195–200°F (91–93°C) and fork-tender meat. Look for the meat pulling back from the bone as a visual cue.
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When done, remove from heat and serve immediately.
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