SMOKED BEEF PLATE RIBS
Makes 4 to 5 servings
At first glance, these giant beef ribs can seem a little intimidating. However, they are easy to make on the EGG. Just give them a dusting of beef rub before they hit the smoke. These are the kind of rich, tender, melt-in-your-mouth ribs that will satisfy that primal urge to gnaw meat from a bone.
SIMPLE BEEF RUB
2 tbsp (38 g) kosher salt
2 tbsp (12 g) freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp (5 g) granulated garlic
2 tsp (5 g) onion powder
2 tsp (5 g) smoked paprika
1 (5- to 6-lb [2.3- to 2.7-kg]) 3-bone beef plate rib
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
1 cup (240 ml) beef stock
Prepare the rub: In a medium-sized bowl, combine all the rub ingredients, then set aside.
Set up the EGG to cook at 300°F (150°C), indirect with a drip pan. Fill your firebox with natural lump charcoal, layering it with three chunks of smoking wood. Hickory or pecan work great here. With the top and bottom vents wide open, light the fire and close the lid. After about 10 minutes, close the bottom draft screen. As the dome temperature approaches your target temperature of 300°F (150°C), about 5 minutes, partially close the bottom vent door and the top of the daisy wheel, leaving both vents 20 percent open. Make minor adjustments as necessary.
Prepare the meat: Trim the fat and silver skin from the meaty side of the ribs. Remove the membrane from the bone side and rub all over with the olive oil. Season the ribs with an even layer of the beef rub to coat all sides.
Once the cooker comes up to temperature, place the ribs, bone side down, on the cooking grid. Close the lid and cook the ribs undisturbed until they reach an internal temperature of 165 to 175°F (73 to 79°C), about 3 hours. Using heavy insulated gloves, place the ribs in a disposable pan fitted with a wire rack. Pour the beef stock around the ribs, being careful not to pour the liquid on top of the ribs. Wrap the pan with aluminum foil and place it on the grill to cook until the ribs reach an internal temperature of 203 to 208°F (95 to 98°C), about 2 hours. Probe the ribs between the bones to check for tenderness; you should feel little resistance as the thermometer slides in and out. Remove the ribs from the cooker and open the foil to vent for 5 minutes. Using heavy insulated gloves, transfer the ribs to a new sheet of foil. Fold up the sides to wrap and place the ribs in a dry cooler to rest for about an hour.
Use a large knife to slice between the bones and arrange on a platter to serve.