In the world of barbecue ribs, there is one rib that commands attention and captivates the taste buds – Smoked Beef Dino Bones. In this recipe, we explore the art of smoking giant beef ribs and accentuating their taste with a luscious homemade bourbon barbecue sauce.
Dino bones are the beef version of baby back ribs and they are the biggest, meatiest ribs available. Fred Flintstone would have loved them. Unlike short ribs, which come from the lower portion of the rib cage, beef back ribs are cut from the top section near where a prime rib roast comes from. Smoked low and slow, then braised in beef tallow, these ribs fall off the bone. They can easily be cut with a butter knife.
Beef dino bones pair best with a rich BBQ sauce that has a bit of sweetness and a touch of bourbon. The sauce in this recipe is an adaptation of a sauce in Steve Raichlen's book, Sauces, Mops and Marinades. It's easy to make and absolutely delicious. Put down the spoon and get a brush. You need the sauce for ribs.
If you like barbecue ribs, try my other recipes for Baby Back Ribs, St. Louis Spare Ribs and Smoked Short Ribs.
Ingredients
- Dry Rub
- Brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Kosher salt
- Chili powder
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Black pepper
- Cayenne pepper
- Basting Sauce
- Beef broth
- Water
- Beef tallow
- Worcestershire sauce
- BBQ Sauce
- Olive oil
- Yellow onion
- Bourbon
- Brown sugar
- Apple cider vinegar
- Honey
- Molasses
- Worcestershire sauce
- Tomato paste
- Liquid smoke (optional)
- Chili powder
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Ketchup
- Ribs
- Beef ribs (dino bones)
- Butter
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Dry Rub
Great BBQ begins with a great dry rub. Most recipes will make more dry rub than you need for that recipe. Extra dry rub will store in an airtight container in the pantry for several months.
Mix dry rub ingredients together in a small bowl. Lumps can be removed by a quick whirl in a spice grinder or small food processor.
Store the extra dry rub in an airtight container in the pantry. Put a label on it so that you know what it is a month from now.
Take the beef ribs out of the refrigerator about an hour before smoking to let them come up to room temperature. Blot the ribs dry with a paper towel before sprinkling with dry rub. If there is a tough membrane on the back of the ribs, remove if with a sharp knife before applying the rub. Place them in your smoker with the meat side up and bone side of the ribs down and leave them that way.
Basting Sauce
Basting is an important part of making great smoked dino bones. First, basting keeps the meat from drying out while being smoked. Second, and perhaps more important, it helps the smoke adhere to the meat.
Basting sauces ranges from simple to very complex. This basting sauce has only four simple ingredients but adds a lot of flavor to the ribs. It has beef tallow in it so basting actually adds a very thin layer of fat that helps protect the ribs. Since beef tallow is a solid at room temperature, it may be necessary to keep the basting sauce warm over a very lower simmer while the ribs are on the smoker.
Smoke the ribs low and slow.
Baste the ribs periodically.
Texas Crutch
A Texas crutch is basically a method for braising barbecued meat after being smoked. It is commonly used in Texas and is THE secret to ribs that fall off the bone. For example, the 3-2-1 method for cooking pork ribs involves 3 hours of smoking, 2 hours of braising (the Texas crutch) and 1 hour of direct heat. This recipe used a modified version of the 3-2-1 method. It takes a long time to breakdown the connective tissue and make BBQ beef ribs tender. Just 3 hours of cook time at low temperature, then it's time to braise.
When the ribs are done smoking, place them in a disposable aluminum pan, add some liquid (like a beer), cover with foil and you are ready to braise. Make sure to use heavy aluminum foil and make a tight seal around the aluminum pan. If necessary, wrap the entire sealed tray inside a second, larger piece of aluminum.
These ribs have hit an internal temperature of 165°F and are ready to braise.
Ribs braising using the Texas crutch method.
After the ribs are done with the Texas crutch, remove foil pan from the smoker and let the ribs rest, covered, for 10-15 minutes. Then carefully cut them into individual ribs. A rack of beef ribs is just impossible to serve. A typical serving is one to two ribs.
Make the Barbecue Sauce
Nothing will cause a fight between Pit Masters faster than a discussion about which BBQ sauce is best. For me, BBQ sauce is up there with religion and politics. Use what YOU like and don't talk about it. Serve it and they will eat it. My favorite BBQ sauce is included in the recipe.
Homemade BBQ is easy to make.
This sauce features a very healthy dose of Garrison Brothers bourbon.
Equipment
The beef ribs in this recipe were cooked in a Kamado Joe using a Fireboard temperature control device. Take a look at my video Why You Need a Fireboard for more information.
Storage
Leftover ribs can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Top Tip
If you are going to get serious about cooking low and slow in your smoker, think about investing in a temperature control device like a Fireboard. It connects to your phone and allows you to set the temperature you want. It will hold that temperature plus or minus a few degrees until you run out of fuel. I have used my Fireboard for overnight cooking, in the snow, at 225°F for 14 hours. Take a look at my video mentioned in the equipment section above.
Also, place a water pan either underneath the ribs or to the side if using an offset smoker. This helps maintain a little humidity inside the smoker.
The combination of slow-smoked beef ribs and the richness of the bourbon-infused barbecue creates a rib experience that can’t be beat. So, gather your friends, set the table, and indulge in smoked beef dino bones with bourbon barbecue sauce.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this recipe.
📖 Recipe
Smoked Dino Bones with Bourbon BBQ Sauce Recipe
Equipment
- Smoker
Ingredients
Dry Rub
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup kosher salt
- 1 tbs chili powder
- 1 tbs onion powder
- 1 tbs garlic powder
- 1 tbs black pepper freshly ground
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Basting Sauce
- 1 cup beef broth
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup beef tallow
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
BBQ Sauce
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup yellow onion finely minced
- ½ cup good bourbon
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup cider vinegar
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup molasses
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke optional
- 2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 cups ketchup
Ribs
- 8 beef ribs dino bones
- 1 stick butter
Instructions
Dry Rub
- Mix all ingredients and set aside.
Basting Sauce
- Mix all ingredients over low heat until beef tallow melts.
BBQ Sauce
- Cook the onion and olive oil in a large, nonreactive sauce pan over medium heat until softened. Add all remaining ingredients. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low simmer and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring often. Strain sauce and serve.
Ribs
- Sprinkle dry rub over ribs (all sides).
- Setup smoker for indirect heat at 250° F. Add a drip pan with water below the grate. Smoke ribs for 3 hours. Baste ribs with basting sauce every 30 minutes.
- Remove the ribs and place in a roasting pan. Add remaining basting sauce to the pan along with one stick of butter. Tightly seal the pan with foil. Return pan to the smoker and cook for two hours. Rest ribs for 10 minutes and serve.
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