Texas-Style Barbecued Beef Ribs on a Gas Grill

From America's Test Kitchen

In Texas, good beef ribs are all about intense meat flavor—not just smoke and spice. The

barbecue chefs we’ve met get this flavor just right, thanks to the assistance of massive

electric smokers with automated temperature controls. But can a backyard cook replicate

this Lone Star classic without the help of special equipment? We were looking for a recipe

that would yield potent meat flavor with a bit of honest Texas chew—on our conventional-

size grill.

We began by debating whether to trim the fatty membrane that runs along the back side

of the ribs. Surprisingly, the juiciest meat with the most flavor was accomplished by the

path of least resistance: simply leaving the membrane in place. The fat not only bastes

the ribs as they cook but also renders to a crisp, bacon-like texture. A simple mixture of

salt, pepper, cayenne, and chili powder rubbed into each rack was all that it took to bring

out the flavor of the meat. To turn our grill into a backyard smoker, we made a slow, even

fire with a single pile of coals on one side of the grill and kept the temperature in the

range of 250 to 300 degrees. A couple hours of slow cooking were enough to render

some of the fat and make the ribs juicy, tender, and slightly toothy. When cooked any

longer, as is the case with pork ribs, the meat disintegrates into messy shreds, taking on a

sticky, pot-roasted sort of texture that any real Texan would immediately reject.

For real Texas-style barbecue sauce to pair with our ribs, we pulled together the usual

ingredients—vinegar, onion, molasses, to name a few—with dry mustard and chipotle

chiles for spiciness. Savory Worcestershire sauce added depth while tomato juice (in place

of ketchup) provided tangy flavor and helped thin the sauce out.