Beef Short Ribs Recipe

This beef short ribs recipe makes enough grub for a lot of people! The smoked short ribs are used for adding flavor to a big pot of beefy baked beans.

The beans are almost a meal unto themselves! With onions, garlic, beef and tomatoes in 'em, all you need is a slice of whole grain bread and a glass of milk for a satisfying meal.

Smoked Short Ribs 'n Baked Beans

This recipe is actually 2 recipes in one...a smoked beef short ribs recipe and a recipe for baked beans. Combined they become satisfying and tasty. Let's start with the short ribs.

Ingredients for Beef Short Ribs Recipe

2 to 3 pounds of meaty beef short ribs, plate or chuck style
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika


Prep the short ribs by removing the membrane if present. Combine the dry spices and season the ribs on all sides. Place the short ribs in a meat smoker or in a grill set up for smoking. This step is mainly to brown the ribs and add smoke flavor...not to cook them tender. Two hours of smoking will be plenty. As the short ribs smoke, begin preparing the baked beans.

Beefy Baked Beans

You can make these completely from scratch. Boil dried white beans til done, then add spices, molasses, sugars, onions, garlic and vinegar. Slowly cook until done before adding the smoked beef short ribs. Or do as I do and start out with:

4 fifteen ounce cans of pork and beans

And to those, add:

1 cup chopped onions, medium small dice
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
2 tablespoons diced green bellpepper
2 tablespoons finely diced celery
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 fifteen ounce can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes, or 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Assemble the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Refrigerate, and when the smoked short ribs are done:

Cut the ribs into individual pieces, each with a bone. If you started with plate ribs, throw 'em in as is. Strips of chuck short ribs need to be separated.

Place the smoked short rib pieces in the bottom of a large baking dish or casserole. Pour the beans over the ribs, cover the dish or pan, and bake in the oven for 2 hours at 325 degrees Fahrenheit. To prevent boil overs from messing up your oven, place a large cookie sheet covered with foil under the pot of beans. Cleanup will be oh so much easier!

Check the beans at the 1 hour point. Are they sticking on the bottom? Are they drying out and becoming thick? If so, add a little liquid (I prefer tomato juice) to thin them some, give a stir and continue baking.

At 2 hours, the rib meat should be falling off the bone tender and ready to serve. A good whole grain bread, a nice veggie-full salad and a glass of milk alongside this beef short ribs recipe makes an excellent and healthy meal.

For easier serving and eating, remove the rib bones and shred the meat, stirring it into the beans before serving.

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