Texas style beef short ribs

Ingredients

• 1 rack of beef short ribs (3-point)
• 10 dashes vinegar-based hot sauce
• 2 tbsp kosher salt
• 2 tbsp coarsely ground black pepper (16 mesh if buying pre-ground)

Directions

1. Preheat your smoker to 135°C (275°F).
2. Score a cross along the back of the ribs over the membrane, and trim any excess fat that won’t have time to render. Since ribs come from different parts of the rib cage, they may look different to mine, so assess and trim as needed.
3. Pour just enough hot sauce to coat the ribs, then generously season with salt first and black pepper after, covering all sides.
4. Place the ribs in the smoker and leave them undisturbed for the first four hours. Try your best to maintain a steady temperature of 135°C (275°F).
5. After 4 hours, check on the ribs. You want a nicely set bark before spritzing. If some parts are getting darker than others, spritz with a 50-50 mixture of apple cider vinegar and water.
6. Continue checking every 35-40 minutes, moving the ribs around if your smoker has hot spots.
7. After around 5-6 hours, start checking the meat by probing it. The probe should slide through the meat like butter. You'll know they’re done when the probe passes through the second membrane with little resistance. The ribs should also reach a temperature of 93°C (200°F), but focus more on how they feel rather than the temperature.
8. Once the ribs are cooked, if you’re eating them immediately, let them rest at room temperature for an hour. If you're eating them later, wrap them in butcher’s paper and either place them in an esky (cooler) or keep them warm in an oven set to 60°C (140°F).
9. Slice and enjoy!