How to Make Smoked Beef Long Ribs

Ingredients

• ¾ cup smoked paprika
• ¼ cup Swerve confectioners’-style sweetener or equivalent amount of powdered stevia or erythritol
• 2 tablespoons onion powder
• 2 racks beef long ribs (aka beef back ribs) or other ribs (about 8 pounds)
• Coconut vinegar, for sprinkling on the smoked meat before cooking

• Smoker
• 4 cups wood chips of choice

1. In a small bowl, stir together the paprika, sweetener, and onion powder until combined.
2. For optimal flavor, season the ribs the day before (or morning of the day) you plan to smoke the meat. Rinse and dry the ribs and place them on a clean cutting board. Liberally season both sides of the ribs with the rub mixture, using your hands to rub the spices into the meat. Wrap the ribs tightly with foil lined with unbleached parchment paper and seal all the edges. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight so that the flavors can permeate the meat; if you prefer to skip this step, the meat will still have a lot of flavor.
3. Thirty minutes before you’re ready to smoke the meat, soak the wood chips in water and remove the ribs from the fridge and let them rest at room temperature until the smoker is ready. If you haven’t yet seasoned the ribs (per optional Step 2), rinse and dry the ribs and place them on a clean cutting board. Liberally season both sides with the rub mixture, using your hands to rub the spices into the meat.
To Smoke the Meat
4. Read the manufacturer’s directions for your smoker before you begin. There are wood, electric, propane, and charcoal smokers, and each type works differently. Start the smoker and, if your smoker came with a water bowl, add water to it. When slow-cooking meat, it is essential that you have a thermometer to monitor the temperature of the smoker. When the temperature reaches 225°F to 250°F, you can start smoking the ribs.
5. Place the meat on the smoker and secure the lid so it is airtight and no smoke escapes. Smoke the meat for 2 hours. Every so often, check the temperature and adjust the air vents to maintain a temperature of 225°F to 250°F. Add more fuel to the smoker if needed to maintain the temperature, and add more soaked wood chips if the smoke starts to dissipate.
6. After 2 hours, remove the ribs from the smoker. At this point, the meat still needs to be fully cooked at a higher temperature, which is best done on a grill or in the oven. You can either cook the entire amount now or divide the meat into portions for quick and easy meals (see Tip / Single Serving Option opposite).
To Prepare the Meat for Cooking
7. Lay the ribs on a large sheet of foil lined with unbleached parchment paper. Generously sprinkle the meat with coconut vinegar and tightly seal the foil packet closed. Note: Make sure that there are no holes in the foil or the ribs will dry out.
To Fully Cook the Meat
8. Preheat a grill to medium (350°F) or the oven to 350°F. Place the tightly wrapped meat on the grill or in the oven and cook for 30 minutes, or until the meat is extremely tender (if using a grill, keep the lid closed). Remove from the grill or oven. Enjoy as is or follow Step 9 to give the meat a crispy exterior before serving.
9. To give the meat a crispy exterior, turn the grill or oven broiler setting to high. Remove the meat from the packet and place it on the grill or on a broiler pan and grill or broil it for 5 minutes to sear and crisp the edges.