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If you’ve never cooked beef finger ribs before, get ready to become totally obsessed. These little strips of tender rib meat are like the underrated cousin of short ribs, and once you throw them on a pellet grill or offset smoker with a little smoke and some sweet heat? Total game-changer.
This easy way to make bbq beef finger ribs delivers all the meaty goodness of your favorite rib recipes with quicker cook time and huge bold flavor – I’m talking bark, nice char, saucy glaze, and meat that bites clean off the bone.
Now let’s call out the elephant in the room. I know that these aren’t traditional beef finger ribs. Finger ribs, technically are boneless and cut from between the rib bones of the plate ribs in the cow. However, I like these better so I prepare them the same way.
I’ve made these beef finger ribs, party ribs style for casual backyard hangs, big football parties, and late-night cookout cravings. And they always disappear in minutes. That combo of oak smoke, brown sugar, butter, and your favorite BBQ sauce soaks into the beef finger meat and takes it to another level.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- First off, this recipe turns beef finger ribs into party ribs—perfectly portioned and ideal for sharing.
- Second, it delivers that nice BBQ taste with just a few steps and simple ingredients, making it approachable for anyone with a smoker.
- And most importantly, it creates bbq beef rib fingers that are juicy, caramelized, and loaded with beefy goodness that’ll fire up your taste buds every time.
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Ingredients / Tools You’ll Need
- 1 rack of beef back ribs (you’ll be slicing these into beef finger ribs)
- Olive oil (just a bit for a binder)
- Your favorite beef rub or seasoning (kosher salt & black pepper and some garlic powder works too!)
- 4 tablespoons butter
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup favorite BBQ sauce
- Smoker or pellet grill
- Spray bottle with water
- Aluminum pan and foil
- Oak wood chips or pellets for smoke
Instructions
Preparation:
To get the beef finger ribs started first preheat your smoker or pellet grill to a steady 250°F. I usually go with oak for the smoke because it adds a solid punch of bold flavor that works really well with beef ribs.
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Flip your beef back ribs meat-side down and score the membrane on the back. No need to fully remove it since we’re doing them party ribs style—it helps keep things intact and juicy.
Next, slice the beef finger ribs between each bone to create individual beef finger ribs with a sharp knife. I find it easier to cut them from the back side. Once separated, hit them with a light coat of olive oil as your binder, then season all sides generously with your beef rub.
Cooking:
Lay those beef finger ribs directly on the smoker, bone-side down on the grate, and let that oak smoke work its magic. Let them go for 2 hours, giving them a spray of water after 45 minutes, and again every 30 minutes after that. This helps the tender rib meat stay moist and build that classic bark on the beef finger ribs.
After the first 2 hours, transfer the ribs to an aluminum pan. Add in the butter, brown sugar, and favorite BBQ sauce, mixing everything right in the pan. Wrap it tightly with foil and pop it back on the smoker for another 2 hours. This is where the magic happens – further cooking like this softens any hard fat and melts everything together into sticky meaty goodness.
Once they’re done, take the foil off, give them a good baste in that sweet and smoky glaze, and let them rest for about 10 to 15 minutes. You can also wrap the entire aluminum pan in a towel to let them rest. A cooler works also.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these bbq beef finger ribs hot right out of the pan. They’re great as-is, but if you want to take things up a notch, serve them over cheesy grits, next to smoked mac and cheese, or stack them on a sandwich bun with a pickle and coleslaw. You could even slice a few pieces into a salad if you’re feeling like pretending to be healthy.
They also hold up great for tailgates and cookouts. Toss them in an airtight container, and you can reheat them over the grill for similar results, or the microwave if you’re in a pinch.
Recipe Notes & Pro Tips
Don’t skip the slicing before cooking. Making them party ribs style helps render more excess fat and gives you more surface area for that nice char and rub to stick to.
You can totally do these with a sous vide setup if you’re feeling fancy. Just cook the ribs low and slow in the water bath, then finish on the pellet grill for the smoke and bold flavor.
If you prefer more bite, shorten the wrapped cook time by 30 minutes. If you want fall-apart tender rib meat, keep it the full 2 hours.
Always watch the internal temperature. I like mine around 203°F for perfect tenderness without turning to mush.
You can also mix up the glaze with honey, hot sauce, or even a splash of bourbon if you want to get creative. That combo of sugar, smoke, and beef finger meat leaves a flavor you’ll be chasing for days.
Variations
- Want a spicier version? Add chipotle powder to your rub and a dash of cayenne to your glaze.
- If you’ve got time, and want to play around with some flavors, you can use some apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce to make a marinade and let the beef finger ribs soak for a few hours.
- If you don’t have a pellet grill, you can still get similar results with a regular smoker or even an oven and liquid smoke (in a pinch).
- Got leftovers? (I doubt you will.) Toss them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. They reheat beautifully in the oven.
Other Recipes You’ll Love:
- Easy Grilled Rump Cap Recipe – Picanha – Top Sirloin Cut
- Easy Cheesy BBQ Smoked Meatballs
- Smoked Bacon Wrapped Pickle Burnt Ends Easy BBQ Snack
- Brisket Burnt Ends Recipe: Maple Bourbon Candied BBQ
- BBQ Party Ribs Burnt Ends
Ingredients
- 1 Beef Back Ribs
- 4 TBSP Butter
- 2/3 C Brown Sugar
- 1/2 C BBQ Sauce
- Beef Rub
- Olive Oil for binder
Instructions
- Preheat smoker to 250F
- Score the back membrane of the beef back ribs – it doesn't need to be removed fully since we're making them party ribs style
- Slice between the bone on each ribs to separate them, slicing them while they are meat side down makes this easier. When separated, apply a thin layer of olive oil to coat the ribs, then season liberally on all sides with Beef Seasoning.
- Place sliced beef back ribs on the smoker over oak smoke for 2 hours.
- After the first 45 minutes give them a spray with water, then again each 30 minutes. After 2 hours, add them to an aluminum pan with brown sugar, butter, and BBQ Sauce. Wrap tightly in foil and place back in smoker for 2 hours.
- Remove and baste with the glaze and sauce in bottom of the pan. Let rest for 10-15 minutes, then serve hot.
