Salt & Pepper Beef Short Ribs (Jacob’s Ladder)
Salt & Pepper Beef Short Ribs — often called Jacob’s Ladder in the UK — celebrate the power of simplicity. Inspired by traditional Texan pit barbecue, this “dalmatian rub” of coarse salt and cracked black pepper allows the beef’s natural richness to shine beneath a dark, caramelised bark.
Cooked low and slow over oak or cherry wood, these ribs become deeply smoky, incredibly tender, and richly beefy. There’s no heavy sauce or sugar here — just proper temperature control, patience, and technique.
Whether you’re using a charcoal smoker, ceramic grill, pellet grill, or electric smoker, this method produces competition-style beef short ribs with minimal ingredients and maximum flavour.
If you’re new to smoking, read our Beginner’s Guide to BBQ & Smoking (UK) before starting.
For perfect timing, use our Smoker Time Calculator to plan your cook.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time (hours)
2hrs
Cook Time (minutes)
30mins
Servings
6
Cuisine:
British
Course:
Main
Difficulty:
Easy
Keyword:
smoked beef short ribs UK
Author:
Kitchen Sizzlers
Cooking Temp
115
Ingredients
2 full plates beef short ribs (3–4 bones each), well-marbled
Approx. 3–4 kg total weight
2 tbsp fine sea salt
2 tbsp coarse black pepper
1 tsp garlic granules (optional)
Oak or cherry wood for smoke
Chef’s Notes
Jacob’s Ladder is thicker than pork ribs and requires patience. Time and collagen breakdown matter more than a single temperature reading.
Probe tenderness is the true indicator of doneness — not just hitting 95°C.
If using foil instead of butcher paper, add only 2–4 tbsp of liquid and re-set bark unwrapped for 10–20 minutes at the end.
Serve simply with pickles, slaw and crusty gluten-free rolls to cut through the richness.
These ribs reheat beautifully if wrapped tightly and warmed gently.
Equipment Used
- Perfect size: 12 inches x 60 ft, mobile phone size butcher paper roll for your choice. Approved for direct food contact, our pink butcher paper holds juices in while still letting steam escape, making it the perfect choice for smoking meats.
- Strong and durable: no more wimpy paper. Our high-grade butcher paper fibers provide superior strength that won't fall apart when soaked in oil or food juices, making it ideal for Texas Style BBQ.
- Uncoated and unbleached: no bleach, no wax, no coatings. This means there are no harmful or toxic polymers or chemicals that can leach into your food while cooking. Use this paper for your next backyard grilling party!
- Tender meat: Say goodbye to tough meat! Wrap your brisket, steaks, ribs, and more while smoking in our pink butcher paper to help meats reach their optimum temps faster, remain juicy, and get that deliciously smoky and crunchy, Texas crutch-style bark.
- Multi-purpose: this paper is perfect for all your backyard grilling, serving, or craft needs. Use this paper for smoking meat, crawfish boil, serving burgers and fries, ribs, table runner, packing paper, wrapping gifts, placemats, and more!
Method
1️⃣ Trim
Remove any hard surface fat and silver skin.
Leave a thin, even fat layer for moisture and flavour.
2️⃣ Season
Mix salt, pepper and garlic (if using).
Coat ribs generously on all sides.
Allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
3️⃣ Smoke
Preheat smoker to 110–120°C.
Add oak (traditional) or cherry wood for smoke.
Place ribs bone-side down on the grates.
4️⃣ Build Bark
Cook undisturbed for several hours until deep mahogany bark forms.
Optional: Lightly spritz with water every 60–90 minutes once colour sets.
5️⃣ Optional Wrap
When internal temperature reaches around 75°C and the stall begins, wrap tightly in butcher paper.
This helps push through the stall while preserving bark.
(Foil can be used but softens bark more.)
6️⃣ Finish
Continue cooking until internal temperature reaches 95–98°C.
Ribs are ready when a probe slides in with almost no resistance — like warm butter.
7️⃣ Rest
Vent steam for 5 minutes.
Re-wrap and rest for 1–2 hours in a warm place before slicing between bones.
Need help timing your cook?
Scan for our BBQ Smoker Time Calculator:
kitchensizzlers.com/bbq-smoker-time-calculator/