BBQ short ribs are the slow weekend showpiece — smoke, sticky bark, and meat that pulls from the bone. 1.3-1.7kg Short Beef Ribs is the generous pack for a family board or a proper sharing plate. Shop it in beef short ribs and BBQ.
BBQ method
Pat the ribs dry and season well with salt, pepper, and a rub if you like. Set the BBQ for indirect heat around 120–140°C — a steady low fire, not a fierce sear. Place the ribs bone-side down away from the direct coals, add a handful of smoking wood if you have it, and close the lid. Cook 3 to 5 hours until a probe slides in with little resistance (around 90–95°C in the thickest part) and the meat has pulled back from the bone ends. Optionally wrap in foil with a splash of apple juice or stock for the middle hour to keep them moist, then unwrap and glaze for the last 20 to 30 minutes over slightly higher heat for sticky edges. Rest 15 minutes under loose foil before serving. Do not rush on high heat — short ribs need time for the collagen to melt.
Oven and slow cooker backup
No BBQ: oven 150–160°C covered for 3 to 4 hours then glaze uncovered, or slow cooker on low 7 to 9 hours and finish under a hot grill for sticky bark. Browse beef short ribs for pack sizes, and BBQ when you want ribs and burgers for the same fire.
What to serve
Slaw, soft rolls, and pickles, or creamy mash and greens with the reduced juices. Leftover meat shreds into tacos, nachos, or a rich ragù — keep covered in the fridge and reheat gently with a splash of stock. Freeze leftover chunks in portions for midweek comfort.
Times above are a guide for home ovens, air fryers and pans — always trust a probe over the clock, and rest meat before you carve so the juices stay in the slice, not on the board. British packs vary a little in thickness, so start checking a few minutes early the first time you cook a new size.
Write your own fridge note the first time you cook a new pack size — home ovens and pans vary, and a two-minute early check beats dry meat. Rest on a warm plate, not a cold board, so the juices stay put when you carve or plate up.