There Are 3 Types Of Beef Ribs — Which Should You Choose For The BBQ?

You can't have a barbecue without ribs. Well, you can, but why would you want to? Mouthwatering meat cooked to perfection covered in barbecue sauce — you simply can't go wrong. But while deciding on what sides to serve might present a challenge, the real question is which kind of ribs are best for grilling. Pork ribs are great (just look at how popular the McDonald's McRib, which is made from pork, is when it's available), but for many barbecue diehards, beef is a better option. The ribs are known for having a significant amount of meat on them and have a lot more fat marbled throughout the meat. When rendered, that fat melts into the meat and creates that succulent texture and mouthwatering flavor that makes us love beef.

The only problem is that there isn't just one kind of beef rib. But if you want to know which kind you should be throwing on the grill this summer, you'll want to know what the differences are. When a cow is butchered, three main types of ribs are produced: chuck short ribs (which you might see under the name "flanken short ribs"), plate short ribs (which also go by the fun nickname "dinosaur ribs"), and beef back ribs. Each comes from a different part of the cow, and they've each got their own taste, texture, and best use. Of the three, the best for the barbecue is actually all three, depending on what you are looking for from a rib.

Chuck ribs are most often cooked with low-and-slow techniques like braising, but their meatiness makes them an increasingly popular choice for grilling. It also doesn't hurt that they are typically straight, rather than curved, and average between 3 and 6 inches, which makes them easy to manage when you are eating them. Of course, you can always cook them to perfection in the oven, but it's hard to resist the allure of juicy, tender ribs cooking on the grill.  

Plate short ribs are also super meaty, but much larger (about 12 inches in length) and more curved than chuck short ribs. They're wonderful braised but also cook up nicely on the grill, especially if you are smoking them low and slow to render the fat without drying the meat out. They are basically the beef version of those massive turkey legs you'll find at the fair, but they'll be much juicier and taste way better, especially once you've slathered on your favorite barbecue sauce.

Beef back ribs don't have as much meat as their short rib counterparts but are equally delicious since they come from the ribeye portion of the cow. They do especially well when grilled with indirect heat and don't take as long to cook as plate ribs would. You won't always find these rib cuts in the grocery store, but if your local market has a well-stocked meat counter or you've got a local butcher shop nearby, you can always ask for the ribs you prefer. And the only way to know for sure which style is your favorite is to try them all.