Back ribs are usually cut from the ends of a prime rib roast, a very desirable and a more expensive cut than short ribs, but there is a lot of tasty meat between the bones. Depending on temperature and how much meat is on the bones, they can be done in three to seven hours. You can leave the membrane intact on the back side, it helps to hold the meat on the bones when it is done.
Many people cut slabs into double bones, but I prefer to leave the slabs whole. The whole slab takes a little longer to cook, but they also have more flavor. Some bones in the package may have little meat and lot of fat, but trim them anyway and cook them just the same.
Salt the meat in advance like a prime rib, (overnight). Then lightly coat the meat with olive oil so that the oil soluble spices in the rub you apply will dissolve and penetrate a bit. I prefer Oakridge Santa Maria grill seasoning with extra fresh cracked pepper. If you can, let the rub sit on the meat in the refrigerator for about three hours before cooking.
Setup your cooker for indirect cooking and preheat to 225° not too high to drive out the moisture. Put the meat bone side down, and add the wood. Beef ribs seem to absorb smoke more quickly, so remember, go easy on the wood with your first cook. Too much smoke will overpower the flavor of the beef.
The meat should hit 200°F in about 5 hours or more depending on thickness.
My last bit of advice is, skip the sauce, the flavor of the beef will stand on it's own!!!
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