A twist on a barbecue classic, these smoked Sichuan pepper beef ribs infuse short ribs with a bold Sichuan peppercorn dry rub before cooking them low and slow over smoke.
This recipe infuses classic smoked beef short ribs with a Sichuan pepper twist. Layering our dry rub with added Chinese spice, we add an aromatic spice that delivers a unique mouth-tingling sensation (often referred to as ma la in China) that’s unlike anything else.
I’ve seen versions of these presented by Leroy and Lewis in Austin, as well as Uncle Hon’s BBQ here in London, and I had to give them a try. I’ve modified the recipe slightly by dialing in the Sichuan pepper a bit and adding a bit more savory with granulated onion. I’ve also used a Chinkiang wine vinegar for the spritz to deliver more acid (something soy sauce doesn’t really deliver), but you can skip the spritz altogether if you want.
Quick Tips
- Don’t remove the membrane on the back of the ribs – it helps hold them together during the long cook.
- For the spritz, I’ve used Chinkiang wine vinegar. This isn’t always easy to find so if you’re struggling, you can use a 1:1 ratio of dark soy sauce and rice vinegar.
- Let the ribs rest properly after cooking. This allows the juices to redistribute and keep the ribs as moist and tender as possible.
Smoked Sichuan Pepper Beef Ribs
Ingredients
- 1 rack beef short ribs
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce as a binder for the rub
Dry Rub
- 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp Chinese five-spice
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
Spritz
- ½ cup Chinkiang rice vinegar if you can’t find any, create a blend of soy sauce and rice vinegar for acid
- ½ cup Shaoxing wine
- ½ cup water
Garnish
- 3 spring onions sliced diagonally
- 2 red chilies thinly sliced
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 1 tsp crispy chili oil I use Lao Gan Ma oil but anything similar will do
Instructions
- Trim the beef of any excess fat. Pat dry with paper towels.
- In a pestle and mortar, crush the Sichuan peppercorns. Aim for a coarse consistency rather than a powder.
- In a small bowl, combine the crushed Sichuan peppercorns with the other dry rub ingredients. Use a fork to combine well.
- Apply the soy sauce to the beef ribs on all sides. This is just to act as a binder for the rub, so ensure it’s spread evenly over the rack surface.
- Coat the ribs with the dry rub, covering all sides. Apply liberally and evenly.
- Fire up your smoker to 250-275°F (120-135°C). If you’re using a charcoal grill, set up for indirect grilling with your coals set to one side and 1-2 oak wood chunks placed on the coals.
- Once your smoker has preheated and is at a stable temperature, place the ribs on the smoker grates. Place a digital meat probe in the thickest part of the meat (try not to touch any bone). Smoke the beef ribs to an internal temperature of 203°F (95°C), about 5-7 hours.
- In a food-safe spray bottle, combine the spritz ingredients. About 4 hours into the smoke, lightly spritz the ribs. Repeat every 30-45 minutes.
- Once the ribs hit our target temperature, pull them from the smoker. Wrap tightly in butcher paper and leave to rest, allowing them to come down to an internal temperature of 140°F (60°C). This can vary but should take about 30-40 minutes.
- Unwrap the ribs, slice between the bones, and serve right away.
