Beef Short Plate
When people think of barbecued beef, they usually think of brisket, because of the way the cut tenderizes in a smoker. The problem with brisket, says chef Quinn Hatfield, owner of the new L.A. smokehouse Odys & Penelope, is that one part of it is thick and fatty while another part is thin and lean, “so the whole brisket never comes out amazing.” His fix is to use the so-called beef short plate, an evenly marbled cut from the front belly of a cow. Typically cut into short ribs, the short plate smokes up beautifully when cooked whole. “One hundred percent of it comes out like the best brisket you’ve ever eaten,” says Hatfield. Most butchers carry short ribs, and that’s a fine substitute, but to get your hands on a short plate, you’ll need to order ahead. Trust us, it’s worth it.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
- 1 piece of beef short plate, on the bone
- canola oil
- salt and pepper
Directions (Cook time: eight hours)
1. Preheat smoker or grill to medium-low heat (250°).
2. Brush meat with canola oil, then season with lots of salt and pepper.
3. Set meat on smoker grate, rib side down. Cook until a thermometer stuck into middle of meat reads 200°, about 8 to 10 hours.
4. Let meat rest off the smoker for 30 minutes before carving, so juices don’t bleed out.
Serving
Pull meat away from the ribs with a fork and carve into long slices. Or make lengthwise cuts between the bones to create four immense bone-in servings. You can add barbecue sauce, but it’ll taste brilliant without anything at all.
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