Whether you’re grilling a big meal for your family or a feast for some friends, you may be wondering how well it works to cook more than one piece of meat at the same time.
So, the short answer is yes, it is possible to do, and you can still make tasty barbecue. When smoking or grilling more than one piece of the same kind of meat or different kinds of meat, there are a few things you should remember to make sure everything goes well. Especially if you want to try and have everything finish together so it is served hot.
In this article, we’ll break down what you need to know to cook multiple pieces of meat together. Let’s take a look:
Juicy, fall-off-the-bone ribs are the ultimate crowd-pleasing barbecue fare. But can you actually cook beef and pork ribs together in the same smoker or grill? Or will their different properties lead to disaster?
I decided to find out through extensive experimentation if combining these two rib varieties is barbecue brilliance or a bad idea Read on for the savory results!
The Challenges of Cooking Beef and Pork Ribs Together
At first glance, putting beef and pork ribs on the grill at the same time may seem like no big deal. However, there are a few potential pitfalls:
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Cook times – Pork spare ribs take 4-5 hours while beef ribs need 6-8 hours typically.
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Temperature – Pork ribs cook best at 225°F – 250°F while beef ribs prefer 275°F – 325°F.
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Tenderness – Pork ribs have more intra-muscular fat so they get tender faster.
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Flavor – Pork ribs are mildly sweet while beef ribs have a deeper, beefier taste
So in order to cook them together successfully, you need to make adjustments to account for their differences.
Handy Tips for Cooking Beef and Pork Ribs Together
Through extensive trial and error, I developed tips and tricks to cook beef and pork ribs harmoniously:
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Start the beef ribs first to give them a head start.
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Place pork ribs on the cooler side of the grill or smoker.
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Spritz pork ribs with apple juice to prevent drying out.
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Wrap pork ribs in foil after 2-3 hours for extra tenderness.
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Lightly sauce pork ribs at the end to prevent burning or over-caramelizing.
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Check temperatures – pork ribs at 145°F, beef ribs at 195-205°F.
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Allow ribs to rest 5-10 minutes before serving for juiciness.
Follow those suggestions and your beef and pork ribs will turn out perfectly cooked, incredibly tasty, and ready to devour!
Step-by-Step Method for Smoking Beef and Pork Ribs
Here is a timeline for smoking beef and pork ribs together from prep to finish:
Prep:
- Choose ribs of similar thickness – try to avoid huge size differences.
- Remove membrane from bone side of ribs.
- Generously season ribs with your favorite dry rub – use one rub for beef, another for pork.
Cook:
- Get your smoker or grill setup for indirect heat at 250°F.
- Place your seasoned beef ribs in first since they take longer.
- After 2 hours, add seasoned pork ribs on the cooler side.
- Maintain even heat of 225-250°F.
- Spritz ribs with apple juice every 45 minutes to prevent drying.
- After 2-3 hours, wrap pork ribs in foil to steam and tenderize.
- Cook beef ribs for total of 6-8 hours until probe tender.
- Cook pork ribs for 4-5 hours total until 145°F internal temperature.
Finish:
- For pork ribs, unwrap foil, lightly sauce, and grill briefly to caramelize sauce.
- For beef ribs, sauce during last 30 minutes if desired.
- Let ribs rest 5-10 minutes before cutting for maximum juiciness.
- Slice between bones and serve!
See? With strategic timing, temperature control, spritzing, and foiling, you can smoke beef and pork ribs together to perfection.
Helpful Tips for Ribs Success
Beyond the basic method, these extra tips will help ensure your beef and pork ribs turn out tender and delicious:
- Choose the right wood – Hickory, oak, pecan, or apple all add great flavor.
- Remove membranes for tenderness.
- Apply rubs generously and massage in.
- Let ribs sit 30-60 minutes after seasoning to help flavors penetrate.
- Use mustard or oil to help rub adhere.
- Maintain an even indirect heat – no hot spots!
- Monitor temperature closely and make adjustments.
- Spritz with apple juice every 45-60 minutes.
- Wrap pork ribs in foil after a few hours.
- Check for doneness with a meat thermometer.
- Allow ribs to rest before slicing for juiciness.
- Slice between bones for easy serving.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
Delicious Rub and Sauce Recipes
No ribs are complete without flavorful rubs and sauces! Here are some of my favorite recipes:
Pork Dry Rub
- 1⁄4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
Beef Dry Rub
- 1⁄4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp mustard powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp salt
Sweet and Tangy Barbecue Sauce
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1⁄2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1⁄4 cup brown sugar
- 3 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp mustard
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1⁄2 tsp black pepper
Experiment with different herb and spice blends to make your ribs truly unique.
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have questions about successfully cooking beef and pork ribs together? Here are some common FAQs:
Should ribs touch during cooking?
No, allow space between ribs for even cooking on all sides.
How do you prevent pork ribs drying out?
Spritz often with apple juice and wrap in foil after a few hours to steam.
Which type of ribs go on top?
Put pork ribs on upper rack since they baste the beef ribs below.
What about grill vs. smoker vs. oven?
All work! Choose your preferred cooking method.
Is it safe to eat beef and pork together?
Absolutely, just cook thoroughly to safe temperatures.
Should ribs be boiled before grilling?
Boiling makes them mushy, so skip this step!
How long do leftover ribs last?
3-4 days in the fridge well wrapped. Reheat gently.
The Verdict on Cooking Beef and Pork Ribs Together
After all my testing, what’s the final verdict on combining beef and pork ribs in one barbecue session?
I give it two hearty thumbs up! With the right techniques, you can absolutely smoke beef and pork ribs together with incredible, mouthwatering results.
The key is paying close attention to the different cooking times and temperatures required. But with strategic rack placement, spritzing, foiling, and saucing, you can easily accommodate both rib varieties on your smoker or grill.
Just be prepared for very happy guests! Smoked beef and pork ribs are the ultimate crowd-pleasing duo. The flavors marry together wonderfully.
So go forth and smoke your ribs without fear. With the proper methods, cooking beef and pork ribs together is utter barbecue bliss!
Focus On Reaching The Desired Internal Meat Temperature
It’s important to know that temperature, not specific cook times for each piece of meat, is what makes barbecue the best. Recipes that push a specific “standard” for a cook time are just asking for trouble. You can end up with dry overcooked meat or even undercooked meat.
Having to look up times, internal temperatures, and meat types can be a hassle. Keeping a temperature chart on hand while grilling will make the entire process much easier. This one, from Traeger Grills, includes the most commonly barbequed cuts of meat, along with their expert chefs suggested cooking temperatures and the USDAs recommended safe internal temperatures.
There are a lot of variables (the type of cooker you’re using, outside temperature, humidity, wind, etc. ) that can impact how long it really takes for a piece of meat to cook. So the goal is to always get the meat to the right temperature in the middle of the thickest part to know when it’s done.
This, again, is why it is so important to have some good digital meat thermometers. It is best to have more than one thermometer or a multi-probe thermometer when cooking a lot of different types of meat. This way, you won’t have to keep poking holes in all the different pieces.
You might worry that some pieces coming off the grill are too done before the rest of the food is, or you might want to let some pieces rest longer. You can still keep them warm and ready to go. You can store the meat in a big cooler while you finish the other pieces. Just wrap the meat in butcher paper or aluminum foil and then over it with towels. Or you can store pieces in your indoor oven.
But when cooking more than one piece of meat at the same time, timing is important to make sure that everything is done (reaches the right temperature inside) at the same time.
When you want to cook more than one type of meat at the same time, you should really know how to use your grill well. You should also know how long it usually takes to cook certain kinds of meat to the right temperature on your grill, taking everything into account.
Controlling Your Cooker’s Temperature Is Essential
Some meats are cooked low and slow and some are cooked quicker and seared. Either way, the key to cooking delicious meat is maintaining a constant desired temperature in your cooker. This is where really knowing your grill or smoker is key.
Of course, the way you set the temperature on your grill or smoker will depend on the type of cooker you have. Depending on what you’re cooking, you should try to keep the cooker’s temperature inside between 225°F and 300°F. Wait a few minutes before adding the meat. You want to make sure the temperature in your grill or smoker has been stable.
Remember, you cannot trust the thermometer on the hood of your cooker, it will lie to you. To accurately keep everything under control and cook properly it’s important to have a good thermometer setup. You should have two probes: one to check the temperature of the air inside the cooker and the other to check the temperature of the meat inside.