The signature cut of Texas BBQ — three-rib slabs cut along the bone from the beef short plate, with a thick fat cap and intramuscular marbling that turns to silk over 8–12 hours of low-and-slow smoke. Often called "dino ribs" or "brontosaurus ribs" for the dramatic plate-and-handle shape (the bones can run 8"+ and weigh 1.5–2 lbs each). Distinct from *short ribs* (the same plate region cross-cut into thin Korean galbi or Argentine asado de tira strips), from *back ribs* (the dorsal end above the loin, leaner), and from pt-BR *costela ponta de agulha* (the front-of-chest cartilaginous variant). Salt-pepper rub, post-oak smoke, and patience — the full plate-rib experience is one of American BBQ's defining traditions.
Names by country
| Country | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸United States | Plate ribsprimary | USDA short plate primal, cut along the bone into 3-rib slabs. Sometimes "beef plate ribs" to disambiguate from the much smaller "back ribs," or colloquially "dino ribs" / "brontosaurus ribs" for the dramatic shape. Texas-BBQ-tradition cut. |
Free Plate ribs reference card
Diagram, cooking notes, and 8 names on one printable page.
Free. One-page reference.
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