The day before: Inspect beef short ribs for hard fat and sinew (typically on the outer surface of the ribs).

Use a sharp chef’s knife to remove the fat, being careful not to cut into the meat itself. After removing the hard fat, you may notice some silverskin or sinew still attached to the meat. Gently use your knife to remove the sinew.

Apply a generous amount of salt, pepper, and garlic to ribs.

Place ribs in a large ziplock bag and chill overnight in the refrigerator. 

The next day: Remove ribs from the fridge and let them rest at room temperature for one hour.

Meanwhile, preheat the smoker to a low temperature, typically between 225°F and 250°F (107°C to 121°C). 

Place ribs on hot smoker grates. Add your preferred wood chunks (or wood chips) to the fire or smoking box.

Add 1 cup of apple cider vinegar and 1 cup of apple juice to a large spray bottle. After one hour, spritz short ribs with the liquid mixture. Continue smoking short ribs for several hours, spritzing every 30 minutes.

Cook until ribs reach an internal temperature of 195°F to 205°F (90°C to 96°C). The meat should now be fall-off-the-bone tender.