Mooney's Sticky Monster Bones

Big, meaty dinosaur-sized beef ribs that look like they fell off a woolly mammoth and eat like the best bite of brisket you’ve ever had. The overnight marinade kicks off about 12 hours before the grill gets lit, so plan accordingly.

The real trick here is the drip pan. Instead of letting juices fall straight into the coals, beef broth goes in the pan with dry rib seasoning, catching every drop of rendered fat and sending all that flavor back up into the meat as steam. That gentle moisture is how you get tender ribs over a 3-hour cook without drying them out.

Hickory wood chunks bring deep smoke, and the mesquite-flavored barbecue sauce gets brushed on in the final hour, three separate times. Each coat builds the sticky, caramelized lacquer that gives these ribs their monster-bone nickname.

Pull them off the grill and let them hold in a 200°F (95°C) oven until the guests show up. Foiled tight, they’ll stay juicy for hours.

Pro Tips

• Peel the silver skin off the back of the rib rack before marinating. If you leave it on, the marinade can’t penetrate and the meat turns tough.
• Use indirect heat. Never put the ribs directly over hot coals, the sugary sauce will scorch long before the meat is tender.
• Don’t add barbecue sauce too early. Sugar burns at smoking temperature, so save sauce for the final hour when it can caramelize without turning black and bitter.
• Let the ribs rest 15 minutes off the grill before cutting. The juices need time to redistribute so they don’t run out at first cut.

Variations

• Swap the mesquite BBQ sauce for a Carolina vinegar-based BBQ sauce for a tangier, less sweet finish.
• Add a shot of bourbon to the drip pan alongside the beef broth for deeper flavor in the steam.
• Finish with a brush of hot honey instead of barbecue sauce for a sweet-heat twist.