How to Butcher Tomahawk Short Ribs

By Christie Vanover | Published February 10, 2019 | Last Updated February 16, 2023

Step-by-step photos, instructions and video shows you how to butcher tomahawk short ribs like a pro.

There are a few different cuts of beef ribs. My favorite by far is the beef plate short ribs, because they are beautifully marbled, which means they’re very flavorful.

And as you all know by now, I buy Certified Angus Beef® brand, because they are obsessed with ensuring each cut is packed with flavor and juiciness.

Plate ribs are often called dinosaur bones because the bones are about 10 inches long, far surpassing their pork brethren.

Traditionally, people smoke a three-bone rack of plate ribs, but today my friends, we’re going tomahawk style, and I’m going to show you how easy it is.

The Knife Work

Like all ribs, beef plate ribs have a thick membrane called a silverskin on the back. Although, we’re not going to be eating the backside of the ribs, I still like to remove it to ensure the smoke can fully penetrate into the meat.

To do this, glide your knife under the silverskin. Grip it with a paper towel, and pull it off.

Plate ribs are usually sold in racks with three or four bones. Today, my rack has three.

To make the tomahawk short ribs, separate the bones, by slicing down the center of meat between each bone.

The bone is a little bit wider on one end. You’ll want to use that end as the base of your tomahawk.

On the end with a smaller bone, place your boning knife flat against the bone, under the meat and glide the knife down, until you’re about 3 inches from the bottom.

As you can see here, you’ll be left with a thick chunk of marbled beef. Roll it away from the bone toward the base.

Next, french the exposed bone by scraping off the excess meat and fat. This isn’t a requirement, but it makes for better presentation.

How to Tie Up the Tomahawk Short Ribs

My butcher twine skills aren’t very great, so I promise, if I can do this, you can, too.

Along with these photos and instructions, I’ve produced a video, showing the steps. If you’re still confused, post in the comments below, and I’ll answer your questions.

I use chef-grade 100% cotton butcher twine.

Step 1

Place the end of the twine on top of the rolled up meat toward the right edge.

Wrap the twine under the base.

Step 2

Turn the bone over.

Take the twine across the back of the bone and over to the opposite side.

Step 3

Bring the twine back over the roll.

Wrap it down the left edge.

Wrap the twine under the base.

Step 4

Turn the bone over.

Take the twine across the back of the bone and over to the opposite side, creating an X.

Step 5

Bring the twine back over the right side of the roll.

Cut the twine from the spool.

Tie it in a knot with the initial end.

You can see here that the two rows of twine will secure the rolled up meat to the bone.

Pretty stunning. Huh?

My favorite rub for short ribs is my Sweet + Smoky Garlic Rub. It creates a beautiful bark and has a touch of cayenne and smoked paprika.

I smoke my short ribs the same way nearly every time at around 250-275F degrees for 5-6 hours.

I shoot for an internal temperature of just over 200F degrees. Then, I let them rest for about 30 minutes.

To test meat temperature, I count on my reliable Thermoworks Thermapen.

Serving them whole makes for an epic presentation. Each tomahawk short rib will yield around 6 ounces of rich, luxurious meat.