There are three types of beef ribs: plate short ribs, chuck short ribs, and back ribs. Ribs are usually cooked at 131°F (55°C) for medium-rare or 140°F (60°C) for medium. Back ribs can just be heated through in a few hours, or tenderized over 10 to 24 hours, while short ribs do better with a 2 to 3 day cook.