3-2-1 ribs?

[Spliner]

Keep in mind the 3-2-1 is generally for spareribs.  Baby racks are generally 2-1-1 or so - sometimes longer.  Once you get the 3-2-1 and the 2-1-1 down, then try the 6-0-0 or 4-0-0 method (i.e. - no foil)  Did three racks of bbr's week before last to test out my rain drenched smoke generator (looks like no ill effects - I let it set to dry for a month or so)  and one rack was done in 4 hours and the other two in almost 5 (they were really meaty - had a lot of loin meat still on them).

I had 3 racks of bbr's the other weekend that took just as long.  3-2-1 and they were still not pulling back on the bone.  They also were very meaty.  I used 3 hours of smoke in the Bradley (which never got above 210 for that 3 hours - temp recovery has not been good for me lately), then I realized I had run out of foil.  My bright idea was to use a foil pan which the three racks (all cut in half) fit into easily.  Covered that with the last of my foil and baked for two hours in the oven while I smoked some baked beans in the Bradley.  Pulled them out and sauced them and gave them 1 more hour in the Bradley with no smoke and it wasn't enough.  I ended up re-foiling them and putting them in the oven for an additional hour.  The results were fantastic, but not fall-off-the-bone tender.  They were tender as hell but stayed easily on the bone and I cut them apart with a butter knife (very tender, just not falling apart) to make individual ribs for the kids.  Moral of this story.. the ribs take as long as they take.  ;)  3-2-1 or 2-1-1, or in my case 3-2-1+1.  Regardless the results were out of this world.

Spliner

[Brianpcooney]

Keep in mind the 3-2-1 is generally for spareribs.  Baby racks are generally 2-1-1 or so - sometimes longer.  Once you get the 3-2-1 and the 2-1-1 down, then try the 6-0-0 or 4-0-0 method (i.e. - no foil)  Did three racks of bbr's week before last to test out my rain drenched smoke generator (looks like no ill effects - I let it set to dry for a month or so)  and one rack was done in 4 hours and the other two in almost 5 (they were really meaty - had a lot of loin meat still on them).

I had 3 racks of bbr's the other weekend that took just as long.  3-2-1 and they were still not pulling back on the bone.  They also were very meaty.  I used 3 hours of smoke in the Bradley (which never got above 210 for that 3 hours - temp recovery has not been good for me lately), then I realized I had run out of foil.  My bright idea was to use a foil pan which the three racks (all cut in half) fit into easily.  Covered that with the last of my foil and baked for two hours in the oven while I smoked some baked beans in the Bradley.  Pulled them out and sauced them and gave them 1 more hour in the Bradley with no smoke and it wasn't enough.  I ended up re-foiling them and putting them in the oven for an additional hour.  The results were fantastic, but not fall-off-the-bone tender.  They were tender as hell but stayed easily on the bone and I cut them apart with a butter knife (very tender, just not falling apart) to make individual ribs for the kids.  Moral of this story.. the ribs take as long as they take.  ;)  3-2-1 or 2-1-1, or in my case 3-2-1+1.  Regardless the results were out of this world.

Spliner

The first couple times i did (baby back) ribs (3-2-1) i used the foil wrap method and it was more trouble than it was worth.  Now I do the smoke in the bradley, then I do 2hours in covered foil pans in a 225 oven with applejuice and cider and maybe some of the rub, then...... THEN i refrigerate them till the next day when i put em all out on a grill on HIGH. crisp up the outside nice and good, just barely warmed inside.  If i wanted them to fall apart i'd up the oven time.  I've done 3 hours in the oven and they still weren't falling apart. I just look at them after 2 hours to see if the meat is pulling back. it always is, so i take them out then.
The foil pans are good too for another reason: I take the "broth" from the steaming rib pans and i add it to the home made barbecue sauce and boil it back down- really kicks up the flavor of the sauce!!!
so much stuff is just a matterof personal preference. For instance, i'm not actually a sauce person. I don't sauce my ribs, i provide it on the side. I like a nice crisp rub-crust on the outside.

[Mark in Ottawa]

Keep in mind the 3-2-1 is generally for spareribs.  Baby racks are generally 2-1-1 or so - sometimes longer.  Once you get the 3-2-1 and the 2-1-1 down, then try the 6-0-0 or 4-0-0 method (i.e. - no foil)  Did three racks of bbr's week before last to test out my rain drenched smoke generator (looks like no ill effects - I let it set to dry for a month or so)  and one rack was done in 4 hours and the other two in almost 5 (they were really meaty - had a lot of loin meat still on them).

I had 3 racks of bbr's the other weekend that took just as long.  3-2-1 and they were still not pulling back on the bone.  They also were very meaty.  I used 3 hours of smoke in the Bradley (which never got above 210 for that 3 hours - temp recovery has not been good for me lately), then I realized I had run out of foil.  My bright idea was to use a foil pan which the three racks (all cut in half) fit into easily.  Covered that with the last of my foil and baked for two hours in the oven while I smoked some baked beans in the Bradley.  Pulled them out and sauced them and gave them 1 more hour in the Bradley with no smoke and it wasn't enough.  I ended up re-foiling them and putting them in the oven for an additional hour.  The results were fantastic, but not fall-off-the-bone tender.  They were tender as hell but stayed easily on the bone and I cut them apart with a butter knife (very tender, just not falling apart) to make individual ribs for the kids.  Moral of this story.. the ribs take as long as they take.  ;)  3-2-1 or 2-1-1, or in my case 3-2-1+1.  Regardless the results were out of this world.

Spliner

I've found of late that to get fall-off-the-bone ribs I can only use side ribs. If I use back ribs, no matter how long I cook them, they never are fall-off-the-bone but always just tender (at best). I've gone so far as to try a 3-6-1 and it still wasn't fall-off-the-bone how I like them. So I guess it's a matter of cut rather than method.

So from now on I stick to side ribs.

I'm itching to try beef ribs soon though!

Mark (in Ottawa)

[OldHickory]

I never use sauce, and I never foil.  Smoke the total time and my BB's usually take 4+ hrs. with the PID @ 220*.  When the meat begins to pull away from the end of the bone (small end ) they are done.  Many of the folks here use sauce and even sugar and butter.  They look beautiful, but too sweet for me.  To each his own.  I do put sauce on the side for those who might want to try it.  Have fun, however you do it remember, it's the cooks choice.  You get the fame or the blame.

[devo]

That term FALL OFF THE BONE really should be taken out of the cooking rib dictionary  ::)  If you cooked your ribs to fall off the bone you cooked them way to long.

[mikecorn.1]

That term FALL OFF THE BONE really should be taken out of the cooking rib dictionary  ::)  If you cooked your ribs to fall off the bone you cooked them way to long.

Amen! Ribs are just mush at that point. Just my opinion.


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[Pachanga]

That term FALL OFF THE BONE really should be taken out of the cooking rib dictionary  ::)  If you cooked your ribs to fall off the bone you cooked them way to long.

Amen! Ribs are just mush at that point. Just my opinion.


Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk

Double Amen.

In this part of the world, ribs should still have a little tug when perfectly cooked.  If you pick up an empty bone, that's a little too much.  Smoked Totally Naked (no foil) and no sauce gets the right results for me.

Pachanga

[terry08]

I agree with devo, ribs should be tender enough to pull with your teeth, but should never fall off the bone. The baby backs I did last week were rubbed heavy with Jan's, and smoked five hours with hickory & pecan. Came out perfect. Would not even think of ruining that flavor with sauce. But like most, I have it on the side for those who want it. Funny thing is no one ever uses it. Jan's, is all they need.

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[TedEbear]

Fall-off-the-bone tender is my favorite.  Unfortunately, mine usually don't turn out that way.

[jwilson]

When I do spare ribs using 3-2-1, I do:

3 hrs smoke, no spritzing
2 hrs tin foil, brown sugar, honey, and pineapple juice
1 hr back in the smoker with only 1 or 2 coats of your fav BBQ sauce

As far as tenderness goes, "fall off the bone" vs a clean bite...well, that's pretty much subjective....whatever you like.  Yes, competition BBQ doesn't like "fall off the bone" tender but when I'm cooking for friends and family, I'm not cooking for competition...and they love "fall off the bone."

BTW, when I do baby backs, it's 2-2-1...same results.

[Spliner]

In my area, the easiest BBR's to find are made by Tyson and they are very meaty.  3-2-1 is still too much, they'll disintegrate.  So I generally do 3-.5-.5.  Three hours of apple, then .5 (sometimes a hair longer in foil with apple cider or juice), then .5 on medium heat on a gas grill to set the sauce.  The foil is a pain in the arse.. I may try foil covered pans myself this next time.  A full hour in the foil with apple juice though will make them fall off the bone for sure though.. too much so.  The last time I gave them a full hour in the foil I could not keep them together enough to get them sauced on the grill, picking half slabs up with a pair of tongs was destroying them.

[mrmoe]

I've been using the 3 - 3 method....don't like to cook sauce into the ribs so I just smoke them for 3 hours and then put them into foil packs with pomegranate juice for another 3....sauce served on the side.

[Spliner]

The first couple times i did (baby back) ribs (3-2-1) i used the foil wrap method and it was more trouble than it was worth.  Now I do the smoke in the bradley, then I do 2hours in covered foil pans in a 225 oven with applejuice and cider and maybe some of the rub, then...... THEN i refrigerate them till the next day when i put em all out on a grill on HIGH. crisp up the outside nice and good, just barely warmed inside.  If i wanted them to fall apart i'd up the oven time.  I've done 3 hours in the oven and they still weren't falling apart. I just look at them after 2 hours to see if the meat is pulling back. it always is, so i take them out then.
The foil pans are good too for another reason: I take the "broth" from the steaming rib pans and i add it to the home made barbecue sauce and boil it back down- really kicks up the flavor of the sauce!!!
so much stuff is just a matterof personal preference. For instance, i'm not actually a sauce person. I don't sauce my ribs, i provide it on the side. I like a nice crisp rub-crust on the outside.

I'm going to try the foil pans.. using the drippings for homemade sauce sounds fantastic.  I need to find some just the right size.  Would be great if they made foil pans about the size of a rack of ribs wouldn't it!  Not that I could find them locally if they did.

Since my post above I've done ribs 3x and all turned out great using 3-1.5-.5, that's 3 hours of smoke, 1.5 hours in foil and apple juice, and .5 hrs indirect heat on a gas grill with sauce to set the sauce.

Once I tried without the foil at all.. figured I'd baste/spray the ribs with apple juice/water mix after the initial 3 hours and just let them cook slowly for a total of 5 hours.  Turned out terrible.. tough.. dry.. etc.  Ok.. they weren't terrible.. I ate them anyway but they weren't what I was shooting for.  Since then.. I'm back to foil but will be looking for foil pans to try.

Spliner

[TonyL222]

When I do spare ribs using 3-2-1, I do:

3 hrs smoke, no spritzing
2 hrs tin foil, brown sugar, honey, and pineapple juice
1 hr back in the smoker with only 1 or 2 coats of your fav BBQ sauce

As far as tenderness goes, "fall off the bone" vs a clean bite...well, that's pretty much subjective....whatever you like.  Yes, competition BBQ doesn't like "fall off the bone" tender but when I'm cooking for friends and family, I'm not cooking for competition...and they love "fall off the bone."

BTW, when I do baby backs, it's 2-2-1...same results.

Pretty close to my method.  Discovered I like St. Louis spare ris better than baby backs:

3 hrs smoke - Jim Beam oak, spritz once an hr with mix of half bourbon and half apple cider vinegar
2 hrs tin foil, brown sugar, honey, squirt butter and apple juice
1 hr back in the smoker with a bourbon BBQ sauce

All at 220 degrees.  The last two steps can be done in the oven.

[rveal23]

I like the 3-2-1 Method as well.

I like using the 8 3 1 1 type of dry rub on my Ribs (From AB) for the first 3hrs
Then foil it up using a type of Braising Liquid w/ some Butter & Dark Sugar for the Next 2hrs
Then when I'm going to take out the ribs from the foil I save all the juices that come out
and place the ribs back in for the last hr.

While that is going on,  I simmer down the juices and use that as my sauce if needed, but 95% of the time
the ribs are perfect without even using the simmered down sauce.