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  • 3-2-1 method for smoked ribs

    I am testing the 3-2-1 method for smoking baby back ribs today. I typically use a simpler method that my family loves, but I think the rubs turn out too mushy so I want to expand my horizons. The basic theory of the 3-2-1 method is that you smoke for three hours, wrap in foil and cook an additional 2 hours (aka "the Texas crutch"), and unfoil, slather with bbq sauce and cook for a final 1 hr.

    As I scour the internet for discussions of this technique it appears that there are a million variations. 2-2-1, 3-1-1, 4-1, 2-1.5-0.5, etc. And the temps at each step vary. Any of you folks tried this? DT? CJF?

    I am just going to take a shot and try 2-2-1 and see what happens, but advice is welcomed.

    (I will try to remember to take some pics).

    ================================================== ========================

    EDIT: This thread contains a long series of posts, photos, etc. where different techniques were attempted. After experimentation (and with input from several posters) I settled on a technique that seems to give consistently good results. I thought it would be nice to summarize that technique here for those of you just starting out so that you don't need to read the entire thread to pull out the latest recommendations. I still recommend you go through the thread, to see the photos and technique in more detail, but at least you will have a consolidated summary of the steps. Here you go:

    These steps seem to work best with this meaty baby backs such as the ones sold by Coscto. The technique works equally well (no modifications necessary) with St. Louis Style ribs. I also assume you are using a pellet grill.

    El Duderino's 1.5-2-45m Smoked Ribs


    1) Apply a liberal amount of your favorite rub to each rack. You can do this just before smoking if you like or you can rub and wrap and put them in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.

    2) Put the ribs in the smoker at the smoke setting (180 degrees) for 1.5 hours. I prefer to use mesquite pellets but you can use any type you like. The smoking phase is relatively short so mesquite gives it a nice strong flavor but it isn't too strong.

    3) Place each rack in foil. I like to use the heavy duty foil from Costco and I normally use two sheets because it is easy to puncture one sheet and you don't want to lose your moisture. Add a liberal amount of apple juice (0.5-1 C per rack) and fold and seal tightly. Put back on the grill and crank up the temp to 275 deg and cook for 2 hours.

    4) Remove from grill. Unwrap the foil and drain the juice. Using a basting brush, slather your favorite BBQ sauce on both sides of the rack and return the racks to the grill (without foil). Turn the temp down to 225 degrees and cook for an additional 45 minutes.

    5) Remove racks from grill and tent in foil or under a large roasting pan lid for 15 minutes prior to serving.

    Enjoy!
    Last edited by Jeff Lebowski; 07-20-2014, 12:14 PM.
    "There is no creature more arrogant than a self-righteous libertarian on the web, am I right? Those folks are just intolerable."
    "It's no secret that the great American pastime is no longer baseball. Now it's sanctimony." -- Guy Periwinkle, The Nix.
    "Juilliardk N I ibuprofen Hyu I U unhurt u" - creekster

  • #2
    IMO, 3-2-1 is just too long for babybacks, even if cooked at 225°. 3-2-1 was originally designed to use with spare ribs. I would try 1.5-1-.5 @ 275° for babybacks. I like cooking ribs at 275°, just seems to work better than 225° for me. Remember that 3-2-1 or 2-1-1, or whatever are just recommendations and will vary depending on the rib and how much meat is on them. If the ribs arent done at the end of 1.5-1-.5, leave them on until they pass the "bend Test".

    For the "bend test" pick up one end of the rack with tongs or your hands with proper protection from the heat and when the ribs are done the other end of the rack will hang down limply and the bark will start to break. You can also us a toothpick between the bones. Stick it into the meat and it if goes in with little resistance then the ribs are done.




    When done, the meat should have shrunk anywhere from 1/4"-1/2" away from the bone and should be able to pull away clean from the bone with just a little resistance, not fall off the bone with no resistance. Good Luck!




    "I can get a good look at a T-bone by sticking my head up a bull's a$$, but I'd rather take a butcher's word for it". - Tommy Callahan III

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    • #3
      I've tried it and I don't like them as much as just straight up smoking. The foiling changes the texture of the meat. The wrong kind of fall off the bone in my opinion. My wife likes them so I do make use of this method often.

      I differ from DT on times. My baby backs typically cook for 5 to 6 hours at 225 to 250. I will have to try his method.
      A man who views the world the same at fifty as he did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life. - Mohammad Ali

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      • #4
        Originally posted by Drunk Tank View Post
        IMO, 3-2-1 is just too long for babybacks, even if cooked at 225°. 3-2-1 was originally designed to use with spare ribs. I would try 1.5-1-.5 @ 275° for babybacks. I like cooking ribs at 275°, just seems to work better than 225° for me. Remember that 3-2-1 or 2-1-1, or whatever are just recommendations and will vary depending on the rib and how much meat is on them. If the ribs arent done at the end of 1.5-1-.5, leave them on until they pass the "bend Test".

        For the "bend test" pick up one end of the rack with tongs or your hands with proper protection from the heat and when the ribs are done the other end of the rack will hang down limply and the bark will start to break. You can also us a toothpick between the bones. Stick it into the meat and it if goes in with little resistance then the ribs are done.




        When done, the meat should have shrunk anywhere from 1/4"-1/2" away from the bone and should be able to pull away clean from the bone with just a little resistance, not fall off the bone with no resistance. Good Luck!




        Damn.

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        • #5
          I ended up doing 2-2-1. Turned out great. Will post pics later.
          "There is no creature more arrogant than a self-righteous libertarian on the web, am I right? Those folks are just intolerable."
          "It's no secret that the great American pastime is no longer baseball. Now it's sanctimony." -- Guy Periwinkle, The Nix.
          "Juilliardk N I ibuprofen Hyu I U unhurt u" - creekster

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          • #6
            Originally posted by CJF View Post
            I've tried it and I don't like them as much as just straight up smoking. The foiling changes the texture of the meat. The wrong kind of fall off the bone in my opinion. My wife likes them so I do make use of this method often.

            I differ from DT on times. My baby backs typically cook for 5 to 6 hours at 225 to 250. I will have to try his method.
            The ones I pictured above I didnt foil. Anymore, I rarely foil. Just smoke at 275° and take off when they pass the bend test. They are done when they are done. If I do foil, I use the method above. I have had good results both ways.
            "I can get a good look at a T-bone by sticking my head up a bull's a$$, but I'd rather take a butcher's word for it". - Tommy Callahan III

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            • #7
              WHere are the pics, JeffLebowski!?!
              Fitter. Happier. More Productive.

              sigpic

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              • #8
                Originally posted by TripletDaddy View Post
                WHere are the pics, JeffLebowski!?!
                I am trying. Darn SLC airport free wifi.
                "There is no creature more arrogant than a self-righteous libertarian on the web, am I right? Those folks are just intolerable."
                "It's no secret that the great American pastime is no longer baseball. Now it's sanctimony." -- Guy Periwinkle, The Nix.
                "Juilliardk N I ibuprofen Hyu I U unhurt u" - creekster

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by Jeff Lebowski View Post
                  I am trying. Darn SLC airport free wifi.
                  Fly to Denver really quickly and post the pics there. Pretty good Wi fi and it is free.
                  Fitter. Happier. More Productive.

                  sigpic

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                  • #10
                    OK. I have five minutes before plane loads. Let's see if I can do this. These are phone pics so I apologize for the quality.

                    Ribs at end of initial smoking stage. Mesquite pellets for two hours.


                    Wrapped in foil for second stage:


                    After the foil stage:


                    Slathered on the sauce, ready for final stage:


                    After final stage. Ready to go to the table:


                    On the table:



                    Flavor was very good. I had a hard deadline to meet on my flight so I started early because I knew I would not be able to cook longer if they weren't done yet and better to be too done than not done enough. I thought the thicker parts were just about right (but would have been OK less done) but the thinner parts were a little overdone. I am going to try cutting back the time and maybe try DT's 275 method. I am also going to order me a new batch of Salt Lick sauce and try a batch with that.
                    "There is no creature more arrogant than a self-righteous libertarian on the web, am I right? Those folks are just intolerable."
                    "It's no secret that the great American pastime is no longer baseball. Now it's sanctimony." -- Guy Periwinkle, The Nix.
                    "Juilliardk N I ibuprofen Hyu I U unhurt u" - creekster

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                    • #11


                      Looks delish!

                      I'd like to hear more about those beans, too, please.
                      Fitter. Happier. More Productive.

                      sigpic

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by TripletDaddy View Post


                        Looks delish!

                        I'd like to hear more about those beans, too, please.
                        The poor people on Leb's flight are going to hear all about them.
                        Prepare to put mustard on those words, for you will soon be consuming them, along with this slice of humble pie that comes direct from the oven of shame set at gas mark “egg on your face”! -- Moss

                        There are three rules that I live by: never get less than twelve hours sleep; never play cards with a guy who has the same first name as a city; and never get involved with a woman with a tattoo of a dagger on her body. Now you stick to that, and everything else is cream cheese. --Coach Finstock

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                        • #13
                          Those do look great. What sauce did you use?

                          I'm with DDD. Let's hear more about those beans.
                          A man who views the world the same at fifty as he did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life. - Mohammad Ali

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by CJF View Post
                            Those do look great. What sauce did you use?

                            I'm with DDD. Let's hear more about those beans.
                            http://cougaruteforum.com/showpost.p...76&postcount=3

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                            • #15
                              OK, we have some family in town this week and they requested ribs so I gave this method another shot, but tried to tweak things from what I did last time. Here is how I did the three stages:

                              Stage 1) Tossed on some rub and smoked with mesquite pellets for 1.5 hrs at 180 deg (last time I did 2.5 hours at 225).

                              Stage 2) Added apple juice and wrapped in foil. Cooked for 2.0 hrs at 275 deg. I was a little nervous at the end of this stage because I thought they might not be done enough, but I decided to forge ahead and see what happens.

                              Stage 3) Removed foil, slathered on bbq sauce and cooked at 225 deg for 45 minutes.

                              After the third stage I took them in the house and covered them with a large lid and let them sit 15 minutes prior to serving.

                              I used Salt Lick BBQ sauce this time (recently ordered a case in the mail from Austin).

                              Here are a few photos of the results:

                              At the beginning of the last stage:


                              After third stage and just before sitting for 15 minutes:



                              Closeup at the same point:


                              On my plate:


                              The verdict? Best ribs I have ever made, hands down. These babies were perfect. Firm enough to stick to the bone a little and provide a chewy texture, but very moist and tender. Combo of the rub, smoke, and Salt Lick sauce was heavenly.
                              "There is no creature more arrogant than a self-righteous libertarian on the web, am I right? Those folks are just intolerable."
                              "It's no secret that the great American pastime is no longer baseball. Now it's sanctimony." -- Guy Periwinkle, The Nix.
                              "Juilliardk N I ibuprofen Hyu I U unhurt u" - creekster

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