3-2-1 method for smoked ribs

[Pelado]

I'm trying this today. Applied the rub and put them in the fridge about an hour ago. About to plop them on the smoker.



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Turned out pretty well. My 9-year-old daughter started devouring them so quickly we had to ask her to slow down so as to avoid choking herself. My 12-year-old son said they were better than the ribs they had on his campout. My wife said they were better than what we get from a local BBQ restaurant. I've only tried making ribs one other time (which I screwed up) so this was by far the best results I've gotten.

Also did a side of smoked mac & cheese - modified a recipe from the Traeger site. The mac and cheese wasn't nearly as popular as the ribs.

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[Moliere]

One of the great things about having a pool is holidays. MJ is inviting over a bunch of people for a pool party and has asked that I do ribs. She has no idea how many are coming so I just picked up 6 racks at Costco. I've always done the reverse of JL's method where I cook them in foil (with apple juice, honey and brown sugar) and then finish them on the grill. I was limited by my old smoker as it didn't fit a full rack (only 18.5 inches) but now that I have a Yoder I'm going to try JL's method. My old method obviously didn't have much smoke flavor but that will change come Tuesday

[Pelado]

Yesterday I followed an easy recipe on Traeger's site for St. Louis ribs. It was delicious. Essentially you just use your favorite rub on a rack, let it sit in the fridge for a while, and then throw it on the smoker for 4.5 hours at 225 degrees. Spritz it with apple juice every 45 minutes or so. When the internal temp his 201 slather with your favorite sauce and let it cook for another ten minutes. Pop it out of the smoker, let it rest for ten minutes, then slice. The meat didn't fall off the bone yet pulled apart easily. A few people thought they were the best pork ribs they had ever had.

It's a nice alternative to 3-2-1.

I'm trying this today. Applied the rub and put them in the fridge about an hour ago. About to plop them on the smoker.



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[CJF]

we got some char (in a bad way) on our babybacks even with foil. ribs are an expensive thing to screw up.

Sounds like your rub has high sugar content. Or you're getting your smoker too hot. Or both. But yeah, I agree. Ribs are expensive to screw up.

[old_gregg]

we got some char (in a bad way) on our babybacks even with foil. ribs are an expensive thing to screw up.

[Green Monstah]

I've had really good ribs both ways. My favorite babyback rib joint doesn't foil, but they're also called BurnCo BBQ, so that sort of makes sense.

[Jeff Lebowski]

I used to only foil rarely. I guess the term "texas crutch" biased me somehow. Then I binge watched several seasons of BBQ Pitmasters and discovered how the top pro cooks almost always foil. When smoking a big piece of meat (butt or brisket) you aren't adding much smoke flavor after four hours of smoke and you run the risk of occasionally going over that threshold and getting a char flavor, or drying it out. I get much more consistent results with foil.

For ribs, yeah I think if you are careful you could get great results with no foil. I still like the modified 3-2-1 approach because it is rock solid consistent. And if you use a strong wood like mesquite, you can get a decent amount of smoke flavor.

[Shaka]

no foil at any point?

Foil didn't come out of the cupboard.

[Shaka]

That sounds much easier. How long did you leave it in the fridge after applying the rub?

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I only left it in there for about 30 minutes. You can leave it in much longer if you want.

[CJF]

maybe its in my head, but I always foil shoulders because I feel like it makes the cook time more predictable/quicker. the stall doesn't seem to last as long.

I foil ribs because that's how CS taught me and it worked - no other reason really. if its not necessary, it would be nice to avoid it.

It probably does get through the stall faster. I just like the bark to be much more firm. I also mop throughout the last few hours of the smoke with a vinegar/lemon/cayenne mixture that adds some zip to the bark while keeping the humidity up in the cooking chamber. Nothing wrong with wrapping a shoulder, I am just lazy and prefer the more pronounced bark.

On ribs, I think they're better without foil. But you do need to spritz them often. At least that has been my experience.

[smokymountainrain]

I never foil anything during the cooking process anymore. I will hold a shoulder or brisket in the oven covered, but that's about it.

maybe its in my head, but I always foil shoulders because I feel like it makes the cook time more predictable/quicker. the stall doesn't seem to last as long.

I foil ribs because that's how CS taught me and it worked - no other reason really. if its not necessary, it would be nice to avoid it.

[CJF]

I never foil anything during the cooking process anymore. I will hold a shoulder or brisket in the oven covered, but that's about it.

[smokymountainrain]

Yesterday I followed an easy recipe on Traeger's site for St. Louis ribs. It was delicious. Essentially you just use your favorite rub on a rack, let it sit in the fridge for a while, and then throw it on the smoker for 4.5 hours at 225 degrees. Spritz it with apple juice every 45 minutes or so. When the internal temp his 201 slather with your favorite sauce and let it cook for another ten minutes. Pop it out of the smoker, let it rest for ten minutes, then slice. The meat didn't fall off the bone yet pulled apart easily. A few people thought they were the best pork ribs they had ever had.

It's a nice alternative to 3-2-1.

no foil at any point?

[Pelado]

Yesterday I followed an easy recipe on Traeger's site for St. Louis ribs. It was delicious. Essentially you just use your favorite rub on a rack, let it sit in the fridge for a while, and then throw it on the smoker for 4.5 hours at 225 degrees. Spritz it with apple juice every 45 minutes or so. When the internal temp his 201 slather with your favorite sauce and let it cook for another ten minutes. Pop it out of the smoker, let it rest for ten minutes, then slice. The meat didn't fall off the bone yet pulled apart easily. A few people thought they were the best pork ribs they had ever had.

It's a nice alternative to 3-2-1.

That sounds much easier. How long did you leave it in the fridge after applying the rub?

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[Shaka]

Yesterday I followed an easy recipe on Traeger's site for St. Louis ribs. It was delicious. Essentially you just use your favorite rub on a rack, let it sit in the fridge for a while, and then throw it on the smoker for 4.5 hours at 225 degrees. Spritz it with apple juice every 45 minutes or so. When the internal temp his 201 slather with your favorite sauce and let it cook for another ten minutes. Pop it out of the smoker, let it rest for ten minutes, then slice. The meat didn't fall off the bone yet pulled apart easily. A few people thought they were the best pork ribs they had ever had.

It's a nice alternative to 3-2-1.