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What is the 321 Method for Smoking Ribs
321 ribs is a BBQ lover’s tried and true technique for achieving that fall-off-the-bone perfection.
The 3-2-1 rib method breaks down the cooking process into simple steps:
- 3 hours of smoking
- 2 hours wrapped in foil
- 1 hour of finishing with sauce
At TheGrillingDad.com, I’ve taken a deep dive into making the most of the 3-2-1 ribs method. With the right grill, technique, and a pinch of patience, you’ll have ribs that not only tantalize your taste buds but also become the talk of the town.
Here is a video of me using the 321 method on some baby back ribs:
Related >> The Art of Smoking Ribs: Timing Your Way to BBQ Perfection
Ingredients for 3-2-1 Ribs
- A spray bottle
- A sauce brush
- Heavy-duty aluminum foil
- A grill or smoker
- Pork ribs – preferably baby back ribs
- Dry rib rub
- Dark brown sugar
- Apple juice or apple cider vinegar
- Butter
- Your favorite BBQ sauce
Read More >> Top 5 Best Dry Rub For Ribs
Buying the Right Ribs for 321 Ribs
Baby Back Ribs
After the loin is removed, back ribs are cut from where the rib meets the spine. Baby back ribs are called “baby” because they are shorter than spareribs – not because they come from babies. Back ribs, back ribs, or loin ribs can also be called baby back ribs.
Spare Ribs
After the animal’s belly has been removed, pork spare ribs are cut from the belly. Typically, the breastbone and chewy cartilage are removed to form the popular St. Louis-style spare ribs. Occasionally, pork spare ribs are called St. Louis-style spare ribs or breastbone-off spare ribs.
St Louis Style Ribs
It is the belly of a hog that supplies St. Louis style ribs, which are spare ribs trimmed to have a uniform shape.
Read More >> Best Smokers for Beginners
How To Smoke Ribs Using the 321 Ribs Method
1. Preheat Your Smoker
During the prep stage, you should set your smoker’s temperature to 225°F, which is the optimal temperature when using the 3-2-1 method. We recommend using hickory wood chips/pellets for this recipe.
Read More >> Best Wood for Smoking Ribs
2. Strip the Membrane
For this first step, we’ll need to peel off the underside (or bone side) of the rack of ribs’ membrane.
If you skip this step, smoke cannot penetrate the underneath side of the ribs, and you’ll miss a lot of flavors!
3. Season the Ribs
Then, we use rib rub or BBQ sauce on our baby back ribs, applying liberally, and allow one hour for the rub or sauce to soak in.
**For this ribs recipe, I highly recommend only using a rib rub during this step. Apply the rub and let it sit at room temp.
4. 3 Hours of Smoking Unwrapped
Smoke the ribs for three hours directly on the rack, bone side down.
Read More >> How To Use a Smoker Box on a Gas Grill
5. 2 Hours of Smoking Wrapped
Wrap the ribs in aluminum foil to allow the meat to steam while being cooked, while wrapping, pour about ⅓ cup of apple juice or apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and a few tablespoons of butter on the ribs.
Return them to the grill. Keep the smoker at 225°F and the ribs bone side down.
Pro Tip >> If your ribs are cooking in the foil for more than 2 hours, they will become mushy. Make sure to set a timer.
6. 1 Final Hour of Smoking Sauced Up
Remove the foil, and brush the ribs with sauce. Return them to the grill or smoker, still bone side down, and smoke for one final hour.
Read More >> How To Reheat Ribs Without Drying Them Out (5 Easy Steps)
7. Remove From the Smoker, and Enjoy!
When the timer goes off, check your ribs with a thermometer to ensure they have reached an internal temperature of 145°F. As long as they have reached this temperature, they are ready to eat! Remove them from the smoker, rest them for 10-15 minutes, then enjoy!
How to Make Your Own Rib Rub
You’ll need a rib rub for 321 ribs, the good news is, it is easy to make your own! All you have to do is mix the desired spices in a bowl with a fork. We recommend using some of the following spices:
- Brown sugar
- Salt Pepper
- Paprika
- Ground Mustard
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Cayenne Pepper
- Chili Powder
For more help making a rib rub, check out our article on the best rib rubs.
321 Ribs: Recipe Tips and Variations:
- Use Sweet Wood Chips: There’s just something about the flavor of cherry, pecan, or hickory wood that goes best with this recipe.
- Choose Fatty Ribs: Fatty ribs are naturally juicy when using the 321 method.
- Try Different BBQ Sauces: The BBQ sauce you choose has a major effect on the outcome of this recipe; don’t be afraid to try different variations on different racks.
- Make Em Spicy: We love our ribs with a little kick, so we add some jalapeno juice to the marinade. If you don’t like spice, don’t do this.
How to Store 321 Pork Ribs
If you have leftovers, wrap them in aluminum foil (or place them in an airtight container) and place them in the fridge once they are cool. They’ll stay good for about 4 days.
How to Reheat 321 Ribs
321 ribs are best reheated in the oven. Preheat the over to 250°F and place the ribs in a glass bottom pan so the juices will cook back into the ribs. Heat for 20-25 minutes or until warm all the way through.
- HORMONE FREE
- NO ANTIBIOTICS
- PASTURE-RAISED
3-2-1 Smoked Ribs
Ingredients
- 2 Racks of Ribs
- 4 Tbsp Yellow Mustard
- 3/4 Cup Dry Rib Rub
- 1 Cup Apple Juice divided
- 1/2 Cup BBQ Sauce divided
- 4 Tbsp Butter
Finishing Touches
- 1 Cup BBQ Sauce
- 1 1/2 Tbsp Honey
- 1 1/2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
Instructions
- Start by removing the membrane from the back side of the ribs. Do this by sliding a butter knife under the membrane and over the bone. Lift and loosen the membrane until it beings to tear. Grab the edge of the membrane with a paper towel so your hands don't slip, and completely remove it. It often comes off in one big piece, but you may have to tear it off in smaller sections. This step is crucial, so make sure you take it off.
- If making your own rib rub, prepare it in a bowl. If using a pre-made dry rub, keep it nearby.
- Completely cover the ribs with yellow mustard. Don't worry, you won't taste this later. It's used as a binder.
- Next, sprinkle your dry rub all over the ribs. You want them to be covered well.
- For the best results, wrap them in saran wrap and rest for 2 hours. You can even keep them in the fridge overnight if you'd like to be more prepared.
- Once you're ready, preheat your smoker to 225°F and add in your wood chips. We recommend apple wood for when smoking ribs.
- Now that your smoker is preheated, place your ribs bone side down on the grill grates. They will be on here for 3 hours.
- While they're smoking, mix together 1/2 Cup of apple juice and 1/2 Cup of water in a spray bottle. You'll want to spritz the ribs with this mixture every half hour.
- After 3 hours, remove the ribs from the smoker, but keep the smoker going at 225°F.
- Put your heavy-duty foil on the counter and crease the edges. This makes sure the next mixture doesn't spill out. Put your ribs on the foil bone side down -- you want the meat on top for this next step.
- Mix 1/2 Cup of BBQ sauce and 1/2 Cup of apple juice in a small bowl. Place your butter directly on the ribs--I like to cut them into smaller sections and evenly space. Now pour your BBQ sauce/apple juice mixture onto the ribs.
- Tightly wrap the ribs with the existing foil and then add a second layer of foil to make sure nothing leaks out.
- Place them back on the smoker bone side up (you want all that goodness to soak the meat) for 2 hours at the same 225°F.
- After 2 hours, remove the ribs from the smoker. Carefully remove them from the foil -- there will likely be a lot of steam.
- Mix together the Finishing Touches -- 1 Cup BBQ Sauce, 1 1/2 Tbsp Honey, 1 1/2 Tbsp Brown Suger -- then coat the ribs with this sauce.
- Place them back on the smoker at 225°F bone side down (meat side up now) for 1 final hour.
- Remove from the smoker, brush with any remaining Finishing Touches sauce, then enjoy!
Video
Notes
FAQs About 321 Ribs
Should I Rest the Ribs After They’re Smoked?
To allow the juices and heat to redistribute, let the ribs rest for about 10-15 minutes after they have been removed from the grill.
Can You Smoke Ribs Too Long?
You can smoke your ribs too long, and they’ll become either mushy or burnt. We recommend only cooking your ribs until they reach the desired temperature.
Read More >> Ribs on the Grill (5 Easy Steps)
What Does “Bone Side Down” on Ribs mean?
You’ll notice one side of the ribs has more meat, while the other side, the bones are more visible. The side with more pronounced bones is the “bone side.” Simple. You want to place the “bone side” ribs down on the grill grates, so the meaty side is up.
Read More >> How Long Do Ribs Last in the Fridge?
What Temperature Should I Use for 321 Ribs?
When using the 3-2-1 method for baby back ribs, you’ll smoke them at 225ºF. That’s a total cook time of 6 hours at 225ºF.
Read More >> Baby Back Ribs Vs Spare Ribs – What’s The Difference?
Can the 321 Ribs Method Help Me Win a Competition?
If you’re in a friendly competition, they could help you win. However, in a professional competition, most judges will consider meat that falls off the bone as overcooked.
Types of Pellets to Use for Smoking Ribs
Ribs need a stronger smoke flavor to bring out the natural flavors in the meat. We recommend using one of the following:
- Hickory
- Mesquite
- Apple
- Cherry
- Pecan
What Temperature Should 321 Ribs Be?
You should cook 321 ribs to an internal temperature of 145°F.
Do You Need to Spritz 321 Ribs?
The decision to spritz 321 Ribs is entirely up to you. Some people save half of the liquid ingredients to use as a spritz, while others put it all on the beginning. Either yields delicious results!
Why Did My Ribs Turn Out Tough?
If your rib meat isn’t falling off the bone, you likely forgot to remove the membrane during preparation. Additionally, you may have cooked them at too high of a temperature, causing them to cook too quickly and become overcooked.
More Rib Recipes:
This were so easy to make. Thanks for sharing your recipe
Followed this exactly as written and it did not disappoint! Thank you for sharing it
Great ribs.
Thank you for the easy to follow recipe. My ribs turned out perfectly
thanks for the recipe the ribs turned out great and the family loved them
these were some of the best smoked ribs I’ve ever had. I can’t believe I was able to make em! appreciate the recipe Grilling Dad
Great recipe. I cooked one rack of St. Louis style pork ribs and they turned out great on my CharGriller with a fire box & hardwood lump charcoal. Keeping the temperature constant can be a challenge but even with some variation in temps this 3-2-1 method is a sure-fire hit.
One complaint – the directions in the ‘web page’ don’t match the ‘print’ directions:
Web Page: “I recommend using hickory when smoking ribs”
Print directions: “We recommend apple wood for when smoking ribs”
Web Page: “During this 3 hour smoke, don’t mess with them. Remember the saying: “If you’re lookin’, you ain’t cookin’.” ”
Print directions: “You’ll want to spritz the ribs with this mixture every half hour”
Web Page: (two hours in foil) “Here, you’ll still place these bone side down”
Print Directions: “Place them back on the smoker bone side up”
(bone side up is the way to go!)
This recipe is spot-on! Ribs were fantastic.
Thanks!