How to Smoke BBQ Ribs using 3-2-1 Method

How to Smoke BBQ Ribs using 3-2-1 Method

Want tender, fall-off-the-bone ribs using your Weber kettle BBQ? This step-by-step guide breaks down the 3-2-1 method for perfect smoked ribs every time.

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Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, British

Keyword: 3-2-1 method, 321 ribs, bbq, bbq ribs, How To Smoke BBQ Ribs (3-2-1 method), ribs

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 6

Total Time: 6 30

Servings: people

Calories: 800kcal

Author: Martin (Dad What Cooks)

Cost: £5

Equipment

BBQ with lid & vents Weber MasterTouch or Smoky Mountain
Water dish / foil tray To keep humidity up
Weber Smoky Mountain if using a full on smoker
Weber MasterTouch BBQ when you have a charcoal BBQ

Ingredients

1 Rack Ribs
1 Bottle BBQ sauce
2 tablespoon Honey
2 tablespoon Mustard
2 tablespoon Brown sugar
100 g BBQ rub Use paprika, salt and pepper mixed together if you have no BBQ rub

Instructions

Lay the ribs on the rack, remove the silver membrane by peeling it away. Cover the ribs in mustard. Then sprinkle the BBQ rub all over so it is covered.
Set the smoker up to be at a steady 120C / 250F. Check out my post about basic BBQ setups for more information.
1 Rack Ribs, 2 tbsp Mustard, 100 g BBQ rub
Once covered the rub, place the ribs unwrapped, MEAT SIDE UP for 3 hours on the smoker.
After the 3 hours, place some tin foil on the table and pour on some honey and brown sugar. Then place the ribs in and cover them in BBQ sauce. Wrap the ribs up tightly in the foil. Place back on the BBQ MEAT SIDE DOWN (the opposite way to how they were previously) for 2 hours.
2 tbsp Honey, 2 tbsp Brown sugar
After this time, unwrap the ribs (but leave them in the foil open to catch the sauce) and place them back on the smoker, again MEAT SIDE DOWN for 1 hour.
1 Bottle BBQ sauce
After the hour is up, the meat should be able to pull off the bone and just fall apart. Serve with a side salad, corn on the cob or whatever you fancy.

Notes

This is a nice simple way of doing Pork Ribs. BBQ baby back ribs done using the 3-2-1 method is a great beginner recipe for smoking.

If you are not ready to serve or the ribs are not falling off the bone then wrap back up in foil to keep the moisture in and let them cook a little longer. For optimum "fall off the bone" the rib meat temperature needs to reach around 92C to 96C (198F to 205F). This will allow it to be a Spare Rib style finish.

Nutrition