3 2 1 question

[muskiemanAD]

Just picked up my new Master Built Electric Smoker yesterday. I am going to do ribs and have seen multiple ways of doing the 3 2 1 style. can I do all these steps in the smoker or is it easier to do last step on grill? Secondly I ran the thing today for about 3 hours just to try maintain temp, it was simple. Anyways there is some great info on this site, and after reading post after post about smoking I had to get a real smoker!

[rexlan]

If you want a little bite to them or some char you should finish off on the grill. I like it hot and an hour is too long ... just do it until they are like you want.

[reinhard1]

the 3-2-1 method is realy for spareribs in my opinion, requiring a longer cooking period. for baby backs i use the 2-1-1 method most of the time. i do ribs on my barrel type grill/smoker with the fire box. i can maintain a lower temp by using the fire box. it's just that i like to baby sit the ribs and turn them when mopping and it's a lot easier with that set up for me. however, the smoker does a great job as well. the smoker for me is used more for pork butts, whole chickens, and venison sausage. good luck.

[harvey lee]

I have done my BB rib's numerous ways and I agree with RH1, the 2-1-1 is a great way to make them and the finish product is the best I have found to date.

[muskiemanAD]

So what would be your recommendation on how to cook St. Louis style ribs with my new smoker. I will have access to the grill too. Smoked on my charcoal grill plenty but want to use the smoker for the ribs and a rookie at it!

[reinhard1]

i would use the the 2-2-1 with st. louis ribs. temp at around 225 in the smoker. first two hours using your prefered wood chips for the smoke. the last hour i would put the ribs on indirect heat on the grill using your favorite sauce or mop. i spray apple juice on them the first two hours here and there and of course the last hour also. i mop the ribs and spray apple juice in the last hour as well. to me the moisture is the key to great ribs. good luck.

[hockeybc69]

I do 3-2-1 and even 3-3-1 on all my ribs. For 3-3-1, I turn down the temp to 200 for the last couple hours.

I prefer fall off the bone ribs, and the extra time in the foil really makes it happen.

[nofishfisherman]

When I did spare ribs this weekend my time ratio was 3-2-1/2

After taking them out of the foil wrap they were almost falling off the bone so i moved them to the gas grill and finished them up with sauce for maybe 30 minutes, maybe less. Had the gas grill set up on indirect heat at about 300 degrees.

[eyeguy 54]

I did the 2-2-1 last friday with a can of beer in the pan. temp at about 220. half mesquite and half alder. dang were they good! st louis style from target.

[reinhard1]

i only go one hour in the foil. it's realy how you like them in the end, and that comes with trial and error at times. that is why i like doing the ribs on my barrel grill/smoker with the fire box. i can babysit them during the whole proccess and watch the progress as they cook. as you can tell by various people on these threads that almost everyone has a tweak here and there in doing ribs.

some of us have given you some ideas and you already have given some of us ideas on how you do yours and then some may try your way if they are not satisfied with what they are doing at the present time. my attitude with cooking is to always keep an open mind and to try something new. good luck.

[LABS4ME]

I agree with RH... 1 hour in foil. 3 - 3 1/2 hours direct smoke and 30-60 minutes at end to finish... I plan on 3-1-1 but adjust bsed on size of rack...

Good Luck!

Ken