3-2-1 Rib Convert


 

Pat Smith

TVWBB Wizard
Like so many of us, I started out grilling and smoking with limited tools, and like many of us, I've hat lots of hit and miss experiences with Ribs, chicken, brisket and butts.

My wife, children and co-workers got me a WSM for my birthday in September and it's not taken me long to realize that having that tool takes smoking and bbq-ing to the next level!

Today, I tried a slab of spare ribs on the WSM using the 3 - 2 - 1 method and after sitting down and demolishing about half the slab at dinner, I can say that I am a 3 - 2 - 1 convert!

I put the slab on about 11:30 with the WSM at about 225. I didn't look at them until about 2:30 when I took the lid off to foil the ribs. I cut the slab in half to make foiling easier, then returned the ribs to the smoker. The WSM stayed at 220 - 225.

At 4:30, I took the ribs out of the foil, hit them with some sauce and put them on the bottom rack of the WSM, added some Royal Oak briquettes , and put some chicken breasts (marinated with Mojo, then sprinkled with some Greek seasoning) on the top rack along with some moink balls.

About 5:30, I took the ribs off, tented them with foil and put them in the microwave to sit while I moved the chicken breasts over to the Weber kettle to crisp up the skin.

The ribs were the best I've ever cooked (and the chicken was great, too, according to my wife).

Now, I doubt these were competition winning ribs and I don't know how many pigs they would get in the BBQ reviews, but for today, on my patio, they were outstanding.

I'm a 3-2-1 guy from now on (until I find something I like better!).

Pat
 
Most who have tried foil on ribs have found 2 hours in foil to be too long, unless-- as you did with success-- they kept the cooker temp a low and strictly consistent 225. Depending on where you measured the cooker temp vs. the location of the ribs, you may have even been cooking lower. My preferred average grate temp of 250 doesn't allow me to leave ribs in foil longer than about 45 minutes tops.
 
Yeah - the best part about it is the first bite when you realize that it was a good cook!

Doug, I agree that an two hours in the foil could be too much, and I probably could have gotten buy with a little less, but luckily my fire held good and steady and it was a large slab of spare ribs.

Now, I get to see if I can do it again! That's the fun of it.

Pat
 

 

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