The 3, 2, 1 Method by Temperature

I ran into a problem the other day while applying the 3, 2, 1 Method for barbecuing a rack of St Louis cut ribs in my Virtual Bullet using a rib rack. I cut the slab of ribs into four single serving sections first to fit the rib rack and rubbed them down well. I monitored the smoker temp via a temperature probe inserted into the grommet provided for that. The temperature on a windy 20 degree day here in Rhode Island was maintained between 240 and 270 degrees inside the Bullet. The problem is that the ribs reached the 205 degree target too early and were just ready to be unwrapped for the last leg when they reached it. So, it ended up just the 3, 2 Method so to speak, in which they came out tender but were denied the chance to be "tightened up" a little after steaming.
I guess cutting the rack into fourths and not maintaining a low enough temp in the pit are the reasons. However, if we could express the 3, 2, 1 Method in terms of temperature, we could eliminate the variables and make it predictable regardless of the size of the slab or the temp of the pit.
In other words, does anyone want to take a stab at what the internal temperatures should be at the time they would be: a) wrapped in order to steam and b) unwrapped in order to tighten up? The final temp once unwrapped will be 205 degrees.
Thanks.

Wayne RI said:

In other words, does anyone want to take a stab at what the internal temperatures should be at the time they would be: a) wrapped in order to steam and b) unwrapped in order to tighten up? The final temp once unwrapped will be 205 degrees. Thanks.

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The problem is, the 3-2-1 is a timed cook, not a temperature cook so you can't objectively do what you want. I don't subscribe to the 3-2-1 method, but if I were to do a 3-2-1, this is how I would do it

1) Do not allow pit temp to exceed 225
2) Cook the ribs until the bark sets. The easy way to tell if the bark is set is to scratch the rib with your thumbnail and if the meat scratches (not the rub, the meat) then the bark is set
3) Do not let the wrapped ribs exceed 185 degrees. My reason for that is in the last hour, the ribs will typically rise in temp 15-20 degrees, This is because the meat quits sweating around 180ish

Personally, I suggest simply BBQ/Smoke the ribs unwrapped at 225. It will take approx six hours (the sum of 3-2-1) and you won't get the braising affect that results in wrapping the ribs. Braised ribs, don't have the texture I look for in

Chuck's guess is as good as any and I suspect it's pretty close. Monitoring rib meat temp would be very hard and I've never done it. Never tried it so I sure won't say it can't be done. For example, how do you monitor it when it's foiled? I think life would be easier for you if you learned to do it by look and feel with time as a guideline - not a law. It takes a few cooks to learn but eating your experiments is always fun. I will be very interested in what others say.

ChuckO said:

The problem is, the 3-2-1 is a timed cook, not a temperature cook so you can't objectively do what you want. I don't subscribe to the 3-2-1 method, but if I were to do a 3-2-1, this is how I would do it

1) Do not allow pit temp to exceed 225
2) Cook the ribs until the bark sets. The easy way to tell if the bark is set is to scratch the rib with your thumbnail and if the meat scratches (not the rub, the meat) then the bark is set
3) Do not let the wrapped ribs exceed 185 degrees. My reason for that is in the last hour, the ribs will typically rise in temp 15-20 degrees, This is because the meat quits sweating around 180ish

Personally, I suggest simply BBQ/Smoke the ribs unwrapped at 225. It will take approx six hours (the sum of 3-2-1) and you won't get the braising affect that results in wrapping the ribs. Braised ribs, don't have the texture I look for in

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One technical correction. 321 is kind of both a timed and a temp'ed cook. It's meant to be done at 225. If chamber temps are higher, then you have to adjust the times down. The amount of time in foil is largely by feel and personal preference. The longer in the foil, the more tender. I don't like "fall off the bone" ribs, so I cut the foil time down.