3-2-1 Method for baby back ribs


 
B

Bill P

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I've used the BRITU recipe a few times and had great success. This time I wanted to try using the a 3-2-1 method.

Has anyone used this method for loin backs? If so, how long did you smoke it during the first part, the foil part and the last part? What temp? Minion or standard?

Thanks!

Bill
 
I did 2-1-1 on baby backs not too long ago. Temp was roughly 250, seemed ok. I always use minion method. Have never done britu specifically so cannot comment towards how it would work along with that recipe/process.
 
Bill, probably late here, but I do baby backs pretty regulary. I do them a little higher like Brian said, 250 -275. I do 1.5 hours on grate, hour foiled and hour back on the grate. Then I throw them on high heat for like 5 -10 minutes with sauce to carmelize. I think 3-2-1 would be too much for BB.

I always use minion method
 
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Rick,

Thanks for the tips. I'm just getting everything ready.

I'm doing 3 racks of baby backs on top and fresh brats, polish sausages and Louisiana hot sausage on the bottom. Will put the sausages in to smoke at the last 1.5 hours

Then I have a beer can chicken going on a weber grill.

I've done all three separately but never all at once. Should be good!
 
321 is too much for BBs imho.

I'm more of a 221 or 211 man......during the second phase, I check after one hour for progress. If they need a little more time, I'll leave em foiled......usually, I'm taking them out of foil after one hour.
 
Bill P - FWIW........I keep a written log sheet for every smoke I do. I must have 100 log sheets saved in a 3-ring binder to refer back to. Before the next Q, I will refresh my memory for what combination time/temp worked best the last few smokes.
Anyway, for baby backs, using a lid temp of aboot 275°, depending on an average rack thickness, my best results are from 90 - 100 minutes bare-nekkid, 100 -110 minutes foiled, check for tenderness via tooth-pick, then a few minutes for the stage 3 "Flame Kiss".
One factor I have identified that I don't see mentioned too much is the THICKNESS of the rack. A thicker rack might take an extra 15 to 30 minutes in foil to tenderize to my liking.
BTW, my obsession with written records comes from many decades working in the MEDICAL RECORDS field....:rolleyes:
 
SANDEE MCKINIVAN said:
Bill P - FWIW........I keep a written log sheet for every smoke I do. I must have 100 log sheets saved in a 3-ring binder to refer back to. Before the next Q, I will refresh my memory for what combination time/temp worked best the last few smokes.
Anyway, for baby backs, using a lid temp of aboot 275°, depending on an average rack thickness, my best results are from 90 - 100 minutes bare-nekkid, 100 -110 minutes foiled, check for tenderness via tooth-pick, then a few minutes for the stage 3 "Flame Kiss".
One factor I have identified that I don't see mentioned too much is the THICKNESS of the rack. A thicker rack might take an extra 15 to 30 minutes in foil to tenderize to my liking.
BTW, my obsession with written records comes from many decades working in the MEDICAL RECORDS field....:rolleyes:
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Man, I need to start keeping a log. I always think I will remember what I did the next time I cook, but since I have CRS disease (can't remember s*&*), I never do
 
It really depends on the thickness of the slabs, as a pound in backrib variance makes a huge difference in cook times and temps. Basically though, I've tweaked Chris Lilly's formula, 2.5-1-.25 at 250*. Although I start with boiling water in a preheated wsm (Minion start) for ribs, for slabs almost 3 lbs or so I would allow for a 4.5 hr. cook to be on the safe side. Don't wrap until you got the color how you like it, don't forget to check in an hour or so, but don't take out of the foil to glaze until they're tender.
 
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I started out using BRITU method and to this day I still think it's the very best place to start with ribs. In fact, I still use a variation of the BRITU rub in my competitions with a lot of success.

I've evolved the 3-2-1 to more of a 4-1-0.5 type timing but in the end, they're done when they're done. If when I unwrap them they aren't quite done, I just fold up the edges of the foil (sort of a boat), turn the rack over and put it back in to finish out. The 0.5 is just for setting the sauce, it's not meant to cook the ribs any further.

The whole timing idea is just a good starting point.

Russ
 
Russ Sylvester said:
I started out using BRITU method and to this day I still think it's the very best place to start with ribs. In fact, I still use a variation of the BRITU rub in my competitions with a lot of success.

I've evolved the 3-2-1 to more of a 4-1-0.5 type timing but in the end, they're done when they're done. If when I unwrap them they aren't quite done, I just fold up the edges of the foil (sort of a boat), turn the rack over and put it back in to finish out. The 0.5 is just for setting the sauce, it's not meant to cook the ribs any further.

The whole timing idea is just a good starting point.

Russ
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Russ, do you wrap meat side up or down? I absolutely hate trying to re-wrap a bunch of slabs when they're not done yet, so thanks for the tip.
 
I wrap meat side down because I add a little honey, butter, some ******, and some ******. That way the meat is in direct contact with the 'stuff' I added. If I unwrap and they're still not quite finished then I just flip 'em over (meat side up), roll up the edges of the foil, and put them back in. Then I can later sauce them right in the foil and keep the mess contained.

Russ
 
Russ Sylvester said:
I wrap meat side down because I add a little honey, butter, some ******, and some ******. That way the meat is in direct contact with the 'stuff' I added. If I unwrap and they're still not quite finished then I just flip 'em over (meat side up), roll up the edges of the foil, and put them back in. Then I can later sauce them right in the foil and keep the mess contained.

Russ
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Thanks, Russ. I'll have to try that. I love anything that makes it easier. :cool:
 
I did two slabs of BBs over the weekend with great success as follows:

Removed the membrane, left otherwise untrimmed.......Rubbed and rested for about an hour at room temp.

Smoked using the Minion Method at about 250 (lid temp), using two fist size chunks of Apple.....2 hours

Coated with some brown sugar and light coating of sauce........Foiled.........1.5 hours

Unfoiled to tighted up a bit........45 minutes

Temp was fairly constant at 250.....spiking to 275 a couple of times. They stayed firm but tore apart fairly easily.

So I guess I'm a 2, 1.5, .75 man for now anyway.

They were deelish!
 
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