3-2-1-yuck


 
G

G Rose

TVWBB Member
I bought a couple of racks of spares and decided to try the 3-2-1 method today. I am very dissapointed. I cut the racks in half. I had the thinner halves on the bottom and the thicker ends on top after 3 hours I foiled and cooked for 2 more. When I took them out of the foil the bones on the ends were falling off and the ribs were over tender. I decided to put them back on the smoker to dry them out a little and hopefully firm up. I left them on for 20 minutes. They just got more tender and falling apart almost like crock pot ribs. I don't think I will foil again if I do only for an hour at most. I have cooked many ribs and this is the first time I have done it like this and these are definately not what I am looking for. The only time I ever had ribs like this was a uno's years ago and I will never order ribs there again.
 
If you do a search on past discussions of "3-2-1", you'll find it's very dependent on the weight of the meat and the temperature of the cooker as to how long you actually leave them in foil. Many get by with as little as 45 minutes at average 225-250° pit temps. Smaller racks and higher temps = less time in foil.
 
A more practical summation of the 321 method might be be to
1) Cook unfoiled to achieve the color your after (3-4 hrs)
2) Foil for tenderness (30-45 minutes, as little as you can get away with)
3) Unfoil to firm up and glaze the ribs (last hour or so).
 
I originally foiled for 2 hrs and also got mushy meat. I am 1 hr max now. and finished directly on the grill to sauce and crisp up.
 
I have had good results foiling for 40-50 minutes. I would never foil for 2 hours. They cook rapidly in the foil, so you have to check often. I start checking after about 35 minutes in the foil.
 
G Rose - other's have given good advice on timing w/ ribs.

Also don't forget, the average person who you'll be serving ribs to, their first and many time sole gauge of good ribs is "falling off the bone" tenderness. If cooking for a crowd, you'll impress a lot more folks with FOTB ribs than ribs w/ a tug.
 
I too have had good success with 3-4 hours naked, about 45 in the foil and then another hour naked. The thing I've learned is the foil time does very. I check with a toothpick after 1/2 hour and then every 15 mins after that. On average I say my time in foil is about 45 mins.

On that note, my foiled ribs are much better eating than non-foiled.
 
Thank you all for your advice. I usually cook mine without foiling. other then speeding up the process and maybe a little more moisture why else do you foil? I have cooked many ribs in the past without and have had very good luck of-course I like mine not to be falling off the bone but have even achieved that by mistake without foil and still had reasonably moist ribs. I think I will stick with what works for me thanks again
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">why else do you foil? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
To add a flavor layer.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">A more practical summation of the 321 method might be be to
1) Cook unfoiled to achieve the color your after (3-4 hrs)
2) Foil for tenderness (30-45 minutes, as little as you can get away with)
3) Unfoil to firm up and glaze the ribs (last hour or so). </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I'll have to try the foiling method sometime.

David I see you're from Madison, WI. I live in Fitchburg. Are you part of the yahoo Badger BBQ Group?

Jonny
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top