BBQ Ribs in 2 Easy Steps

When I first began trying to create great ribs, I stumbled upon the 3-2-1 method. That's the method that involves 3 hrs in the smoke, 2 hours in aluminum foil, and another hour in the smoke (or a variation of these times).

That method produces pretty good ribs, but there are some that say the time in foil is steaming the ribs, not BBQing them, etc. I say if you like your ribs that way then have at it.  In fact, I was a 3-2-1 guy myself until this summer.  I've had the chance to cook more ribs this season than ever and here's what I've learned.

• Foil...who needs it?  Partly due to the fact that I've begun to cook on a Backwoods Fat Boy where doing a whole lot of ribs at once makes foiling a huge, time consuming effort, I no longer wrap my ribs in foil.  The Backwoods & the Big Green Egg maintain a moist cooking environment and I don't find that I need to bother with the foil to get great results.
• Cooking at a little higher temp isn't a bad thing.  I've always tried to keep the cooker at 250*, but it turns out that most things are just as good at 275*.  When demonstrating the Big Green Egg this summer, it was hard to keep the temp below 275* what with everyone wanting to see the meat on the cooker.  Frankly, those are some of the best ribs I've done.
• Patience, as I've stated earlier, truly is a virtue.  Foiling the ribs and messing with all that always seemed like the magic to getting really tender, juicy ribs.  But guess what, if you're patient and let things take their own course, good things will happen.
• 3+2+1=6  Now I didn't have to take up BBQ to learn that math, but my new approach to BBQ'ing ribs has them finishing in that amount of time or less...usually less.  I think that foiling made me feel like I was a more integral part of the process than I really am.  Frankly, the fire & the smoke are doing all the work and don't really need my involvement othen than tending the fire.

So my revised rib process looks like this:

• Put the ribs on
• Take the ribs off when they're done

Doesn't get much simpler than that!

Cheers,
Braddog

Comments

[Chris]

I foiled my ribs this weekend for the first time this summer. I was using the old offset smoker and needed consistency.

But for the past year or more on the Egg, I have been doing them naked the whole time and not only do they come out great, they are finished in 4 1/2 hours.

Cool to hear about that Backwoods working out so well!

[Michael True]

This is the best part of BBQ at all levels, there are so many ways to do it that you are only limited by your imagination. Consistency is the key and I am a fan of not over working the meat. Have fun and take it easy!

[Braddog]

Thanks for the comments guys. I guess the other thing that I forgot to mention is that I've stopped using mustard on ribs or butts. Turns out that the rub will ususally bind to the meat just fine without it.

I guess I've simplified my BBQ processes over the past year or so. Like you, I'm now looking for consistency.

Cheers,
Braddog