First try at 3-2-1 Ribs

shaywave

Active member
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38
Location
MN
Grill(s) owned
  1. Stampede
Ribs-3-2-1.jpg


They were delicious! Only problem is i thought they were a little chewy, like they didn't break down enough. I did a 3-2-1 at 225 the entire time. I'm going to do some testing to see if my grill is actually hitting 225.. otherwise i'm not sure what more to do other then cook longer? wdyt?

-Shay
 
Try this, also at 225°: 1) dry rub on grill 2 hrs. 2) sauce and wrap in foil 2 hrs. 3) unwrap and put directly on grill for up to an hour. Works out great for me.
 
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Baby backs? I’ve seen them vary in size and weight quite a bit when buying them. I try to buy the smaller racks because they always come out better. I buy and cook more of them at a time. I noticed that the bigger thicker ones seem really done with the bend test and then are chewy and not quite done in the middle when you eat them.

Do you know the weight of the rack you cooked?
 
Not all BB ribs are the same, sometimes you get a rack that takes longer or just isn't as tender. Also, you have very little pull back off the bone.

I've done 321 and straight through unwrapped, both ways turn out really good.

I did these 321 and the were very tender. Notice the meat pull back off the bone.

IMG_3478.JPG
 
View attachment 13801

They were delicious! Only problem is i thought they were a little chewy, like they didn't break down enough. I did a 3-2-1 at 225 the entire time. I'm going to do some testing to see if my grill is actually hitting 225.. otherwise i'm not sure what more to do other then cook longer? wdyt?

-Shay
I used an ambient probe in the center of my grill and ran the grill for an hour at 225, 250, 275, 300, 350, etc.

Everything under 300 was 4% lower than indicated, (225 was 216). Wasn't too worried about anything over 350, but on the higher end temps were 3-4% higher than indicated.

Now that it's been used a while, I may do it again and do the temperature offset.
 
225° isn't A magic number. 250° untouched, start bend test at the 4.5hr mark. Can throw an instant thermometer in for shits and gigs if want to. And yes, some racks may be tougher than others.
 
If you have quality ribs, no need to foil. IMHO, foiling "not so good" ribs, seemed to help.
How do you determine if you have good ribs? These were vacusealed and frozen, that I got at my local butcher. It was clear they got them from somewhere else. Maybe never frozen would be better?
 
How do you determine if you have good ribs? These were vacusealed and frozen, that I got at my local butcher. It was clear they got them from somewhere else. Maybe never frozen would be better?
Full of fat and gristle, not so good ribs.
 
Too much like work. 225 uncovered until they pass the bend test. No chewy to worry about. No foil to discard. Just good eating.
I had been using the 3-2-1 method, but yesterday I did just that: 225° uncovered until done.
Did 2 meaty St. Louis racks for 6.5 hrs. I basted them with a little smoked pork lard 1.5 hrs in, then left them alone.
Turned out great.
 
Just some ideas. Could just try another rack, maybe another brand if it's not too inconvenient. Along with the bend test, you could check them for tender with a thermometer probe depending on how you like them, could also check the temps in differing parts of the rack. Baby backs vary quite a bit thickness wise, as opposed to the SL portion of the spare ribs.

I changed my preference to the full spare racks trimmed to St Louis style and get a more consistent finished product. I try and get roughly the same weight each time. I also avoid store thawed previously frozen as I buy a few racks and stick them in the freezer.
 
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Just some ideas. Could just try another rack, maybe another brand if it's not too inconvenient. Along with the bend test, you could check them for tender with a thermometer probe depending on how you like them, could also check the temps in differing parts of the rack. Baby backs vary quite a bit thickness wise, as opposed to loin ribs.

I changed my preference to loin racks trimmed to St Louis style and get a more consistent finished product. I try and get roughly the same weight each time. I also avoid store thawed previously frozen as I buy a few racks and tick them in the freezer.
Loin rack?
 
Too much like work. 225 uncovered until they pass the bend test. No chewy to worry about. No foil to discard. Just good eating.
I'm going to try that and just sauce at the end. The foil part is for moisture retention and impart sauce into the ribs. We like them sticky sauced and some just like dry rub. I do both.
 
I'm going to try that and just sauce at the end. The foil part is for moisture retention and impart sauce into the ribs. We like them sticky sauced and some just like dry rub. I do both.
Same here. I'm going to shoot for adding sauce for the last hour and skip the wrap to see if i can get them both tender but also get that carmelization of the sauce
 

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