Bullseye Question about 321 ribs

[Fkaugusta]

Tried 3 2 1 ribs today. Removed membrane and seasoned baby backs. Set bullseye at Lo. After 2 plus hours bones showing and meat temp 205 degrees. Removed, wrapped and increased to 225. Removed after 1.5 hours and fully cooled! Never got to the “1” hour finish. Ribs were delicious but literally falling off bone or, bone falling off meat. Fell apart! Turned out great but why did they cook so fast?

 

[SmokeZilla]

Tried 3 2 1 ribs today. Removed membrane and seasoned baby backs. Set bullseye at Lo. After 2 plus hours bones showing and meat temp 205 degrees. Removed, wrapped and increased to 225. Removed after 1.5 hours and fully cooled! Never got to the “1” hour finish. Ribs were delicious but literally falling off bone or, bone falling off meat. Fell apart! Turned out great but why did they cook so fast?

View attachment 19565

I may be wrong but the original 3-2-1 was developed for competition St. Louis style ribs which are bigger, denser, and have a different fat profile. When doing BBs, you have to adjust as they cook faster and are less dense. I usually use the bark color test for stage 1, the bend test and bone retraction for stage 2 and the final stage (unwrapped and saucing) to my desired level of char on the BBQ sauce. Don’t give up and remember, each pig and each pit has its own uniqueness. You just mastered the McRib recipe and didn’t even know it, haha.

Keep Cookin….

 

[Fkaugusta]

I may be wrong but the original 3-2-1 was developed for competition St. Louis style ribs which are bigger, denser, and have a different fat profile. When doing BBs, you have to adjust as they cook faster and are less dense. I usually use the bark color test for stage 1, the bend test and bone retraction for stage 2 and the final stage (unwrapped and saucing) to my desired level of char on the BBQ sauce. Don’t give up and remember, each pig and each pit has its own uniqueness. You just mastered the McRib recipe and didn’t even know it, haha.

Keep Cookin….

Thanks for the very informative and humorous reply Smoke! just happy I realized early enough ribs were cooking way too fast. Made the adjustments and they turned out delicious! Your explanation was “dead on”!
Just a newbie here but at least my ribs did have bones, unlike the popular “McRibs” Ha!
Thank again!

 

[Jim6820]

@SmokeZilla hit it right on the button.

 

[Smagnus]

And then there this little video which breaks down the 3 2 1 method

 

[Fkaugusta]

And then there this little video which breaks down the 3 2 1 method

Wow Smagnus, that’s exactly what happened with me today! Never made it to the last “1” hour and happy I didn’t. Thanks so much for the video!

 

[Threadcutter]

And then there this little video which breaks down the 3 2 1 method

Pimaster X is kind of goofy, but he's got some pretty damned good videos.

 

[Motodad1776]

Way too long for baby backs, and you want a bit of pull......not fall off the bone. I smoke at 240 for ribs, 3 hours unwrapped and sprayed every 30 minutes after 2 hours on, then wrap for only 30 minutes and finish unwrapped again until the meat is just starting to pull away from bone and they flex just before breaking apart.

 

[Fkaugusta]

Pimaster X is kind of goofy, but he's got some pretty damned good videos.

I’ll check out more of his! Thanks

 

[epcotisbest]

I think every cook is different. I did 3-2-1 baby backs yesterday. 3- at 220, 2- wrapped with a bit of butter, honey and apple cider vinegar. 1/2 back on with sauce. Not falling apart, had a good bite and pull to them and quite tasty, tender but not too soft.

 

[epcotisbest]

 

[Fkaugusta]

I think every cook is different. I did 3-2-1 baby backs yesterday. 3- at 220, 2- wrapped with a bit of butter, honey and apple cider vinegar. 1/2 back on with sauce. Not falling apart, had a good bite and pull to them and quite tasty, tender but not too soft.

View attachment 19583

Exactly right! Your’s look really nice. I believe if you are grilling just one rack of BBs you can almost cut the 3-2-1 method in half or at least close to it! I’m gonna try again and either lower the heat or shorten the cook!

 

[ringosmoke]

My "not 3-2-1" approach with baby backs; total cook time ~3 h 15 mins

1. Smoke for 1.5 hours at 250F (or maybe 225F if you want more smoke flavor and have extra time)
2. Take a quick peek near the time mark for crust build up and splotches of blood. (target temp ~165F)
3. Remove, put on foil, put a thin drizzle line of BBQ sauce on top then wrap tightly (so they steam)
4. Cook 1+ hour to ~195 F (should have nice crust and meat getting tender).
5. Remove from foil, brush on more BBQ sauce and put back on the grill for ~10-15 minutes. (Until moisture from the sauce dries and temp is ~200F or so- some prefer 205F).
6. Optionally let them sit and broil in the oven ~10 mins for a bit of extra char on top.

 

[Fkaugusta]

My "not 3-2-1" approach with baby backs; total cook time ~3 h 15 mins

1. Smoke for 1.5 hours at 250F (or maybe 225F if you want more smoke flavor and have extra time)
2. Take a quick peek near the time mark for crust build up and splotches of blood. (target temp ~165F)
3. Remove, put on foil, put a thin drizzle line of BBQ sauce on top then wrap tightly (so they steam)
4. Cook 1+ hour to ~195 F (should have nice crust and meat getting tender).
5. Remove from foil, brush on more BBQ sauce and put back on the grill for ~10-15 minutes. (Until moisture from the sauce dries and temp is ~200F or so- some prefer 205F).
6. Optionally let them sit and broil in the oven ~10 mins for a bit of extra char on top.

Just took a screenshot of your method! Sounds much better than what I tried.
Shorten the time! Thanks for the tip!

 

[Motodad1776]

So I tried the Pitmaster X method yesterday, and is gonna be my go to method going forward.......BEST babybacks I have ever made and my family concurs.

 

[AlphaPapa]

And then there this little video which breaks down the 3 2 1 method

Did he ever say how long he cooked the ribs after he wrapped them? I watched that section a couple of times and didn’t see it.

 

[Fkaugusta]

So I tried the Pitmaster X method yesterday, and is gonna be my go to method going forward.......BEST babybacks I have ever made and my family concurs.

Yep, and thanks to Smagnus and others for sharing pitmaster’s video. He explains the difference between cooking Baby Backs and Spares perfectly. Looks like it helped you and I can’t wait to try that myself soon!

 

[Motodad1776]

Did he ever say how long he cooked the ribs after he wrapped them? I watched that section a couple of times and didn’t see it.

So 1.5 hours at roughly 245F unwrapped with no binder and used Famous Daves rib rub, then wrap with nothing added to ribs like butter/brown sugar/honey/apple juice for another 1.5 hours. Then take out of foil, thin out some BBQ sauce with some apple juice and baste the ribs. I kicked up temps to 255 and at 30 minutes on my ribs had a beautiful crispy flavorful BBQ crust and were perfect. I dabbed some more sauce lightly on when I took them off, I can't say enough about how good they were. We tend to overcook ribs overall, there shouldn't be that much bone pull back when done right. Happy smoking!!!

 

[RattleR]

So 1.5 hours at roughly 245F unwrapped with no binder and used Famous Daves rib rub, then wrap with nothing added to ribs like butter/brown sugar/honey/apple juice for another 1.5 hours. Then take out of foil, thin out some BBQ sauce with some apple juice and baste the ribs. I kicked up temps to 255 and at 30 minutes on my ribs had a beautiful crispy flavorful BBQ crust and were perfect. I dabbed some more sauce lightly on when I took them off, I can't say enough about how good they were. We tend to overcook ribs overall, there shouldn't be that much bone pull back when done right. Happy smoking!!!

So -3.5 hrs. From start to done. I saw this on you tube the other day and was well hum, but here we have actual results from a member. Nice and I may try this soon.

 

[Smagnus]

The YT video above helped me on baby backs - everybody likes fall off the bone but I prefer a little tug and they came out great. No he’s not super clear on his timing but I’m learning temps not time are important. I’ve “ruined” many racks with 3 2 1 and cannot stand the mushy squishy fall apart ribs. BBs we’re spot on now back to figuring out spares as SWMBO prefers them over BB