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    Home ยป Recipes ยป Grill Recipes ยป Smoker Recipes ยป 321 Method Smoked Baby Back Ribs

    321 Method Smoked Baby Back Ribs

    Published: Apr 27, 2024 ยท Modified: Jul 28, 2024 by Jenna Passaro ยท This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Smoking baby back ribs in the pellet grill is SUPER EASY with the 321 ribs method youโ€™ll learn in this recipe guide. This smoker main dish has quickly become one of my go-to Traeger ribs for family dinners and BBQ parties where I want to feed a crowd. Letโ€™s smoke โ€˜emโ€ฆ

    Traeger Smoked 321 Ribs Babyback Pork Meat Covered With BBQ Sauce

    Table of Contents

    Toggle
    • What is the 3 2 1 method for ribs?
    • What temperature do you smoke 321 ribs at?
    • How long to smoke baby back ribs at 250 or 275?
    • How many hours does it take to smoke ribs using the 321 method?
    • What ribs can you use to smoke using the 321 method?
    • Ingredients
    • How to smoke baby back ribs with the 321 method
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    • 321 Ribs – Traeger Smoked Baby Back Ribs Recipe | Sip Bite Go

    HEY THERE — Are you on instagram? See my easy smoker recipes @sipbitego.

    What is the 3 2 1 method for ribs?

    To put it simply, the 321 method for smoking ribs means that you cook the ribs 3 hours unwrapped first, then 2 hours wrapped in foil, then 1 final hour unwrapped with BBQ sauce on top. 

    What temperature do you smoke 321 ribs at?

    I recommend smoking 321 ribs at 225 degrees F for the entire cook.

    How long to smoke baby back ribs at 250 or 275?

    Sure, theyโ€™ll cook a little faster, but I find you can still use 3-2-1 as a general timeline. And that last hour might be closer to 30 minutes, just keep a good internal temperature thermometer in ribs so you know when theyโ€™ve cooked to 200 degrees F. 

    How many hours does it take to smoke ribs using the 321 method?

    It will take you a total of 6 hours to smoke ribs using the 321 method. Plus, a little extra few minutes here and there for when you need to wrap them in foil, etc. in between steps.

    What ribs can you use to smoke using the 321 method?

    You can use either Baby Back Ribs or make smoked St Louis style cut ribs made with  brown sugar. Both will give you fall off the bone tender smoker ribs. 

    Pile of Traeger smoked pork babyback ribs 321 method

    Ingredients

    Hereโ€™s what you need to make easy Traeger 321 ribs.

    Infographic with list of ingredients to smoke baby back ribs with the 321 method
    • Baby back ribs
    • Mustard (optional, for flavor and use as a 3 2 1 rib rub seasoning binder)
    • BBQ rub – any pork dry seasoning youโ€™d like (see my homemade pork rib rub)
    • For spritzing: water and apple cider vinegar (sub apple juice)
    • Beer (sub apple juice for extra moisture while your 3 2 1 ribs are smoking)
    Smoking babyback ribs 321 method in foil
    The second period of smoking 321 ribs, for 2 hours, is done with beer, wrapped in foil.

    For the BBQ honey sauce for the final hour of smoking ribs

    BBQ ribs smoke for the final hour in a tasty, sticky sauce that’s easy to make…

    • BBQ sauce
    • Honey
    Smoking Traeger 321 baby back ribs with BBQ glaze in open foil packets
    The final period of smoking ribs with the 321 method is for about 1 hour, and is done with ribs in an open foil packet with bbq honey sauce brushed on top. This gives it a nice crust.

    How to smoke baby back ribs with the 321 method

    Now Iโ€™ll walk you through it…

    Infographic with recipe steps demonstrating how to make Traeger smoked baby back ribs with the 312 method with captions

    Detailed recipe steps

    1. Preheat Traeger Grills, Masterbuilt, Pitt Boss or whatever pellet grill youโ€™re using to 225 degrees F. 
    2. Prep baby back ribs for smoking by removing the membrane if not already done by your butcher. (To do this, pull off the extra white part on top of the rack of ribs as much as possible to reveal more surface on the actual pork meat, so the seasonings absorb better.) Then pat them dry with paper towels. 
    3. Pre-seasoning step (optional): before adding on your seasonings, you can add a โ€œbinderโ€ to the ribs. Itโ€™s totally optional, and will definitely add more of a vinegar taste from the mustard. To do this, youโ€™ll rub mustard all over the ribs before seasoning them.
    4. Season baby back ribs all over with BBQ seasoning.  
    5. Make water and apple cider vinegar mixture. Mix the two ingredients together in a spritzing bottle.
    6. For 3 hours: smoke the baby back ribs for 3 hours, directly on the grill grates, with the lid closed. Spritz with water and apple cider vinegar mixture every 30-60 minutes. 
    7. Wrap baby back ribs in foil before adding them to the smoker for a second cook. Remove partially-smoked baby back ribs from the smoker. Now youโ€™ll wrap them individually in foil. To do this, lay a large sheet of foil on a flat surface with about an extra foot of foil on both sides. Make a rim so liquid wonโ€™t spill out of the foil. Add beer to the bottom of the foil. Top with partially-smoked 321 ribs, meaty side facing down and bones facing up. Secure foil all around rims, making sure any seams in the foil are on the top so liquid doesnโ€™t escape as the ribs smoke. Return to smoking. 
    8. For 2 hours: smoke foil wrapped baby back ribs (meaty side of the babyback ribs facing down) with the lid closed. 
    9. Make BBQ honey sauce by mixing the BBQ sauce and honey in a small bowl.  
    10. Unwrap the foil and flip the baby back ribs, so the meaty side is facing up. Brush the tops of the ribs with the BBQ honey sauce. Return to smoking, resting on top of the foil. (Donโ€™t close the foil packet, the top remains open during the final hour of smoke time.)
    11. For 1 hour: smoke baby back ribs with BBQ sauce on top for a final 60 minutes or so, with the foil packet open. 
    12. Remove baby back ribs from the smoker when the internal temperature reaches 200 degrees F as measured with an internal read thermometer. 
    13. Let smoked babyback ribs rest for 15 – 20 minutes and enjoy.
    Racks of Traeger Smoked 321 Ribs
    I hope learning this 3 2 1 rib smoking method brings endless joy and tasty ribs to your life!
    Individual smoked pork ribs done 321 style on the Treager pellet grill
    Just a tasty pile of 321 smoked ribs ready to devour!

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    Pro tip: One of my go-to tricks for perfectly cooked food every time is using the right BBQ meat thermometers.

    Holding Smoked 321 ribs with BBQ sauce

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    Traeger Smoked 321 Ribs Babyback Pork Meat Covered With BBQ Sauce

    321 Ribs – Traeger Smoked Baby Back Ribs Recipe | Sip Bite Go

    Smoking baby back ribs in the pellet grill with the 321 ribs recipe is an easy way to make Traeger ribs. | sipbitego.com
    5 from 23 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dinner, Main Dish
    Cuisine: BBQ
    Keyword: 321 rib method, 321 ribs, smoked baby back ribs, Traeger baby back ribs
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 6 hours hours 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 6 hours hours 30 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6 people
    Calories: 486kcal
    Author: Jenna Passaro

    Video

    Equipment

    • Traeger Pellet Grill Ironwood 650
    • Traeger Apple Pellets
    • Spray Bottle
    • Foil

    Ingredients

    • 2 racks baby back ribs
    • 3 tbsp mustard optional, for a binder
    • 3 tbsp BBQ rub or any pork dry seasoning
    • ยพ cup water
    • ยผ cup apple cider vinegar sub apple juice
    • ยฝ cup beer sub apple juice

    For the BBQ honey sauce

    • ยผ cup BBQ sauce
    • 2 tbsp honey

    Instructions

    • Preheat Traeger Grills, Masterbuilt, Pitt Boss or whatever pellet grill youโ€™re using to 225 degrees F.
    • Prep baby back ribs for smoking by removing the membrane if not already done by your butcher. (To do this, pull off the extra white part on top of the rack of ribs as much as possible to reveal more surface on the actual pork meat, so the seasonings absorb better.) Then pat them dry with paper towels.
    • Pre-seasoning step (optional): before adding on your seasonings, you can add a โ€œbinderโ€ to the ribs. Itโ€™s totally optional, and will definitely add more of a vinegar taste from the mustard. To do this, youโ€™ll rub mustard all over the ribs before seasoning them.
    • Season baby back ribs all over with BBQ seasoning.
    • Make water and apple cider vinegar mixture. Mix the two ingredients together in a spritzing bottle.
    • For 3 hours: smoke the baby back ribs, directly on the grill grates, with the lid closed. Spritz with water and apple cider vinegar mixture every 30-60 minutes.
    • Wrap baby back ribs in foil before adding them to the smoker for a second cook. Remove partially-smoked baby back ribs from the smoker. Now youโ€™ll wrap them individually in foil. To do this, lay a large sheet of foil on a flat surface with about an extra foot of foil on both sides. Make a rim so liquid wonโ€™t spill out of the foil. Add beer to the bottom of the foil. Top with partially-smoked 321 ribs, meaty side facing down and bones facing up. Secure foil all around rims, making sure any seams in the foil are on the top so liquid doesnโ€™t escape as the ribs smoke. Return to smoking.
    • For 2 hours: smoke foil wrapped baby back ribs (meaty side of the babyback ribs facing down) with the lid closed.
    • Make BBQ honey sauce by mixing the BBQ sauce and honey in a small bowl.
    • Add BBQ sauce. Unwrap the foil and flip the baby back ribs, so the meaty side is facing up. Brush the tops of the ribs with the BBQ honey sauce. Return to smoking, resting on top of the foil. (Donโ€™t close the foil packet, the top remains open during the final hour of smoke time.)
    • For 1 hour: smoke baby back ribs with BBQ sauce on top for a final 60 minutes or so, with the foil packet open.
    • Remove baby back ribs from the smoker when the internal temperature reaches 200 degrees F as measured with an internal read thermometer.
    • Let smoked babyback ribs rest for 15 – 20 minutes and enjoy.

    Notes

    See the recipe: https://sipbitego.com/321-ribs-smoked-baby-back
    Watch the full-length YouTube recipe video for smoking ribs with the 321 method on Sip Bite Goโ€™s YouTube channel.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 486kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 130mg | Sodium: 373mg | Potassium: 536mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 126IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @SipBiteGo or tag #sipbitego!
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