Smoked Ribs {3-2-1 Method}
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These smoked ribs are so delicious using the 3 2 1 ribs method. They literally fall off the bone after being smoked on an electric pellet grill. Smoking ribs doesn’t get easier than this which is perfect for beginners. If you just got a Traeger or are new to smoking meat start with these delicious ribs first! They are prepared with a dry rub, then placed on the smoke, brushed with BBQ sauce and then enjoyed by you!
Want to make ribs on the smoker and not sure where to start? Smoking Ribs can be overwhelming but you’ll want to try this easy and fool-proof way of preparing them. It’s called the 3 2 1 rib method and you’ll get amazing ribs every single time.
It’s starts with our homemade Dry Rub for Ribs that we absolutely love!
If you are looking to mix up your regular rib flavor you have to try these amazing Honey Mustard Smoked Ribs!
I’ll admit that I was a bit nervous about smoking ribs the first time we tried them because I had heard they were hard to make.
No worries, my friends, with this method for smoking your ribs you will have tender, juicy ribs every single time.
It’s the perfect method if you are nervous like I was!
Below we will give you step by step instructions plus tips and tricks so you’ll get the perfect rack of smoked ribs.
Ingredients for Smoked Ribs
- Pork ribs
- Yellow mustard
- Dry rub for ribs
- Bbq sauce
- Apple juice
- Honey
- Brown sugar
- Plastic wrap
- Tin foil
- Applewood chips
Essential tools for this recipe – spray bottle to spritz the ribs.
This is a fool-proof method to cook the most tender, perfectly cooked smoked ribs!
You’ll want to prepare your ribs by removing the membrane, coating with yellow mustard and rubbing with the homemade dry rub. We recommend doing this the night before smoking ribs.
Smoke for 3 Hours – Preheat smoker to 225 degrees F and place the prepared ribs bone side down on smoker for 3 hours. Spritz with apple juice mixture every half hour.
Wrap for 2 Hours – Remove ribs from smoker, lay ribs on tinfoil and pour BBQ and apple juice mixture into foil. Seal the foil so nothing leaks out and place ribs on smoker for an addition 2 hours.
Sauce and Smoke for 1 Hour – Remove ribs from the smoker and brush with finishing BBQ Sauce mixture. Place back on the smoker, bone side down and smoke an additional 1 hour.
Remove from smoker and brush again with sauce and serve.
I love this method because it creates fall off the bone tender ribs, but if you are entering a barbecue competition apparently that’s not what you want. For the rib gurus out there the perfect rib is tender and will pull away cleanly from the bone as you bite into it. It should not be so tender it falls off the bone and the bone slide out easily from the meat.
Now, for most people, fall of the bones are the best way to enjoy ribs, but you might find 5-10% of people that don’t agree.
Technically yes as we stated above! You really want to be able to chew the meat off the bones. Not completely fall apart. But hey, I’ve made plenty of ribs that fall apart and I’ve never heard anyone complain!
Just saying! 😉
Remove the Membrane!
Check out the picture above. Here’s an important step to make tender ribs. Before you season the ribs, take a few minutes and pull the silver skin off the back of the ribs. Yes, it’s an extra step and it takes a little effort, but you’ll be really glad you did!
Bone Side Down
Make sure you smoked the ribs with the bone side down.
If you smoke the ribs bone side up the juices pool in the concave center of the bones which blocks the smoke from penetrating.
How long do ribs take to smoke?
This method takes 6 hours to smoke the ribs. Slow and steady is definitely the way to go here!
Make sure the thickest part of the rib is at 160 degrees F when measured with a digital thermometer.
See? This is what I was talking about! Lip-smacking delicious ribs that are perfectly cooked every time! Whether you’re an old pro with your smoker or a beginner this recipe will never fail.
Smoked Side Dishes to serve with Ribs!
Finish it with dessert!
If you love this as much as we do, please comment with a five-star rating! When you’re making a yummy recipe, be sure to tag me at @gimmesomegrilling or #gimmesomegrilling, enjoy!
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3-2-1 Smoked Ribs
Ingredients
- 2 racks ribs
- 4 Tbsp yellow mustard
- 1 batch dry rub for ribs
- 1/2 c. bbq sauce divided
- 1 c. apple juice divided
Finishing Sauce
- 1 c. bbq sauce
- 1 ½ Tbsp honey
- 1 ½ Tbsp brown sugar
- spray bottle
Instructions
- Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs be sliding a dinner knife under the membrane and over the bone. Left and loosen the membrane until it tears. Grab the edge of the membrane with a paper towel and pull it off. It might come off in one big piece of you will have to remove it in smaller pieces. This is ESSENTIAL so make sure you take it off.
- Prepare your favorite rub in a small bowl.
- Spread yellow mustard evenly over the ribs covering completely. Next, spread the dry rub over the ribs covering completely. Wrap in saran wrap so they are completely covered. Place in fridge to rest a minimum of 2 hours, but we do it overnight for best results!
- Prepare your smoker according to manufacture’s directions to a heat of 225 F degrees. We use apple wood chips when making these ribs.
- Once the smoker is preheated to 225 degrees F place ribs, bone side down, on the smoker and let smoke for 3 hours at 225 degrees F.
- Mix together 1/2 c. apple juice and 1/2 c. water in a spray bottle and spritz ribs with mixture every half hour.
- After 3 hours remove ribs from smoker but leave smoke on at same temperature.
- Lay tinfoil out on counter (enough to wrap ribs in) and lay the ribs on the foil. Mix 1/2 c. bbq sauce and 1/2 c. apple juice together in small bowl. Pour it carefully over the ribs and seal up the foil so nothing leaks out. Place ribs back in the smoker at 225 degrees F for 2 hours.
- After 2 hours has passed remove the ribs from the smoker. Remove the ribs from foil. Mix together BBQ sauce, honey and brown sugar for the finishing sauce in a mixing bowl. Coat ribs with finishing sauce and place back on the smoker for 1 hour.
- Remove from smoker and brush with sauce again and serve!
Michael says
Spiced up the sauce a little bit and it all was fantastic. I sent a picture to Rec Teq smoking your ribs 01/01/2022 @ -21degrees f.
Up here in the Great state of Minnesota. Just chilling and grilling.
the Evinks says
We are partial to Minnesota! So glad you are enjoying these. We love our RecTeq!
Bill says
I use the 3-2-1 method as well. I liked your comment about bbq contests , not getting them too wet with apple juice and they don’t have to fall off the bone . The hybrid I do now is coat them in sauce for the 2 hour foil cooking. I still spray prior to that. But this way they don’t fall off, but are still juicy and tender. Then the last hour solidifies the sauce onto the ribs. Target is fabulous! Thanks for your article.
the Evinks says
You are welcome! Great tips thanks for commenting and rating the recipe Bill!
Justin says
In your smoker ( I use a Camp Chef PG) I have upper racks as well, did you put the ribs on the lower main rack or on the upper racks? Thanks
the Evinks says
Lower racks!
Scott says
Fantastic method, recipe and ribs!
the Evinks says
So glad you enjoyed them Scott!! Thanks so much for commenting and rating the recipe!
Diane says
My husband said they was the best ribs he has ever eaten
the Evinks says
I would agree with him! 🙂 Thanks so much for commenting and rating the recipe!
Ben says
Do you still keep the ribs bone side down in the foil.
the Evinks says
Yes we do Ben!
Kristen says
Delicious! Turned out perfectly.
the Evinks says
Great to hear Kristen!! Thanks for commenting and rating it!
Brittany says
Amazing
the Evinks says
So glad you enjoyed them Brittany! Thank you for commenting and rating the recipe!
Brian Boyce says
Great recipe worked great.
the Evinks says
Awesome to hear Brian! Thank you for commenting and rating the recipe!
Scott M Miskowski says
I made 5 full racks of ribs for two grand-kids high school graduation party, and the rating is strictly going from what I was told, as they went fast and I never got a taste! There was plenty leftover pulled pork in two recipes that my son in law smoked, but word got around about the ribs and they were gone in less than 15 minutes. Seeing as I was the DJ (I own and operate a mobile DJ service), I was unable to get to the food until the crowd thinned out at the food table. I have to wait for crowd to thin out, put on a long song, and run over and fix my plate.
the Evinks says
I’m glad they were a hit, but I wish you could have tasted them! Next time 🙂 Thank you for commenting and rating the recipe!
JoLynn says
SO good! Husband has never made ribs before on the grill. Stumbled upon this recipe and it’s the only way we will ever eat ribs again. SO much better than anything you get at a restaurant. Can’t wait to make them again!!
the Evinks says
These have ruined any restaurant ribs for me too! So glad you enjoyed them JoLynn!! Thank you for commenting and rating the recipe!
Doug says
Quick question. Smoking this tomorrow – my first attempt in our new Laredo 1000. For the 2 hour foil portion do I still need to put bone side down? I’m using heavy duty foil but it would be easy to punch a hole in the foil if the bones are down and lose all the juice.
the Evinks says
We do it bone down. Yes, it is easy to puncture the foil, make sure it’s heavy duty so it holds up better!
Terry says
Nice way
the Evinks says
Thanks!
Deborah Davis says
Excellent! And I forgot to slather with mustard the first time. Didn’t seem to make a difference.
the Evinks says
Great to hear!! The mustard helps the rub stick to the ribs and the acid will help break down the meat a little 🙂 That’s all!
JaNine says
We just tried this recipe! Absolutely perfection! Thank you for sharing!
the Evinks says
Wonderful to hear!! Thanks for commenting and rating the recipe!
Kris says
If I just use one rack of ribs (I’ve got a smaller smoker and just 2 of us), I’m assuming I just cut everything in half including the cook times?
Megan Mitzel says
Yes, I would cut the ingredients in half if only using one rack of ribs but not the cook time. You can follow the recipe for cook times even if only using one rack. Let us know how they turn out!
Aimee Shugarman says
These came out perfect. So flavorful and the texture was awesome.
Julie Evink says
So glad you enjoyed them!
Robin Gagnon says
Fantastic ribs!
Julie Evink says
Our favorites!
Angie says
What Are the measurements for the brown sugar honey and barbecue sauce
Megan Mitzel says
2 c BBQ Sauce
3 Tbsp Honey
3 Tbsp Brown Sugar
Malinda Linnebur says
I’ve never heard to the 3-2-1 method!! Thank you so much for sharing!!
Julie Evink says
It’s one of the easiest ways to smoke ribs!
Danielle Green says
Those look mouthwatering delicious! It’s hard to beat good fall-off-the-bone ribs!
Julie Evink says
They were so delicious!