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.
With this method for smoking your ribs you will have tender, juicy ribs every single time.
What is the 3 2 1 rule for ribs?
The 3-2-1 rule is a popular method for cooking ribs on a smoker or grill. It involves cooking the ribs in three stages:
- Smoking (3 hours): Place the seasoned ribs on the smoker at a low temperature (around 225°F) for 3 hours. This allows the smoke to penetrate the meat and infuse it with flavor.
- Wrapping (2 hours): After 3 hours, wrap the ribs tightly in aluminum foil, often with some additional liquid like apple juice or beer, and return them to the smoker for another 2 hours. This steaming process helps tenderize the meat and keeps it moist.
- Saucing and Finishing (1 hour): Remove the foil after 2 hours and baste the ribs with your favorite BBQ sauce (optional). Return them to the smoker, unwrapped, for about 1 hour at a slightly higher temperature to set the sauce and develop a nice char on the outside.
This method is known as “3-2-1” because of the three different cooking stages and their corresponding durations. It’s a popular choice for beginners as it’s relatively simple and results in tender, flavorful ribs.
Ingredients Needed for Smoked Ribs
- Baby back ribs
- Yellow Mustard
- Dry Rub for Ribs or Sweet and Smoky Rub
- BBQ Sauce
- Apple Juice
- Honey
- Brown Sugar
- Plastic Wrap
- Tin Foil
- Applewood Chips
How to Make Smoked Ribs Using the 3-2-1 Method
The first step to make these smoked baby back ribs is to pull the membrane off the back of your rack of ribs. Do this by sliding a butter knife under the membrane and over the bone. Lift and loosen the membrane, then grab it and pull it off. We use a paper towel to grab it with to make it easy to hold onto.
Prepare our dry rib rub or buy our Sweet and Smoky Rub, either will work.
Spread the yellow mustard all over the ribs, making sure to get the sides of the ribs, then cover with dry rub of your choice. Wrap in plastic wrap, place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours or overnight.
When ready to smoke the ribs, preheat the smoker to 225 degrees Fahrenheit. We recommend using apple wood chips or a competition blend.
When the smoker is ready remove plastic wrap from the ribs and place ribs, bone side of the ribs down on smoker and the meat side up. Smoke for three hours.
Meanwhile mix 1/2 cup apple juice and 1/2 cup water in a spray bottle. Spritz ribs with mixture every half hours.
After three hours remove the ribs from the smoker. Place ribs on heavy duty aluminum foil. Mix 1/2 cup BBQ sauce and 1/2 cup apple juice together in small bowl. Pour it on top of the ribs and seal foil tightly. Place ribs back on the smoker for 2 hours.
After 2 hours has passed remove the ribs from the smoker. Remove the ribs from foil. Mix together barbecue 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 the final hour.
Remove from smoker and brush with sauce again and serve!
Helpful Tools
How to Store Leftover Pork Ribs
Place cooled ribs in aright container in the refrigerator. Store for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
To freeze the ribs, double wrap by wrapping them in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil or placing them in a freezer safe storage bag.
How to Reheat Smoked Ribs
If ribs are frozen, thaw the ribs in a refrigerator overnight.
Reheat leftover ribs in the oven or on the stove top at low heat. Use a little moisture (broth, sauce) to prevent them from drying out. Aim for an internal temperature of 165°F for safe consumption.
Pro Tips!
- We prefer to use Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce, but you can use your favorite.
- Our preferred cut of rib is the baby back ribs.
- 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.
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.
If you are looking more rib recipes try these amazing Honey Mustard Smoked Ribs!
Smoked Side Dishes to serve with Ribs!
Finish it with dessert!
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3-2-1 Smoked Ribs
Ingredients
- 2 racks ribs
- 4 Tablespoons yellow mustard
- 1 batch dry rub for ribs
- ½ cup bbq sauce divided
- 1 cup apple juice divided
Finishing Sauce
- 1 cup bbq sauce
- 1 ½ Tablespoons honey
- 1 ½ Tablespoons 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. Lift 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. We recommend our rib rub or Sweet & Smoky Rub.
- 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 degrees Fahrenheit. We use apple wood chips when making these ribs. Another great option is a competition blend of wood chips.
- Once the smoker is preheated to 225 degrees Fahrenheit place ribs, bone side down, on the smoker and let smoke for 3 hours at 225 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Mix together ½ cup apple juice and ½ cup 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 ½ cup bbq sauce and ½ cup 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 Fahrenheit 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!
Aaron says
came out perfect would recommend it to anybody that has the time to do it it is a very long recipe procedure
Courtney says
But so worth the wait!! Thank you for rating this recipe and letting us know you enjoyed it!
Robb says
So easy I could do these in my sleep. Made these about 4x now in 3wks of having my Smoker . I smoke for 3hrs then pull and wrap , but I spread brown sugar on the foil with three pads of butter, then placed the ribs on top put a little more brown sugar on top of the ribs, three pads of butter and drizzle with honey then wrap and seal, and put them back on the grill for two hours open the foil and paint on a reduction of the honey butter and brown sugar. I don’t sauce them that’s just me but I did follow your directions to the tea one time and it came out. Perfect bone pulled right out of the meat with no issues clean. Thanks for sharing. Appreciate it.
Courtney says
Thank you for letting us know you loved them!!!
Amy T says
Skipped Saran Wrap step and went straight to grill. This will be my go to recipe from now on. Amazing fall off the bone ribs.
Courtney says
So glad it turned out great for you!
TERRY APPLEBEE says
Nice and Easy to Follow. Kind of Like see Dick run. Good Flavor will be saving this one for Sure.
Courtney says
That was the goal, to make it easy!!
Kristina says
Went through the entire process step by step and it wasn’t even close to being done cooking. Now it’s in the oven finishing up. Should have tried the higher cooking recipes I found online
Courtney says
Hmm.. Interesting. This is our go to ribs recipe and have never had the issue of them not being done. Did you make sure to have the bone side down & remove the membrane?
R. Miller says
You DEFINITELY did something wrong because this recipe is fool proof!!
Courtney says
Our goal was to make smoking ribs as easy as possible!
Aaron says
unfortunately you seem like you’re the only one that had an issue maybe it’s your problem your machine the cook not the recipe
Janie says
We have ruined so many slabs of ribs, but now we can make them perfectly using this recipe. I love it.
Courtney says
Awesome! We wanted to make it as simple as possible but still have delicious ribs!
Katie says
Love our traeger!
Why is there such a high carb count? Just because of the apple juice and two racks of ribs?
Courtney says
Yes, between the apple juice and bbq sauce is where the carbs come from. The Traeger is definitely awesome!
Joe says
Very easy and very good 👍
Courtney says
Thank you!
Eric Vilandre says
love this recipe, second time using it and oh my. thanks for sharing
Courtney says
Awesome!
Jimmy Mcclendon Jr says
Honestly the best ribs I’ve had!!! Used this with my pellet smoker, and they turned out perfect. I will definitely be using this recipe from here on for anything pork!!!
Courtney says
Yay! This makes us so happy to hear. Thank you for the awesome comment and for rating this recipe! 🙂
Glenn Walton says
why in your email you only list “recipe #1-12” instead of ribs or whatever?
Katie says
My husband said these were the best ribs he ever had! I agree so amazing!! Was wondering if the same time and technique would work with pork butt?
Courtney says
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it! Hmm.. maybe check out our pork butt recipe! https://gimmesomegrilling.com/easy-smoked-pork-butt/
Stephanie mallory says
I smoked pork butts at the grocery store I work for and we have to do ours for a good 12-14 hours. I would hate for you to throw a pork butt on the smoker and think it’ll be ready in 6 hours.
Courtney says
Yes! Our pork butt recipe ranges from 15-20 hours depending on size!
Teddy says
These already start falling off bone after you take them out of the tin foil before you put them back on the last hour. Next time I try them, I think I will only put back on for a half hour instead of an hour. But they are very good if if you leave them on for the hour.
Chelsie says
Used this recipe for my first time making ribs and they turned out amazing, I’ll definitely be using this recipe for all my future ribs.
Courtney says
This 3-2-1 rib recipe is a favorite, especially for beginners! So great that it worked out for you and that you enjoyed it!
Samuel says
For the 2nd cooking step, when the ribs are wrapped in aluminum foil and the ribs are sauced with the bbq/apple juice mixture, should the ribs still be bones side down or should we do it bones side up?
Joseph borg says
I don’t know if I’m doing something wrong the bones weld themselves to tin foil on last two hours
Courtney says
Are you making sure to reapply the BBQ sauce and spritzing with apple juice? The bones should not be sticking to the tin foil.
Katie says
My husband said these were the best ribs he has ever had! My family wants me to make them for Christmas but I work the day we are getting together, if I make them the day before how do you recommend re-heating them?
Courtney says
We would recommend–
1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Add more BBQ sauce to keep the ribs moist.
3. Cover the ribs in foil to prevent them from drying out.
4. Let the wrapped leftover ribs cook to 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Cook unwrapped for 10 minutes.
PHILLIP HABERMAN says
Can you use this same recipe in the oven at 225f. Thank you
Courtney says
You will not get that same smokey flavor as you would on the Traeger.
Joe P says
Very simple and delicious recipe
Ct says
Amazing!!
Courtney says
Awesome to hear you enjoyed these! Thank you for rating this recipe.
Jounayet Rahman says
Tasted even better than I hoped. Great recipe
Brad says
I have used this recipe every time I make ribs, only suggestion I would make is to add in here to put the ribs in meat side down in the tin foil, makes the ribs so much more tender.
Courtney says
So glad you love this recipe. We appreciate the suggestion!
Ryan says
Wonderful. Smoked it on my gas grill for 3 hours like you suggested at 225. Then we have a steam oven so put that at 225 and 100% humidity. 2 hours later the ribs were marvelous. Thanks for the insight!
the Evinks says
That sounds like a great way to finish them. So glad you enjoyed them Ryan!