This post may contain affiliate links. See our disclosure policy.
These 3-2-1 Smoked Ribs are the best way to smoke ribs ever! They are perfectly tender and fall-off-the-bone every time. This is a must-try recipe!
These 3-2-1 Smoked Ribs will have the entire neighborhood knocking at your door begging to share your smoker secrets. Trust me, I know because I was that neighbor. My neighbor, Collin, is always smoking up delicious meats in his backyard and every time he has everyone in our cul-de-sac drooling. Finally I couldn’t take it anymore and I found myself knocking at his door to get all his pit boss tips. He graciously (and patiently) showed me the entire process, step-by-step and I will never go back to smoking ribs the same way ever again.
These ribs truly are THE very best EVER. They have a perfect, caramelized bark on the outer layer and perfectly tender meat below the surface. I can’t even begin to tell you how good they are. No joke, I couldn’t even get it to the table before the whole rack was picked completely clean. In this recipe we use the 3-2-1 method. If you are looking for a full 6-hour smoked rib that doesn’t require as much attention, try our Smoked Baby Back Ribs recipe.
What is the 3-2-1 Method for Smoking Ribs?
The 3-2-1 Smoked Ribs method really isn’t much more difficult than just doing a full smoke. It’s so easy to remember and it’s worth the minimal effort. The 3-2-1 method is simply the amount of time required for each step: 3 hours slow smoke, 2 hours smoked in foil, then 1 additional hour of smoking. That’s it!
How to Smoke Ribs
Don’t be intimidated by smoking ribs. They are so so easy to do. Just follow these simple steps:
- Prepare the Ribs – If there is a silvery membrane on the bone side of the ribs, remove it by using a knife to lift part of the membrane, then use a paper towel to get a grip on the membrane and peel it off. Pat the ribs dry and season with your favorite grill seasoning. I like to use Kinder’s “The Blend” Seasoning.
- Three Hour Smoke – Smoke for 3 hours (the first of the 3 smokes) at 200-degrees F. Spritz occasionally with cider vinegar to help add moisture and flavor to the ribs.
- Two Hour Smoke – Place brown sugar, BBQ sauce, honey, seasoning, and butter on some heavy-duty foil and place the ribs meat-side-down over the mixture. Wrap it tightly and smoke at 225-degrees F for two hours.
- One Hour Smoke – Unwrap the ribs and sauce em’ up with more BBQ sauce on both sides. Place the ribs directly on the grill grates and smoke for 1 more hour until the sauce thickens and dries into a soft bark.
- Rest and Serve – Allow the ribs to rest for at least 5 minutes and serve!
Tips and Tricks for the Best Ribs
Use a Vinegar Spritz – Using a spritz during the first smoke will add moisture and flavor to the ribs. You can do equal parts apple cider vinegar and apple juice, a combination of cider vinegar and water, or just straight up cider vinegar. Any of these mixtures will be great.
The Best BBQ Sauce – Use your favorite BBQ sauce for this recipe. My favorite is our homemade BBQ sauce recipe but any sauce you love will work. Another sauce I have recently found and LOVE is the Kinder’s Honey Hot BBQ Sauce. It’s spicy but so good!
Wrap the Ribs Tightly – When it’s time to wrap the ribs, make sure you wrap them nice and tight in foil. If they are too loose, the ribs will steam instead of cook and you don’t want that to happen.
3-2-1 Smoked Ribs
Equipment
- Outdoor smoker
- Spray bottle
- Aluminum Foil
- BBQ tools
Ingredients
- 1 rack baby back ribs
- 1/3 cup garlic seasoning blend, divided (we use "Kinder's" seasoning blend but any BBQ blend will work)
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 cup BBQ sauce, divided (use your favorite kind)
- 3 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Preheat the smoker to 200-degrees F.Prepare the ribs by removing the silvery membrane if there is one. Place the ribs on a large baking sheet to prep and pat dry with paper towels.
- Generously season each side of the ribs with garlic seasoning blend (about 2 tablespoons of seasoning on each side).
- Place the ribs meaty side up on the smoker and smoke for 3 hours. Combine cider vinegar and water in a water bottle and shake gently to combine. Every 45 minutes (or so), spray the tops of the ribs generously with the vinegar mixture.
- Prepare the ribs to be wrapped by placing a sheet of heavy duty foil on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the foil in a rectangle shape about the size of the rack of ribs. Drizzle the honey and ½ cup BBQ sauce evenly over the brown sugar and sprinkle evenly with remaining garlic seasoning blend. Place a few pats of butter over the top of the mixture. After the first 3 hours, remove the ribs from the smoker and place the ribs meaty-side DOWN over the sugar mixture so the meaty side is directly touching the mixture.
- Place another sheet of heavy duty foil over the rips and wrap the foil tightly over the ribs by folding the two long sides over the ribs and then rolling up the ends tightly so no juices can escape. Place the wrapped ribs back on the smoker and increase the temperature to 225-degrees F. Cook for 2 hours or until internal temperature reaches 205 degrees F.
- Carefully unwrap the ribs and brush both sides of the ribs with the remaining BBQ sauce. Place the ribs meat side up on the smoker grates and smoke for an additional 40-60 minutes or until the sauce forms a soft bark over the ribs.
- Allow the ribs to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
