3-2-1 Ribs modified version

[SmokinAl]

I have been trying to make the perfect ribs to satisfy everyone here and have failed until lately. These ribs were the best I (we) ever made. I had some bb's that were very thick & meaty, I did them 3-2-1 instead of 2-2-1. The modified version is to do the last hour on the grill so the outside of the ribs gets crispy. That's where my wife Judy comes in. She has always boiled ribs & then grilled them with great success. Everybody loves her ribs. I do too, but I like the smoke flavor, so lately we have been doing a 3-2 1, with me doing the 3-2 & Judy doing the 1. Actually the one only takes about 30-45 minutes. She puts them on the gas grill with sauce & turns them over every 5 minutes or so until the outside gets crispy. I marinated the ribs for 24 hours in a solution of 1/4 cu salt,1/4 cu Splenda, 1/4 cu Jeff's rub, & 2 quarts of water. Then I rubbed them with mustard & Jeff's & in the fridge over night. Fired up the WSM & set the guru to 225. Put the ribs on with some ABT's ( just seriously sharp cheddar, no bacon), and a batch of BBQ sauce. Let them go for 3 hours. Then wrapped them in Saran wrap & foil with butter, honey, dark beer, & a little more of Jeff's rub. Let them cook for 2 more hours. Then sauced them & Judy put them on the grill. She had the grill at 350-400 and turned & sauced them every 5 minutes or so until they had a nice crispy skin.

Here's the photo's of the smoke. The ribs look like most ribs do after 3 hours in the smoke. Here's the ingredients for the foiling.

Wrapped in the saran wrap & ready to foil.

The ABT's and BBQ sauce are done.

2 hours in foil & it's now Judy's turn to finish them on the grill.

OK the're done! 

Everybody's happy. They have great smoke penetration, they fall off the bone & they have a crispy outside. From now on ribs are a 2 man (1 man, 1 woman) operation around here. Thanks for looking!

 

[captturbo]

It looks like you nailed it. Smoky and juicy! Ribs have so far been my weak point. I need to work on that. Wish I had time to try them again over the weekend but when you are in the fishin' charter biz you don't get to play on the Holidays. Nice work Al and Judy.

 

[venture]

It seems the newbies always want to start with ribs.  Ribs are actually pretty darn tricky.

Those look great.  I was wondering if the got grill might not dry them out, but they look fantastic!

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[ravanelli]

Looks nice, I like the little pieces of bark on the outside, but they tasted great.  

 

[raptor700]

Looks great AL,

They do look very juicy

 

[big dee]

Those ribs look great. Looks real juicy and tasty. I like the idea of finishing on a hot grill. I will have to try this with the next batch of ribs. Great job Al.

Dennis

 

[SmokinAl]

It looks like you nailed it. Smoky and juicy! Ribs have so far been my weak point. I need to work on that. Wish I had time to try them again over the weekend but when you are in the fishin' charter biz you don't get to play on the Holidays. Nice work Al and Judy.

Thanks Capt., maybe you can give it a try next week.

It seems the newbies always want to start with ribs.  Ribs are actually pretty darn tricky.

Those look great.  I was wondering if the got grill might not dry them out, but they look fantastic!

Good luck and good smoking.

Thanks Venture, the grill didn't dry them out at all, it just put a nice crust on them.

Looks nice, I like the little pieces of bark on the outside, but they tasted great.  

Thanks Ravanelli, Yes they tasted good, I think we finally figured out ribs.
 

Looks great AL,

They do look very juicy

Thanks Rap, your ribs always look so awesome, I'm glad we finally got it right.

Those ribs look great. Looks real juicy and tasty. I like the idea of finishing on a hot grill. I will have to try this with the next batch of ribs. Great job Al.

Dennis

Thanks Dennis, yes for sure give it a try.

 

[daveomak]

Al, Morning.   I have been telling the bride that ribs need to be wrapped in plastic and then in foil to keep them moist............big disagreement on the plastic.....

I am not going to show her your post........

I have a 3# butt in the smoker now....would you suggest wrapping in plastic and foil to 190 or so and then grillin' to crisp up the outside ??? This is my first butt.....Dave

 

[SmokinAl]

Al, Morning.   I have been telling the bride that ribs need to be wrapped in plastic and then in foil to keep them moist............big disagreement on the plastic.....

I am not going to show her your post........

I have a 3# butt in the smoker now....would you suggest wrapping in plastic and foil to 190 or so and then grillin' to crisp up the outside ??? This is my first butt.....Dave

I used to foil butts all the time, then one day I decided to just smoke it the whole way without foil. I have never foiled another one since. It will take longer to cook without foil, but the bark you get is just fabulous. Unfoiled I figure about 2 hours per pound. If it looks like it's not going to get done in time you can always foil it & get it done. 

 

[flash]

Al, when I met my future wife, she use to parboil and grill. I eventually broke her of that habit. I had her in Winn Dixie, after trying to get her to commit to 3-2-1 and we met a little old lady going over the ribs in the meat counter. She looked like everyone's perfect Grandmother. She asked if she parboiled the ribs and she stated " Honey, your boiling out all the flavor!!"  So that night I got to finally do a 3-2-1. She has never once attempted to go back to the grill or par-boiling.

 I think your wife's idea is fine, although ribs are pretty much done at 3-2-1, so I would really watch how hot that grill is. Still, we do our Chicken that way, smoke then grill, so why not ribs.

 

[flash]

Al, Morning.   I have been telling the bride that ribs need to be wrapped in plastic and then in foil to keep them moist............big disagreement on the plastic.....

I am not going to show her your post........

I have a 3# butt in the smoker now....would you suggest wrapping in plastic and foil to 190 or so and then grillin' to crisp up the outside ??? This is my first butt.....Dave

 I just throw them in 1 gallon baggies after applying rub. Some cuts of meat I use saran wrap. Now this is all pre-smoke, no plastic while smoking. I think I have read somewhere where that was not good for you ???? 

 3 lb but will not take long Dave, so the longer you can go before wrapping in foil the better for bark. Rub with a good amount of sugar will give you a pretty good bark, whether you wrap in foil or not. Higher smoker temps help too. 250º instead of 225º

 Did you use some Mojo??

 

[SmokinAl]

Thanks Flash. If you do chicken that way you should just try the ribs one time. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

 

[flash]

Was she applying sauce before place them on the hot grill? Now that will crunch them quick.

 

[meateater]

Great looking ribs Al. 

 

[windshield king]

nice looking ribs Al

 

[daveomak]

I used to foil butts all the time, then one day I decided to just smoke it the whole way without foil. I have never foiled another one since. It will take longer to cook without foil, but the bark you get is just fabulous. Unfoiled I figure about 2 hours per pound. If it looks like it's not going to get done in time you can always foil it & get it done. 

Al, Thanks........Smoke for 4 hrs to 150 .......stalled at 156 for 3 hrs..........foiled and wrapped in a towel at 190...........wife made a sauce and slaw........I ate the sammie so fast no Qview sorry.........Best damn sammie i ever had.......12 hrs to cook a 3 # butt...........You're ACES my friend.   Dave

 

 

[fpnmf]

Looks great Al!!

I also do chicken by finishing on the grill...

Ya sold me..next ribs are going to the grill for the finish!!!

  Craig

 

[SmokinAl]

Was she applying sauce before place them on the hot grill? Now that will crunch them quick.

Yes she was, she also applied more sauce after turning them a couple of times.
 

Great looking ribs Al. 

Thanks, Meat

nice looking ribs Al

Thanks, King

Al, Thanks........Smoke for 4 hrs to 150 .......stalled at 156 for 3 hrs..........foiled and wrapped in a towel at 190...........wife made a sauce and slaw........I ate the sammie so fast no Qview sorry.........Best damn sammie i ever had.......12 hrs to cook a 3 # butt...........You're ACES my friend.   Dave

 

Glad it turned out so well Dave. It looks delicious!
 

Looks great Al!!

I also do chicken by finishing on the grill...

Ya sold me..next ribs are going to the grill for the finish!!!

  Craig

Thanks, Craig. You won't regret finishing them on the grill.

 

[flash]

I'm not sure I would do that on my grill, grates can be too low and that sauce is what is crisping up, due to the sugar. But maybe that is what she likes??

I'll give it a go, but sauce will wait.

 

[SmokinAl]

Flash, it's not just the sauce that crisps it up. We don't put sugar in our sauce, we use Splenda.