Perfect Ribs: 3-2-1 Method on the Dakota Offset Smoker (2024)

FAQs

Perfect Ribs: 3-2-1 Method on the Dakota Offset Smoker? ›

The 3-2-1 Method is a process that involves smoking the ribs for three hours, wrapping them in foil and braising for two hours, and then smoking unwrapped for one hour. This not only helps the ribs cook faster, it ensures an even smoke ring and more tender meat.

The smoker should be set to a temperature of around 225-250°F for the entire cooking process. This low and slow temperature ensures that the ribs are tender and juicy.

Place the ribs in the smoker, fat side up, and cook for 3 hours. Wrap each rack of ribs individually in foil with a little bit of apple juice or beer – this will help keep them moist and infuse some extra flavor. Place back in the smoker and cook for 2 more hours until tender but not falling apart.

Set up your smoker for smoking at about 225°F (107°C) using indirect heat. Once the smoker is ready, place the ribs directly on the smoker grate, or you can use a rib rack if you need to fit more. Let the ribs smoke cook for about 5 hours or until they are as tender as you like them.

Most ribs hit their sweet spot for doneness around 198 degrees F, but some take until 203 degrees F to be perfectly tender. This spread in final temperature is one reason why thermometers are a great jumping off-point for rib perfection, but not the be-all-end-all indicator.

Wrapping should be done about half way through the cooking process or when internal meat temp is 150-160 degrees. Use two layers of heavy duty foil to wrap the meat. We recommend the following process for wrapping ribs, pork shoulder and brisket. Ribs – Put the two layers of foil on a flat surface.

Place ribs bone-side down in smoker at 225 F /110 C and cook for three hours. Remove ribs from the smoker and wrap tightly in aluminum foil to form an airtight seal. Return to the smoker bone-side up and smoke for two hours. Unwrap the ribs and return to the smoker bone-side down for one more hour.

Once ribs are on, spritz every 30 minutes to an hour to keep them moist with added flavor throughout your cook.

Season with a BBQ Rub. Add the mustard and bbq rub to both sides of the ribs. Cook on a smoker at 250 degrees uncovered for 3 hours. After they've been smoking for 1 hour start spraying them with cherry co*ke in a spray bottle about every 30 minutes for the remaining 2 hours.

Ribs that literally fall off the bone are likely overcooked, meaning they'll be dry. The real key to perfectly cooked ribs is the meat sliding right off the bone with a gentle tug.

What temperature to smoke ribs at 3 2 1? ›

It's always a good idea to use a MEATER to ensure that the internal temperature of the ribs reaches around 200°F for tender, fall-off-the-bone ribs. What temp for 321 ribs? For your smoking temperature, set your smoker at around 225°F to 250°F. For your internal temperature make sure that your ribs hit 200°F.

Start by placing your ribs directly on the grill grates of the smoker for 3 hours to infuse the meat with that good, smoky flavor. 2 hours wrapped. Next up, wrap those smoky ribs in foil (usually with brown sugar, apple cider, butter, and other goodies) for 2 hours to add more flavor and keep that rib meat juicy.

Set the smoker for 235-250 degrees Fahrenheit. I use pecan or oak wood when smoking beef back ribs. Smoke the ribs for about 3 hours and you can spray with some apple juice during the this time to keep the ribs moist.

Smoke with wood chips of your choice at 250 to 300 degrees F (120 to 150 degrees C) until the ribs are no longer pink, and the meat easily pulls from the bone, 4 to 6 hours or more depending on the smoker and temperature.