3-2-1 Ribs My Way

 

Since I got my Traeger Pro 575 as a Christmas gift I've been converting old oven and grill recipes to working on this new fangled smoker/grill combo.  I'm a fan of the Pork Rib, whether it be back ribs, baby back ribs or St Louis Style Spare ribs.  I love me some pork.

Since I got the Beast I've joined a few Traeger fanboy sites on FB and the web.  I kept seeing folks raving about 3-2-1 Ribs and googled further what they were talking about.  Its a method to have tender ribs with just enough bite to be satisfying and not mush on your pallet.   Great texture and plenty of smoke.  I'm in.

I know Traeger makes a great set of rubs, but I prefer my own blend.  It has the usual suspects found in a pork/poultry rub and is different in the warming spices I add in small amounts that make you go hmm that's really tasty and different.  Things like All Spice, Nutmeg, ground Chipotle  and Ancho Chiles.  Of course you can use an off the shelf or your own family favorite rub.  

One little tip, if you split your rack in half it makes the wrapping in step 2 easier.

This recipe is for one rack, you can easily scale up ingredients for multiple racks of ribs.

3-2-1 Ribs

Ingredients:

• 1 rack back ribs
• 1/3 c yellow mustard
• 1/3 c apple juice
• 1 T Worcestershire 
• 1/t salt
• Dry Rub mix
• aluminum foil
• ice cubes 
• 3/4 c apple juice in a spray bottle
• Favorite BBQ Sauce

Method: 

About 1 hour before smoking split rack into 2 halves and remove the silver skin membrane on the back side of the rack. Set aside on a baking sheet

Mix together mustard, apple juice, Worcestershire and salt. The mustard mixture will serve as a "glue" to let the dry rub adhere better. Liberally apply this mixture to back side of ribs with a pastry brush.  Liberally apply dry rub. Flip ribs over and repeat with mustard mixture and Dry rub.  Set aside.

Preheat smoker to 185F.  Spritz the grill rack with Pam grill spray.  Place ribs bone side down on the smoker grill plates.  Close lid and cook 3 hours, ribs should be about 165F.  After 1st hour lift lid and check your ribs, if the rub looks dry spritz with the apple juice.  Repeat at 2 hours and re-spritz as needed.

At the end of 3 hours remove racks from the grill.  Bump temperature to 225F and let preheat while you prepare ribs for the next step.   Place two ice cubes in the center of a long piece of foil.  Place rack bone side down over the ice cubes.  Gather foil ends and create a tight packet.  Repeat with the other 1/2 rack of ribs.  Place in smoker and close lid, cooking now for 2 hours.

At end of two hours remove the foil wrapped ribs from smoker.  Remove ribs from their foil packets and place back on the grill, again bone side down.  Baste with favorite barbecue sauce and close lid.  Re-baste the ribs with the barbeque sauce if you like a thicker glaze on your ribs after 30 minutes have passed.  At the end of one hour remove ribs from grill.  Internal temp on thickest rib should be about 205F,  Set aside on a platter and let them rest 10 minutes.  Slice into riblets at end of rest and enjoy!