3-2-1 Spare Ribs Method Explained

I Love Grill | August 22, 2015 | Methods, Ribs, Smoking

In the world of Barbecue. Steven Raichlen is the Grill Master to reach out for his deep insight into BBQ and Smoking methods and tips.

In his blog, this was mentioned,

For when you wrap and cook ribs in foil, you are, in effect, boiling them in their own juices. (The heat in your smoker can exceed the 212 degrees required to boil water at sea level.) Hence the almost supernatural tenderness coupled with what you could call a faintly washed-out flavor.

With ribs, there’s a fine line between tender and mushy. True rib connoisseurs (and Kansas City Barbecue Society-trained judges) prefer their rib meat with a bit of chew, a perceptible bit of resistance. We are unimpressed whenever ribs practically debone themselves at the first tug of the teeth. And the moist environment in the foil softens the bark—the smoky, crusty exterior of the ribs highly prized by pit masters.

Bottom line? Most people will love ribs cooked by the 3-2-1 method. Purists like myself remain skeptical. Form your own conclusions by doing a side-by-side comparison.

Source: BarbecueBible

In the end, it is a matter of taste. There are no boundaries to BBQ.

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