321 Ribs
These 3-2-1 smoked ribs follow the classic 321 rib method for tender, flavorful barbecue straight from the smoker. The 321 method ribs approach breaks the cook into three stages—smoking, wrapping, and finishing—to build rich smoke flavor while keeping the ribs juicy and tender. Whether you’re cooking for a backyard gathering or dialing in your BBQ skills, this 321 smoked ribs recipe is a reliable way to turn out crowd-pleasing ribs with a sticky, flavorful finish.
Ingredients
RIBS
2 racks pork ribs (baby back or spare ribs)
3–4 tbsp Yellow Mustard
Kosher Salt
Cracked Black Pepper
1 cup Apple Juice
½ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
6 Tbsp Butter
1/2 cup Brown Sugar, separated
TOOLS
4–6 large chunks of smoking wood or 3-4 cups of smoking chips (oak or hickory work well)
Spray Bottle
Instructions
Prepare the Ribs:
Prepare the ribs by trimming any excess fat and removing the thin membrane from the back of each rack. See Pro Tip for details on our optional overnight brine at this step.
Pat the ribs dry with paper towels.
Lightly coat both sides of the ribs with a thin layer of mustard then season lightly on both sides with salt and pepper, pressing it into the mustard so it sticks well.
Let the ribs rest at room temperature while you prepare the grill.
Prepare the Smoker or Grill:
If using wood chips or chunks for smoking, soak them in water for about 30 minutes before cooking. This will help them smolder and release smoke more slowly rather than burning up too quickly.
Set up your smoker or grill for indirect cooking at a steady temperature of about 225°F.
Once the coals are ready, add the soaked wood and allow clean smoke to develop.
3-2-1 Ribs:
Place the ribs on the grill meat-side up and begin the first phase of the 3-2-1 method, cooking low and slow for 3 hours while maintaining consistent heat and smoke. After the first hour of cooking, open your smoker and generously spray ribs with the apple juice mixture. Repeat spraying every 45 minutes thereafter until you reach 3 total hours.
Near the end of the initial 3 hours, prepare two large sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil, one for each rack. On each sheet of foil, place 3 tablespoons of butter, divided into three separate pieces. Sprinkle 1/8 cup of brown sugar evenly onto each of the sheets of foil. Remove the ribs from the grill and place each rack bone-side down onto its prepared foil sheet. Then sprinkle the 1/8 cup of brown sugar over the top of each rack. Wrap the ribs tightly in the foil and return them to the smoker. Continue cooking at 225°F for 2 additional hours. This second phase helps tenderize the meat and allows it to cook through evenly.
After the 2-hour wrapped phase, carefully unwrap the ribs. Before placing them back on the grill, brush the underside of the ribs generously with Cherry Brown Sugar Gold Label BBQ Sauce. Then return the ribs to the grill meat-side up. The ribs should bend more easily at this stage and the meat will have started pulling back from the bones.
When the ribs are back on the grill, bring your smoker up to 275°F. During the final 1 hour of cooking, brush the top of the ribs generously with Cherry Brown Sugar Gold Label BBQ Sauce. Close the lid and allow the sauce to warm and caramelize into a thick, sticky glaze. The ribs should reach an internal temperature between 195°F and 205°F. Cook closer to 195°F if you want ribs that are tender but still have a little texture and bite. Cook closer to 205°F if you prefer super tender, fall off the bone ribs.
Remove the ribs from the grill and loosely wrap them in aluminum foil. Let them rest for about 15 minutes before slicing. This allows the juices to redistribute and keeps the ribs tender and moist.
Slice the ribs and serve hot with extra sauce on the side.
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321 Ribs
These 3-2-1 smoked ribs follow the classic 321 rib method for tender, flavorful barbecue straight from the smoker. The 321 method ribs approach breaks the cook into three stages—smoking, wrapping, and finishing—to build rich smoke flavor while keeping the ribs juicy and tender. Whether you’re cooking for a backyard gathering or dialing in your BBQ skills, this 321 smoked ribs recipe is a reliable way to turn out crowd-pleasing ribs with a sticky, flavorful finish.
Ingredients
RIBS
2 racks pork ribs (baby back or spare ribs)
3–4 tbsp Yellow Mustard
Kosher Salt
Cracked Black Pepper
1 cup Apple Juice
½ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
6 Tbsp Butter
1/2 cup Brown Sugar, separated
TOOLS
4–6 large chunks of smoking wood or 3-4 cups of smoking chips (oak or hickory work well)
Spray Bottle
Instructions
Prepare the Ribs:
Prepare the ribs by trimming any excess fat and removing the thin membrane from the back of each rack. See Pro Tip for details on our optional overnight brine at this step.
Pat the ribs dry with paper towels.
Lightly coat both sides of the ribs with a thin layer of mustard then season lightly on both sides with salt and pepper, pressing it into the mustard so it sticks well.
Let the ribs rest at room temperature while you prepare the grill.
Prepare the Smoker or Grill:
If using wood chips or chunks for smoking, soak them in water for about 30 minutes before cooking. This will help them smolder and release smoke more slowly rather than burning up too quickly.
Set up your smoker or grill for indirect cooking at a steady temperature of about 225°F.
Once the coals are ready, add the soaked wood and allow clean smoke to develop.
3-2-1 Ribs:
Place the ribs on the grill meat-side up and begin the first phase of the 3-2-1 method, cooking low and slow for 3 hours while maintaining consistent heat and smoke. After the first hour of cooking, open your smoker and generously spray ribs with the apple juice mixture. Repeat spraying every 45 minutes thereafter until you reach 3 total hours.
Near the end of the initial 3 hours, prepare two large sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil, one for each rack. On each sheet of foil, place 3 tablespoons of butter, divided into three separate pieces. Sprinkle 1/8 cup of brown sugar evenly onto each of the sheets of foil. Remove the ribs from the grill and place each rack bone-side down onto its prepared foil sheet. Then sprinkle the 1/8 cup of brown sugar over the top of each rack. Wrap the ribs tightly in the foil and return them to the smoker. Continue cooking at 225°F for 2 additional hours. This second phase helps tenderize the meat and allows it to cook through evenly.
After the 2-hour wrapped phase, carefully unwrap the ribs. Before placing them back on the grill, brush the underside of the ribs generously with Cherry Brown Sugar Gold Label BBQ Sauce. Then return the ribs to the grill meat-side up. The ribs should bend more easily at this stage and the meat will have started pulling back from the bones.
When the ribs are back on the grill, bring your smoker up to 275°F. During the final 1 hour of cooking, brush the top of the ribs generously with Cherry Brown Sugar Gold Label BBQ Sauce. Close the lid and allow the sauce to warm and caramelize into a thick, sticky glaze. The ribs should reach an internal temperature between 195°F and 205°F. Cook closer to 195°F if you want ribs that are tender but still have a little texture and bite. Cook closer to 205°F if you prefer super tender, fall off the bone ribs.
Remove the ribs from the grill and loosely wrap them in aluminum foil. Let them rest for about 15 minutes before slicing. This allows the juices to redistribute and keeps the ribs tender and moist.
Slice the ribs and serve hot with extra sauce on the side.