Baby Back Rib Recipe 2-2-1 Ribs

When I first started smoking ribs, I thought that the 3-2-1 method for fall-off-the-bone tender ribs was the only way to smoke ribs. But as you evolve on your BBQ journey, you find out that most BBQ experts consider fall-off-the-bone ribs, while delicious, are considered overcooked. So, how can you achieve smokey baby back ribs that are tender but still have a little bite to them? Here is a little secret, it’s NOT 3-2-1 Ribs.

If I’m smoking baby back ribs, I smoke them using the 2-2-1 method. Keeping the ribs in foil for two hours gives me that super-tender rib, but thanks to the slightly reduced time upfront, I won’t overcook the ribs. If you’re concerned about the smoky flavor, two hours at the beginning and one hour at the end are still plenty of time to get smoke flavor on the ribs. If you want to geek out over the science of smoke, take a look at Meathead’s article over at Amazing Ribs, or join the debate over at Reddit.

Read this article if you are unsure of the difference between Baby Back Ribs and Spare or St. Louis-style ribs.

What is the 2-2-1 Method for Smoking Ribs?

The 2-2-1 refers to the hours of cooking during each step.

• 2 Hours on the smoker – Add the binder and the rub and place the baby back ribs meat side up on the smoker.
• 2 Hours Wrapped in foil – Wrap the ribs in foil and let them cook meat side down for 2 hours.
• 1 Hour back on the smoker with sauce – Remove foil. Add bbq sauce and let them smoke for 1 more hour with the meat side up.

How To Make Smoked Baby Ribs 2-2-1 Method

Step 1: Preheat Smoker To 225

I used my pellet grill, so all I had to do was plug it in and select my temperature. I like using 225°F because it allows me to smoke low and slow. You can smoke your ribs at 250°F, but you have to adjust your times accordingly.

Step 2: Prep Your Ribs

This step is actually a multi-step process. The first thing to do is to remove the membrane (or silverskin) from the back of the ribs. Slide a butter knife under the membrane to start prying it up. Then, use a paper towel to grip the membrane and pull it off the ribs.

Once the membrane is removed, slather the ribs with a thin coating of yellow mustard (or your preferred binder) and then apply the dry rub.

Step 3: Smoke The Baby Back Ribs

Put your rubbed rib racks on your preheated smoker at 225 degrees with the meat side UP. Let them smoke for two hours.

Step 4: Wrap Your Ribs

After two hours, remove your baby back ribs from the smoker and wrap them in foil. This helps keep the ribs moist and speeds up the cooking time. I double-wrap my ribs to ensure the bones don’t puncture holes in the foil during cooking. I also like adding some butter and extra rub to up the flavor. Here’s a full video breakdown of how to wrap ribs in foil. After wrapping your ribs, please return them to the smoker for two more hours. Make sure you’re putting them meat-side DOWN!

Step 5: Unwrap And Sauce

Once the ribs have been wrapped for two hours, unwrap them and place them back on the smoker meat side UP. Apply your favorite barbecue sauce and let the ribs smoke for one more hour.

Step 6: Remove, Rest, And Serve!

After the final hour, remove the ribs from the smoker and cover them with foil to rest for 15 minutes. Slice the rack into individual ribs and serve! These ribs should stay intact when you slice them.

Here are more details on how long to smoke a rack of ribs. We have an entire article that goes over all the variables, such as the type and size of the ribs, temperature, and the equipment you are using. Remember, these are NOT 321 fall off the bone ribs.

If you have leftover baby back ribs, look at our article on how to reheat ribs.

Smoked Baby Back Ribs 2-2-1 Recipe

Ingredients:

• Rack of baby back ribs
• Yellow mustard (optional)
• Barbecue rub (Our Kansas City-style dry rub is great for ribs)
• Butter
• Barbecue sauce

Equipment

• Cutting board
• Grill
• Aluminum foil
• Basting brush
• Butter knife
• Paper towels
• Smoker (I used my Camp Chef Apex pellet grill)

Instructions:

• Preheat your smoker to 225°F.
• Remove the rib membrane from the back of your baby back ribs.
• Slather the ribs with a thin layer of yellow mustard.
• Rub the ribs down with the dry rub, ensuring an even coating.
• Place the ribs meat side UP on the preheated grill and smoke for two hours.
• After the two hours are up, wrap the ribs in aluminum foil.
• Place the wrapped ribs meat-side DOWN in the smoker for two additional hours.
• When the two hours are up, unwrap the ribs. Place them meat side UP and brush them with your barbecue sauce. Smoke for one more hour.
• Remove the ribs from the smoker, cover them, and let them rest for 15 minutes.
• Slice them, and serve!

Substitutions

• Yellow mustard for your preferred binder (Oil, mayonnaise, or even hot sauce)
• Our KC-style dry rub for your preferred pork rub (I love Fire & Smoke Society’s Sweet Preacher rub)
• Aluminum foil for food-grade pink butcher paper

FAQs:

How many ribs do I need for 20 people?

The answer to that question depends on the rib you serve. If you need Baby Back Ribs for 20 people, then you should get 10 racks. Spare Ribs are larger, so you will only need 7 racks. If you are serving beef ribs, then you will need 40 individual ribs. Sound confusing? Don’t worry—we have a rib calculator that will figure everything out for you based on the number of adults and children that will be eating ribs.

What’s the difference between 3-2-1 and 2-2-1 method for smoking ribs?

The main difference is that the 2-2-1 method smokes the rib for 2 hours instead of 3 hours in the first step of the process. This reduces the cooking time by 1 hour, giving the ribs a bit more bite. The meat should not fall off the bone with the 2-2-1 method.