The 3-2-1 method is one of the most reliable ways to make perfect smoked ribs. The numbers stand for hours: 3 hours unwrapped in smoke, 2 hours wrapped and braising, and 1 hour unwrapped again to set the glaze. This gives you ribs with incredible tenderness, a beautiful smoke ring, and a flavour that balances sweet, smoky, and savoury. In this recipe, we’ll walk you through every step, plus give tips for tweaking it to your exact texture preference.
Prep the ribs
Remove the membrane from the bone side of the ribs. Trim excess fat. Lightly coat with mustard, then apply your BBQ rub evenly on both sides. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
First 3 hours – Smoke
Preheat smoker to 110–120 °C (225–250 °F). Add wood chips/chunks for clean, thin blue smoke. Place ribs bone side down. Optionally spritz with apple juice every 45–60 minutes.
Next 2 hours – Wrap & braise
Lay out foil sheets. Sprinkle brown sugar, drizzle honey, and add butter pats. Place ribs meat side down on top, pour in apple juice, and wrap tightly. Return to smoker for 2 hours.
Final 1 hour – Glaze & set
Unwrap carefully, return ribs meat side up. Brush with thinned BBQ sauce. Smoke for 1 hour to set glaze, brushing again halfway if desired.
Serve
Rest for 10 minutes, slice between bones, and serve with extra sauce.
For baby back ribs, use 2-2-1 instead of 3-2-1 to avoid overcooking.
If you prefer a firmer bite, reduce the braising stage to 1.5 hours.
Apple or cherry wood provides sweet smoke; mix with a little hickory for depth.
Foil traps moisture; butcher paper will preserve bark better but tenderises less.
Ensure ribs reach at least 63 °C (145 °F) internally for safety, but tenderness is more about time and collagen breakdown than a single temp.
6 servings