***Editor’s note ~ For all you fall off the bone ribs lovers, these 3-2-1 Wet Brined Pork Ribs will do the trick. By doing the 3-2-1 method, the ribs will be fall off the bone every time. If you prefer competition style ribs which are just short of fall off the bone (tender but with a firm bit) give this recipe a look see, albeit those ribs are not brined. If you want competition style AND wet brine ribs, give this recipe a look.
Also, don’t lose your mind over the fact that the ribs are seemingly overdone. Most of the population prefers them that way.
Additionally, we will be using 3-2-1 ribs, 3 2 1 ribs and 321 ribs interchangeably in this post.
A quick — or not, depending on how much time you have — bath in the brine produces exceptionally tender, moist ribs. And to help the meat shine even more, I opted for country-style pork ribs, which are all meat and no bone. As for the barbecue sauce, there’s nothing wrong with using purchased.
3-2-1 Wet Brined Ribs Grilling Instructions:
Place the ribs on the grill meat side up, close the lid for 3 hours of slow smoke action.
Basically now that the ribs are brined and seasoned we are going to do the 3-2-1 Ribs method, which is guaranteed to make fall off the bone ribs every time.
The 3 2 1 Ribs method is 3 hours of smoking ribs, 2 hours of the smoked ribs in the foil and an hour back over the grill sans foil. And even with this recipe we cut down that last hour to 30 minutes.
Want to be short of fall off the bone (competition style), smoke for 2 hour, foil for 45 minutes and go back on the grill for about 20 minutes.
At the three hours of smoking ribs, it’s time for the 2 in 321 ribs.
Per rack of ribs, place two sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil (or peach butcher paper) on the prep area, position smoked ribs meat side down, and drizzle on about 1/3 cup of braising liquid, add 2 tablespoons of butter to each braising packet.
Wrap ribs tightly and pinch to seal the edges of foil tight.
Place the rib packet(s) back on the smoker for 2 hours:
After 2 hours in the foil on the grill, remove the foiled and smoked ribs from the Primo:
Next, unwrap the foil or butcher paper, making sure to spread that delicious glaze inside the paper/foil over the St. Louis style ribs:
We are in the home stretch of 3 2 1 ribs as we round third base or in this case the 1 at the end of 3 2 1 ribs and will soon slide into home and enjoy fall off the bone ribs.
Then, raise the heat to 300°F.
Put the 3-2-1 Wet Brined Pork Ribs back on the smoker over direct heat for 30 minutes (remove the heat deflector):
During this final 30 minutes of our 3-2-1 Wet Brined Pork Ribs, frequently brush with glaze and flip the St. Louis style ribs over a few times to keep them from burning over the direct heat which also thickens and caramelizes that glaze:
Remove the 3-2-1 Wet Brined Pork Ribs from the smoker, and let rest for 8-10 minutes, slice and serve.
Enjoy what should be your fall off the bone ribs!
3-2-1 Wet Brined Pork Ribs Ingredients:
- 2 racks St Louis style pork spare ribs (substitute baby back ribs but cut cooking times about 20%)
- 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter, divided (for 2 braising packets)
- 6 cups water, divided
- 12 oz beer
- 1 cup apple juice or cider
- 1 cup dark brown sugar (sub light brown sugar if that’s what you have)
- 1/2 cup Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon granulated onion
- 1/2 tablespoon Chinese 5 Spice
- 2 cups ice cubes
- 1/2 tablespoon Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1/2 tablespoon ground mustard
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 tablespoon Chinese 5 spice
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup hickory bbq sauce
- 3/4 cup apple juice or cider
- 1/3 cup rice vinegar
- 3/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon garlic chili sauce
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger or 2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
Some Very Tasty BBQ Ribs! | Chuds BBQ
FAQ
Should you put ribs in a brine?
How do you tenderize boneless country-style ribs?
Should I dry brine country-style ribs?
How do you keep boneless ribs moist?
Do you need to brine ribs?
Brining ribs isn’t absolutely necessary and is more important when smoking large cuts of meat such as brisket or pork butt. Ribs are a much smaller cut of meat, but it’s still contains a lot of gristle and connective tissue, and will receive some benefit from salting. As with cooking any meat in a smoker, ribs are at risk of drying out.
How common is it to bruise a rib from sneezing hard?
You could rarely bruise your rib while sneezing hard. This happens because of the increased intrathoracic pressure that develops inside the rib cage while sneezing.
Can You brine ribs wet or dry?
You can either wet or dry brine meat. A wet brine involves soaking meat in a liquid solution containing salt and other ingredients. A dry brine is where you rub salt into the meat, and leave it for 2 to 24 hours prior to cooking. When brining ribs, a dry brine is definitely the best option.
How long can you brine ribs?
In general, ribs can be brined from several hours to overnight, with the exact timing depending on the size and thickness of the ribs and the desired level of flavor and tenderness. Unlike marinades, you can brine a piece of meat for a long time without affecting its texture so that it won’t become mushy.