You guys, I love ribs like nobody's business. I've loved them for as long as I can remember, but only good ones. It's a rare thing to find good ribs...I like mine smoked. Not cooked in a crock pot or whatever method they use in most restaurants. I like real smoked, dry rubbed ribs. Sometimes I even add a little sauce at the end. Folks, these ribs are just perfect, cooked using the 2-2-1 method, and come off the smoker just right! They don't fall right off of the bone, they have a little bit of a chew to them like real ribs should. Here is how I smoke ribs using the 2-2-1 method, and they come out perfect every single time!
I start by cutting my rack of ribs in half and removing the clear membrane from the back of the ribs.
Next, I rub them down with good ol yellow mustard, then coat them with our favorite rub for ribs, Dizzy Pig. I have made my own rubs some, but Dizzy Pig is my go to when I don't have the time.
We use lump charcoal and some apple wood chips to give them a little extra flavor.
We use our Big Green Egg to smoke our ribs, so we put in our plate setter, then add our grilling rack in, and get the temperature up to about 250 degrees. If you don't own a smoker, you can still do this...just cook them on indirect heat on the opposite side of the coals in your grill.
Once the temp is holding pretty well I add the ribs to the grill rack meaty side up and shut the smoker for 2 hours, making sure it maintains it's temp around 250 degrees, and never over 300 degrees. There may be a little bit of temp movement...don't stress about it.
Once the first two hours is up, place your ribs in an aluminum pan and cover with foil. I like to add a small splash of apple juice to the bottom of my pan, but you can totally skip that step if you like. There will be plenty of juices from the ribs to help steam them and keep them moist.
This is what your ribs should look like after the fourth hour. You can really tell much, but they are a little soft. During the last hour, they develop a bit of a crust and firm up just enough!
Simply lay them on the rack face down again and let them smoke for one more hour.
This is what they should resemble when they are finished! Now, just take them off of the smoker and get ready to be blown away!
Don't they look amazing? These babies don't stay around long and are perfect for a big crowd or just for a family dinner!
Looking for some more great grilling ideas? Check these out!
How To Smoke A Pork Shoulder/Butt Step By Step
How To Grill or Smoke a Spatchcock (Better Than Beer Can) Chicken
Homemdade Dry Spice Rub For Chicken and Pork
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