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finished traeger 3-2-1 ribs

Traeger Smoked 321 Ribs

Learn step by step how to prepare perfectly smoked 3-2-1 ribs on a Traeger pellet grill!
We cover how to prep, season, cook, and sauce your ribs using the 3 2 1 Method and why the Traeger pellet grill makes it so easy to cook these ribs.
Whether you’ve got baby backs, St. Louis Cut, or a full untrimmed rack of pork spare ribs, we’ve got you covered to modify this tried and true 3 2 1 technique as needed.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Australian, barbecue, BBQ
Servings 6
Calories 700 kcal

Equipment

  • Traeger Pellet Grill
  • Wood Pellets (preferably a fruitwood or oak)
  • Empty Spray Bottle
  • Rib Rack (optional)
  • Aluminum Foil
  • Heat Resistant BBQ Gloves
  • Basting brush
  • Meat Slicing Knife

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Racks of Ribs Baby Back or St. Louis Style
  • 2 tablespoon Yellow Mustard
  • 1 cup Your Favorite BBQ Sauce such as Blues Hog

Mad Backyard "In a Pinch" Rib Rub

  • 1 cup Dark Brown Sugar
  • ½ cup Paprika
  • 2 tablespoon Course Ground Black Pepper
  • 2 tablespoon Kosher Salt or ½ tablespoon Table Salt
  • 2 tablespoon Chili Powder
  • 1 tablespoon Granulated Garlic
  • 1 tablespoon Onion Powder
  • 2 teaspoon Cayenne Powder optional for heat

Spritz

  • ½ cup Apple Juice
  • ¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar

Wrapping Seasonings

  • 1 Cup Dark Brown Sugar optional
  • 2 drizzles drizzles Honey optional
  • 2 drizzles Parkay Squeeze butter, or (3) 1 tablespoon tabs stick butter optional
  • 2 drizzles Tiger Sauce optional for heat

Instructions
 

  • Start up the Traeger pellet grill, add your chosen pellets to the hopper, and set the temperature to 250°F
    traeger pellet grill set to 250 degrees

Prepare the Ribs and Spritz

  • Remove the membrane from the back each rack of ribs using a knife to get it started in one corner, then grabbing on with a paper towel and pulling towards the opposite corner.
    removing the membrane form the back of baby back ribs with a paper towel
  • Apply a thin layer of yellow mustard to the front and backs of each rack of ribs and rub to coat entirely.
  • Use your favorite BBQ rub or mix the rub ingredients listed above together in a bowl or shaker.
    putting rub on the top of 321 ribs
  • Apply a generous amount of rub to the fronts and backs of each slab of ribs. Its ok to leave some rub leftover to apply more throughout the cook if needed.
  • Let the rub set on the ribs at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes before putting them on the Traeger.
  • While the rub is setting, mix the apple juice and apple cider vinegar together in a spray bottle.

Stage 1 - Smoke the Ribs

  • Once the Traeger is making smoke and up to 250°F, place the ribs on the grill with the thickest sides to the right (the hotter end of the grill). Use a rib rack if preparing more than 4 racks of baby back ribs at once.
    3-2-1 ribs being placed in a traeger to smoke
  • Close the lid and let the ribs cook for about 90 minutes. You can spritz gently as necessary to keep the meat moist if it begins to look dry.
    the traeger ironwood 885
  • After 90 minutes rotate the ribs if one side appears darker than the other and begin checking them about every 15-20 minutes.
  • While they are smoking, you can prepare your foil and wrapping ingedients.

Stage 2 - Wrap the Ribs

  • Lay out 2 long pieces of heavy duty aluminum foil on top of each other on the counter, long enough to double wrap the rack of ribs front and back with the two pieces. Repeat with the other rack.
  • Spread ½ cup of brown sugar on each set of aluminum foil, then drizzle some honey, parkay squeeze butter, and Tiger Sauce on each. (this is optional)
    squeezing parkay butter into the foil to wrap baby back ribs
  • Once the ribs are a nice dark amber color and especially if you begin to see any very dark burning on the bones or ends, usually around the 2.5 hour mark, remove them from the grill using tongs or heat resistant gloves.
  • Place the ribs face down into each pile of aluminum foil and add more of the ingredients to the back (top) of the ribs if you wish.
    placing butter on the 321 ribs before putting back on the traeger
  • If you would rather not use the wrapping ingredients listed above, place the ribs in the foil face up and add a small amount of apple juice, soda, or beer to the aluminum foil to add some moisture.
  • Wrap the ribs tightly in the double layer of aluminum foil and place back on the Traeger and continue to cook at 250°F.
    putting the foil wrapped 321 ribs on the traeger

Stage 3- Firm and Sauce the Ribs

  • Begin checking the ribs after about 45-60 minutes and every 15 minutes after that. Once you see the meat pulling away from the ends of bones and tenderizing, you can take them out of the foil. This may only take 1 to 1.5 hours for baby backs rather than 2 for St. Louis Cut and untrimmed spare ribs.
    showing the rib meat pulling away from the bones after stage 2 of the 321 method of traeger smoking
  • Carefully remove the ribs from the foil and save the juices in the foil to add to your sauce later. Place the ribs back on the Traeger, face up, and cook for about 30 more minutes at 250°F before saucing.
    taking baby back ribs out of the foil and placing back on the foil
  • While the ribs are cooking, prepare your sauce by mixing you favorite sauce(s) together with some of the juices retained from the foil. Mix in a cup or bowl and set aside.
  • After the ribs have been back on the Traeger unwrapped for about 30 minutes and firmed back up a little, gently brush the sauce on with a basting brush.
    brushing sauce on the traeger smoked ribs
  • Close the lid and continue cooking for another 30 minutes to let the sauce thicken and set on the meat.

Slicing and Serving the 3 2 1 Ribs

  • Remove the ribs from the Traeger and let them rest for about 15 minutes.
  • Turn the ribs upright on their edge so that you can more easily see the ribs running along the bottom up and own.
  • Using a good meat slicing knife cut from top to bottom between the bones in the center of the racks to serve a half rack to each person. Or you cna cut them into 2-3 rib portions of serving ona. platter to a larger crowd.
    slicing 3-2-1 traeger smoked ribs
  • Include some sauce on the side for guests to add extra if they desire and enjoy!
    anohter finsihed bbq rib smoked on a traeger

Nutrition

Calories: 700kcal
Keyword 3 2 1 Method, 3-2-1 Ribs, 321 Ribs, baby back ribs, barbecue, bbq, BBQ Rub, pellet grill, pellet smoked, pellet smoker, pork ribs, pork spare ribs, smoked, spare ribs, spareribs, St. Louis Cut, St. Louis Style, traeger
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