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Two racks of smoked ribs on a wooden board, labeled 3-2-1 ribs on the left and 2-2-1 ribs on the right, with arrows pointing to each rack. A branded logo is etched into the wood board.

St. Louis Ribs: 3-2-1 Vs. 2-2-1 Methods

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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 2

Ingredients

  • 2 racks of St. Louis-style ribs
  • Your favorite BBQ rub - I’m using Cowboy Crust
  • Yellow mustard
  • Brown sugar
  • Your favorite BBQ sauce
  • Apple juice

Instructions

  • The Prep.
  • Start by cleaning up both racks of St. Louis-style ribs. Trim off any excess meat, fat, or loose pieces so both racks are as similar as possible.
  • Remove the membrane from the back of each rack.
  • Generously coat both sides of each rack with yellow mustard, then apply your favorite BBQ rub. I’m using Cowboy Crust. Make sure you get a nice, even coating on both sides.
  • Place the ribs on a cutting board and let them rest for about 20 minutes while you get the grill ready.
  • Set Up the Grill: Fire up the Z GRILLS pellet grill and set the temperature to 225°F. Rack #1 - The 3-2-1 Rib. Place the first rack on the middle shelf and smoke it for 1 hour. After that first hour, place the second rack on the middle shelf. Now we have: 2-1 rack: 3 hours total smoke time. 2-1 rack: 2 hours total smoke time. Continue cooking until the first rack reaches three total hours and the second rack reaches two total hours. The Wrap. Remove both racks from the grill. For each rack, lay out a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil.
  • Add ribbons of yellow mustard, brown sugar, and BBQ sauce to the foil. Place each rack meat-side down into its own foil packet. Add a small amount of apple juice to each packet - just enough to provide some moisture without flooding the ribs.
  • Wrap each rack tightly, making sure the foil packets are sealed well. Return both racks to the Z GRILLS at 225°F. Cook for 2 hours. The Finish. After two hours, carefully remove both foil packets from the grill. Be careful when opening the foil - there will be a lot of hot steam inside. Open each packet and allow the steam to escape. Flip the ribs over so the meat side is facing up. Brush both racks generously with BBQ sauce. Return both racks to the grill at 225°F for 1 final hour.
  • The Rib Battle: After that final hour, remove both racks from the grill. Allow them to rest on a cutting board before slicing. Now it's time to see what these two methods produced. We'll compare the 3-2-1 ribs vs. the 2-2-1 ribs based on: Tenderness. Bark. Moisture.
  • Smoke flavor: Overall flavor. Texture. And, of course, we'll crown a winner. So… Which Method Makes Better Ribs? 2-1 or 2-2-1?