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3-1-1 versus indirect straight cook?

Thermal Mass
Thermal Mass Posts: 31
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Is the 3-1-1 method really worth doing over and above a 4-7hr indirect cook for pork ribs?[p]I am about to do my first rack, and it is important to me that the spouse is impressed.[p]Mark

Comments

  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,671
    Thermal Mass,
    its a personal preference more than anything. with the 311 method the middle stage with the foil is a little tricky, a few things change the outcome like foiling dry, adding a little liquid, more than a little liquid, hot verse cool liquid, meatside down verse up etc all change the outcome of the middle foil stage. a couple of tries and an inspection to see how they progressed during the foil stage is in order. best thing to do is to try it and see, maybe modify it on your second try. for me i prefer either an inderect or direct cook over the foil cook, but some swear by it.

    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Davekatz
    Davekatz Posts: 763
    Thermal Mass,[p]Are we talking spares or baby backs? [p]Baby backs, IMHO, can almost just be grilled direct and still be tender and tasty. I find that a straight (no foil) indirect cook at about 250 is all they really need.[p]Spares are tougher with more connective tissue, so it's harder to balance the need to heat them low and slow with the need to keep them moist. 3-1-1 really helps out here. The foil holds the moisture and bastes the meat while the internal temp continues to rise and convert the collagen. [p]Best of luck,[p]Dave[p]P.S. The fact that you care about impressing the spouse is usually enough in-and-of-itself to impress the spouse ;)
    [ul][li]Our BGE[/ul]
    Food & Fire - The carnivorous ramblings of a gluten-free grill geek.
  • GirlyEgg
    GirlyEgg Posts: 622
    Thermal Mass,
    When I did mine, I did indirect at 250-300 for 3 hours... drip pan with Guiness in it.... then raised temp to 325 and brushed with sauce... I didn't foil, nor baste midway through... I like the way it came out, of course I like my ribs moist with some "chew"... less on the steamed side. See my post from Sunday... lots of suggestions on best way from folks... [p]ribsandshoes007.jpg

  • Jeeves
    Jeeves Posts: 461
    Thermal Mass,[p]Here's another thought (via my brother), he does his slabs with chicen pieces on top of the ribs. The juices keep the ribs nice and juicy. He discovered this one time and now is the only way he'll do ribs.
  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    Thermal Mass,[p]The advantages of 3-1-1 is that its quick, often taking less than the nominal 5 hours, and you will be guaranteed a tender rib. I've had one batch that was just about perfect, and I've never been disappointed by with the results. For a first time, 3-1-1 pretty much guarantees real good. [p]However, the best I've done so far were untrimmed spares direct for about 6.5 hours, and I gave myself points for difficulty.[p]gdenby
  • Thermal Mass,
    I'd stick with Car Wash Mike's method. It is the only one I've tried that I REALLY like.

    [ul][li]Car Wash Mike's Ribs[/ul]
  • BluesnBBQ
    BluesnBBQ Posts: 615
    I've tried 3-1-1 once or twice and I don't see how the foil helps. Putting meat in foil w/liquid steams it. You'll get tender results if you cook at 250 indirect for 4-5 hours.[p]I did some spares this weekend and they turned out great. U did them over a drip pan on a raised grid, no plate setter or other barrier under the drip pan. They cooked at 250-300 (it fluctuated, but I tried to keep it at 250) for about 4 hours. I did occasionaly spray with apple cider and I glazed one rack with barbecue sauce during the last 30-45 minutes.[p]Some of the smaller ribs at the ends of the racks were a little dry, but I served those last.

  • egginator
    egginator Posts: 569
    Davekatz,
    Nice web page[p]Ed

  • Davekatz
    Davekatz Posts: 763
    Egginator,[p]Thanks much! We've really enjoyed our BGE and I think it shows in the site.[p]Dave

    Food & Fire - The carnivorous ramblings of a gluten-free grill geek.
  • ribs.jpg
    <p />Thanks all for the suggestions.[p]I went with a basic indirect on a v-rack at 230 for 3hrs, 250 for the 4th hour, and then laid flat and glazed with sauce at 275 for the final .5hr. Smoked with 2 handfulls of cherry chips.[p]The result was very good - meat fell off the bone. Next time I will use less smoke (I thought there was a bit too much, leading to a slight hot dog/bacon flavour), and will either cook a bit longer, or try the foil route. [p]I got the ribs from the butcher dep't at my local grocer, labeled 'St. Louis Style', but I realize now that I should have further trimmed the portion at the left.[p]Mark