Can you use the 3-2-1 rib method on spare ribs?

AZbge

Was going to make ribs Sunday for the game. The recipe I'm using calls for baby back but I've got spare. Does it really matter?

Thanks in advance!

RRP

No - just remember that spares coming out of the foil will have a lot more hot grease than BB so be careful!

etherdome

Absolutely. I have actually always thought that 2,2,1 was for baby backs and 3,2,1 is for spares. That is what I have done for years without fail and with great results . 

nolaegghead

RRP said:

No - just remember that spares coming out of the foil will have a lot more hot grease than BB so be careful!

Good point.  I'm pretty careless about spilling hot scalding oil on myself unless I know the quantity of said oil is massive, then I am very careful.

lkapigian

Spares are great Naked ...no muss no fuss 

RRP

nolaegghead said:

RRP said:

No - just remember that spares coming out of the foil will have a lot more hot grease than BB so be careful!

Good point.  I'm pretty careless about spilling hot scalding oil on myself unless I know the quantity of said oil is massive, then I am very careful.

Har har - assuming @AZbge with only 95 posts MIGHT be a newbie then I thought I should warn him. No clue where he got the recipe so who knows what has been added to or subtracted to the original late CarWashMike's 3-2-1 recipe. 

AZbge

RRP said:

nolaegghead said:

RRP said:

No - just remember that spares coming out of the foil will have a lot more hot grease than BB so be careful!

Good point.  I'm pretty careless about spilling hot scalding oil on myself unless I know the quantity of said oil is massive, then I am very careful.

Har har - assuming @AZbge with only 95 posts MIGHT be a newbie then I thought I should warn him. No clue where he got the recipe so who knows what has been added to or subtracted to the original late CarWashMike's 3-2-1 recipe. 

I've been egging for 15+ years. Clearly, I'm not a prolific poster but I love the support I get from this community when I do have a question. That hasn't changed after all these years. 

I appreciate the heads up (and the gaskets over the years) @RRP. You are correct that I'm a newbie to the rib game and forgot about CarWashMike's (RIP) recipe. I'll look at that again.

I'll let everyone know how they turn out!

WeberWho

I believe the 3-2-1 method was for spares and St. Louis style. I find the method is closer to 3-1.5-0.5 depending on how meaty your ribs are. The 3-2-1 method is easier to remember but I find it's around an hour too long. Toothpick test is your friend. 

PigBeanUs

It used to actually be 3-1-1, but human nature has ‘transmogrified’ it to 3-2-1. 

People have a tendency to steer spelling or pronunciation away from the less-intuitive toward the simpler. 

See:

-it’s actually pronounced Feb-ROO-airy, not Feb-YOO-airy (though the original well be obsolete fairly soon)

-it used to be “put on a napron”. Now it’s “an apron”


-we now cut “a notch” into something, instead of “an otch”


-my (dubious) favorite is “windshield factor” being derived from the original “wind chill factor”

lkapigian

PigBeanUs said:

It used to actually be 3-1-1, but human nature has ‘transmogrified’ it to 3-2-1. 

People have a tendency to steer spelling or pronunciation away from the less-intuitive toward the simpler. 

See:

-it’s actually pronounced Feb-ROO-airy, not Feb-YOO-airy (though the original well be obsolete fairly soon)

-it used to be “put on a napron”. Now it’s “an apron”


-we now cut “a notch” into something, instead of “an otch”


-my (dubious) favorite is “windshield factor” being derived from the original “wind chill factor”

And now we have " wut r u do in " 

PigBeanUs

lkapigian said:

And now we have " wat r u do in " 

But that’s actually something done consciously!

It’s the unconscious changes, or the stuff that comes about due to regional/local accents that I find funny. 

It’s been said that the brooklyn accent is actually one of the more efficient accents in the english language

there’s an excellent multipart series on youtube re the english language

in wonderful illogical youtube fashion, the episodes are scattered. And the compilation that had all of them together, which turns up right away when searching on a desktop, is not searchable on mobile

here’s ep.1

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=K1XQx9pGGd0


if you enjoy documentaries, the english language, etc, it’s a fun series of episodes. 

1voyager

PigBeanUs said:

It used to actually be 3-1-1, but human nature has ‘transmogrified’ it to 3-2-1. 

People have a tendency to steer spelling or pronunciation away from the less-intuitive toward the simpler. 

See:

-it’s actually pronounced Feb-ROO-airy, not Feb-YOO-airy (though the original well be obsolete fairly soon)

-it used to be “put on a napron”. Now it’s “an apron”


-we now cut “a notch” into something, instead of “an otch”


-my (dubious) favorite is “windshield factor” being derived from the original “wind chill factor”

You need help.  

PigBeanUs

Think I’ve got a pretty good handle on it, actually. 

RyanStl

I've never done them different, but I almost always do spare and cut them St. Louis style and skip the last one in 3-2-1. Sometimes takes 4, 5, or 6 hrs depending on temp I'm running and how much time until dinner.  Usually comes out the same every time. The BGE is the best smoker/grill I have ever used for ribs.  I haven't screwed up since I got my Eggs.

blakeas

so 3-2-1 method is ok on spares? i dont do anything different than baby backs?  

PigBeanUs

3-2-1, 2-2-1, 2-1-1, 3-1-1...

if you can find anyone who remembers what the original method is called, let me know.

I think it is has all gotten so misremembered and transmogrified that really, you need to forget *ENTIRELY* about times, and just understand what the basic approach is.

smoke, braise, and finish

how long you take with each step is up to you, except many seem to find that two hours' time braising loin back (baby back) ribs can be too much, leading to mushiness or too much "fall-off-the-bone"-ness

spares can likely go longer.  hour and a half, two hours.

I would smoke the spares (first step) longer, myself.  you could go four hours and the things won't be close done.  then an hour or so to braise, and then let them ride until the texture is as you want them.

you can bump the heat at the end and they will firm up a bit, or sweet sauces will caramelize (if you like them that way, sauced vs dry).

give up the clock.    the only food anyone should ever time is a three-minute egg

but yes, absolutely, you can smoke/braise/finish with spares. 

depends too what temps you prefer.  my large egg holds 250 like it is a factory setting.  but your mileage may vary

blakeas

well, I did the 3, 2 and 1/2 hour method on the spares.  Used coffee rub on one slab and oakridge competition rub on the other.  had trouble stabilizing the temps so I fluctuated between 220 and 300 the whole time.  Came out pretty good!

lentsboy007

PigBeanUs said:

It used to actually be 3-1-1, but human nature has ‘transmogrified’ it to 3-2-1. 

People have a tendency to steer spelling or pronunciation away from the less-intuitive toward the simpler. 

See:

-it’s actually pronounced Feb-ROO-airy, not Feb-YOO-airy (though the original well be obsolete fairly soon)

-it used to be “put on a napron”. Now it’s “an apron”


-we now cut “a notch” into something, instead of “an otch”


-my (dubious) favorite is “windshield factor” being derived from the original “wind chill factor”

Transmogrified ..... Calvin and Hobbes fan??

RyanStl

I always skip the last number.  I guess I'm a Neanderthal.