3-2-1 Ribs taking 8 hours

[Anthony M.]

Hey there, I’ve been struggling to get 3-2-1 ribs done in under 8 hours. I’ve done it several times and the result is always the same. I’m going for fall off the bone and can’t seem to get there. Last night I did 3 racks. I finally pulled them at 7.5 hours. Some of the end pieces were competition style. I trimmed off what I could for dinner and returned the remaining to the grill. I’m wondering if my ambient grill temp probe is off and my actual cooking temp is lower than what it needs to be. Friend of mine follows same recipe on his traeger without fail.

 

[GrillMeister]

What temp are you cooking them? My Ironwood had a 30 degree delta and I got a new RTD to fix it.

Having a second ambient probe is helpful in fixing this.

 

[Walleye Hunter]

Yep, thermocouple is worst feature, mine is off by 20* at 245 and more at higher temps. I use a Fireboard thermometer to monitor mine.

 

[RustyJake]

If you are looking for fall off the bone, you can always try increasing the time in the foil. Make sure you have some kind of liquid in the foil, like butter, apple juice or broth. The steaming process is what will give you the fall off the bone tenderness you are looking for.
The 3-2-1 is a guide and we all have to adjust for our grill's idiosyncrasies, like the incorrect temperature readings

 

[Timmy]

Yep, thermocouple is worst feature, mine is off by 20* at 245 and more at higher temps. I use a Fireboard thermometer to monitor mine.

Same here.

 

[Steeleshark2]

Also are you doing spareribs or baby backs?

 

[Slimpicker]

Hey there, I’ve been struggling to get 3-2-1 ribs done in under 8 hours. I’ve done it several times and the result is always the same. I’m going for fall off the bone and can’t seem to get there. Last night I did 3 racks. I finally pulled them at 7.5 hours. Some of the end pieces were competition style. I trimmed off what I could for dinner and returned the remaining to the grill. I’m wondering if my ambient grill temp probe is off and my actual cooking temp is lower than what it needs to be. Friend of mine follows same recipe on his traeger without fail.

I did FALL OF/PULL TENDER in 4.5 hours.... on a full rack

What's for dinner tonight? Dinner ideas?

What irks me is the scalloped corn didn’t get done, go figure. So it HAS to be baked??? not just stove top heated? What's in your meatloaf this time?? and Jake, I wouldn't have made it passed your 2nd pic 👍

www.traegerforum.com

 

[Slimpicker]

Also are you doing spareribs or baby backs?

That still don't mean 8 hours

 

[Anthony M.]

What temp are you cooking them? My Ironwood had a 30 degree delta and I got a new RTD to fix it.

Having a second ambient probe is helpful in fixing this.

I’m doing the 3 hour step at 180° and steps 2 and 3 at 225°. I’ll set up my iGrill probe next time to compare. The ignition on this Timberline has been longer than my Ironwood from day 1 as well. Not sure if that’s related or not.

 

[Anthony M.]

Also are you doing spareribs or baby backs?

Baby backs

 

[Slimpicker]

I’m doing the 3 hour step at 180° and steps 2 and 3 at 225°. I’ll set up my iGrill probe next time to compare. The ignition on this Timberline has been longer than my Ironwood from day 1 as well. Not sure if that’s related or not.

Too low for me with both temps... sorry but the 3-2-1 Method was NOT created from smokers that can even get that low.
3-2-1 is a conventional coal/wood smoker method and that's usually 225 - 250, then higher on the wrap!!

 

[Anthony M.]

Agreed. I never had a problem on my green egg or even my Weber and those were at the higher temps. I converted to traeger and started using the pre-programmed cook in the app. Interestingly enough a friend with a traeger does use their pre-programmed settings with good results so it must come down to difference in actual temperatures between his grill and mine.

 

[Slimpicker]

Agreed. I never had a problem on my green egg or even my Weber and those were at the higher temps. I converted to traeger and started using the pre-programmed cook in the app. Interestingly enough a friend with a traeger does use their pre-programmed settings with good results so it must come down to difference in actual temperatures between his grill and mine.

His grill could cook like RustyJake who's grill is OVER the Traeger probe, others like me the temp is much LOWER than the Traeger probe

I still say no reason at all to cook that low for ribs.

 

[Anthony M.]

Great points! Thanks for the advice!!!

 

[GrillMeister]

I’m doing the 3 hour step at 180° and steps 2 and 3 at 225°. I’ll set up my iGrill probe next time to compare. The ignition on this Timberline has been longer than my Ironwood from day 1 as well. Not sure if that’s related or not.

I do 180 for step 1, the bump it to 250 for steps 2 & 3. The temp for step 2 is too low to braise the ribs and that's your problem.