3-2-1 butts, ribs & loins

Billy P · 05-28-2009, 09:35 AM

Ok I understand the concept of 3-2-1; 3hr smoke, 2hr foil, 1hr cooler. But what temp. do y'all cook at? I've been told to cook at 200° to 250° and I've been told 250° to 300° and higher. I'm soooooo confused. Ive been cooking for some time now and just can't seem to get butts and lions to come out the way I think they should. My ribs slways turn out great and I've been told my ribs are better than "Dreamland BBQ's" ribs; which in my neck of the woods is saying alot. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

HeSmellsLikeSmoke · 05-28-2009, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billy P

Ok I understand the concept of 3-2-1; 3hr smoke, 2hr foil, 1hr cooler. But what temp. do y'all cook at? I've been told to cook at 200° to 250° and I've been told 250° to 300° and higher. I'm soooooo confused. Ive been cooking for some time now and just can't seem to get butts and lions to come out the way I think they should. My ribs slways turn out great and I've been told my ribs are better than "Dreamland BBQ's" ribs; which in my neck of the woods is saying alot. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

The last number in the 3-2-1 is one hour back on the smoker to firm them up. The cooler or resting part is in addition to those numbers. For me two hours in the foil is too long and over cooks them. You need to find your own ratio and cooking temperature by experimenting. Different smokers cook faster than others too, even at the same grate temps.

Edit: This applies to spare ribs only. I too have never seen the 3-2-1 method used for butts or loins.

71-South · 05-28-2009, 09:42 AM

Hey Billy,

Welcome aboard!

The 3-2-1 doesn't apply to butts. They take longer than that normally.

I cook at around 230°, but anywhere in the range you mentioned should be fine.

Check out this thread, scroll down, read, and learn, learn, learn. I spent a couple of days following stuff off of the Roadmap thread when I first started. That one thread, and the places it'll lead you, can teach a man to BBQ like a pro.

Good luck,
Bret

thillin · 05-28-2009, 09:46 AM

Are you trying 3-2-1 on butts and loins? I'm a little confused. I try to cook around 225-250 for just about anything except chicken.

3-2-1 is used mainly on spare ribs. Shorter time for baby backs. Look at the forum road map linked aboved. Butts are going to take about 1.5 hours per pound unless you go hat and fast.

05-28-2009, 10:19 AM

i'm cornfused too.

a person experimented in 2004 and cooked a fatty 3 hours in the smoke, two hours in foil with additional liquid, and rested 1 hour in a cooler and all of a sudden, this method applies to everything?

read the roadmap threads for your initial cooks and learning. experiment later once you get the hang of it. don't tweak a recipe or method until after you try it as the original recipe states. don't cook to a specific time so much but rather a target internal meat temperature.

Barbarian · 05-28-2009, 10:26 AM

Oh Willkat98 where are you??????????

Crüe-B-Cüe · 05-28-2009, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billy P

I've been told my ribs are better than "Dreamland BBQ's" ribs; which in my neck of the woods is saying alot.

Hopefully the one there is better than the one here in Mobile. The one here is awful. At least to me. I guess for the people who have never had real bbq it is good.

Mark · 05-28-2009, 11:00 AM

Billy P said: just can't seem to get butts and lions to come out the way I think they should.

Which begs the question how do you think they should come out. Butts and loins should come out completely different. Butts are for pulling whereas loins don't pull for $hit.

bigabyte · 05-28-2009, 11:34 AM

I use the 3-2-1 method as a method to keep from eating too fast. In between bites I say 3-2-1.

3-2-1 is good on spares when cooked around 225*. Outside of that, 3-2-1 doesn't apply to anything really.

For butts, cook them to 200 internal and see if that bone will slide right out, or if twisting a fork in it turns with no resistance. If so, it's done. Don't bother foiling. You can later, but start off by getting the meat right.

jswordy · 05-29-2009, 09:18 AM

Originally Posted by Billy P

I've been told my ribs are better than "Dreamland BBQ's" ribs; which in my neck of the woods is saying alot.

Hopefully the one there is better than the one here in Mobile. The one here is awful. At least to me. I guess for the people who have never had real bbq it is good.

The Huntsville location did not make the 10 finalists in the local paper's "Best BBQ" contest.

05-28-2009, 09:35 AM	#1
Billy P Found some matches. Join Date: 04-10-09 Location: Oxford, Alabama	3-2-1 butts, ribs & loins Ok I understand the concept of 3-2-1; 3hr smoke, 2hr foil, 1hr cooler. But what temp. do y'all cook at? I've been told to cook at 200° to 250° and I've been told 250° to 300° and higher. I'm soooooo confused. Ive been cooking for some time now and just can't seem to get butts and lions to come out the way I think they should. My ribs slways turn out great and I've been told my ribs are better than "Dreamland BBQ's" ribs; which in my neck of the woods is saying alot. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

05-28-2009, 09:42 AM	#3
71-South is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 05-02-08 Location: Harrisonville, MO	Hey Billy, Welcome aboard! The 3-2-1 doesn't apply to butts. They take longer than that normally. I cook at around 230°, but anywhere in the range you mentioned should be fine. Check out this thread, scroll down, read, and learn, learn, learn. I spent a couple of days following stuff off of the Roadmap thread when I first started. That one thread, and the places it'll lead you, can teach a man to BBQ like a pro. Good luck, Bret __________________ Yoder YS640 / UDS / Mini WSM --- Hackers -n- Hogs Competition BBQ Team Harrisonville/Lee's Summit, Missouri *Grip it. Rip it. Let the big hog eat!*

05-28-2009, 09:46 AM	#4
thillin somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-21-04 Location: Keller, Texas	Are you trying 3-2-1 on butts and loins? I'm a little confused. I try to cook around 225-250 for just about anything except chicken. 3-2-1 is used mainly on spare ribs. Shorter time for baby backs. Look at the forum road map linked aboved. Butts are going to take about 1.5 hours per pound unless you go hat and fast. __________________ Med Spicewine-adopted 3/13/10 *CL Score* 2 Large BGEs(pimped out w/Thirdeye Eggcessories)-hatched 6/4/07 & 4/20/11 Med BGE-adopted 2/2/08 *CL Score* -SOLD Mini BGE-adopted 1/31/08 *CL Score* Traeger 075-adopted 12/3/11 CL Score Weber 1 touch *CL Score* Weber Spirit 500 *CL Score* Weber Smokey Joe Silver *CL Score* BLUE & RED Thermapens Klose 20x42-SOLD Paddlin Pigs BBQ Ty

05-28-2009, 10:26 AM	#6
Barbarian is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 11-07-07 Location: Middletown California	Oh Willkat98 where are you?????????? __________________ Cheers, Jerry aka Barbarian Drumhead - UDS x 2 & UDG Thermopen Keep on Smokin' KC native missin' KC IMBAS Certified MOINK Baller 2009 I also support PETA - People Eating Tasty Animals

05-28-2009, 11:00 AM	#8
Mark somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 08-13-03 Location: St. Peters MO: 38.786730,-90.642551 Name/Nickname : Mark	Billy P said: just can't seem to get butts and lions to come out the way I think they should. Which begs the question how do you think they should come out. Butts and loins should come out completely different. Butts are for pulling whereas loins don't pull for $hit. __________________ Dr. Mark (STL) Ph.D. (honorary) Bovine $hitology A thin line separates paranoia from an acute understanding of reality.

05-28-2009, 10:19 AM	#5
Rick's Tropical Delight Guest	i'm cornfused too. a person experimented in 2004 and cooked a fatty 3 hours in the smoke, two hours in foil with additional liquid, and rested 1 hour in a cooler and all of a sudden, this method applies to everything? read the roadmap threads for your initial cooks and learning. experiment later once you get the hang of it. don't tweak a recipe or method until after you try it as the original recipe states. don't cook to a specific time so much but rather a target internal meat temperature.

05-28-2009, 11:34 AM	#9
bigabyte somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 05-10-06 Location: Overland Fark, KS	I use the 3-2-1 method as a method to keep from eating too fast. In between bites I say 3-2-1. 3-2-1 is good on spares when cooked around 225. Outside of that, 3-2-1 doesn't apply to anything really. For butts, cook them to 200 internal and see if that bone will slide right out, or if twisting a fork in it turns with no resistance. If so, it's done. Don't bother foiling. You can later, but start off by getting the meat right. __________________ Asshattatron Farkanaut, CGCFO* Chief Galactic Crockpot Foil Officer *Certified MOINK Baller & IMBAS Certified MOINK Ball Judge #0003 - Are you MOINK Certified?* *Sole recipient of the Silverfinger and fingerlickin Awards!* Don't forget about the Throwdown Thingies! The Secret Squirrel Society doesn't exist - Zero Club Duh.

05-29-2009, 09:18 AM	#10
jswordy is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 05-13-09 Location: Fayetteville, TN	Originally Posted by Billy P I've been told my ribs are better than "Dreamland BBQ's" ribs; which in my neck of the woods is saying alot. Hopefully the one there is better than the one here in Mobile. The one here is awful. At least to me. I guess for the people who have never had real bbq it is good. The Huntsville location did not make the 10 finalists in the local paper's "Best BBQ" contest. __________________ Double-Barrel Smoker (DBS); Ugly Drum Smoker (UDS)

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