2-2-1 Rib Recipe: The Better Alternative to 321? - Barbecue FAQ (2024)

2-2-1 ribs simply means to smoke your ribs:

• 2 Hours Unwrapped
• 2 Hours Wrapped
• 1 Hour Unwrapped (Sauced)

The benefit being less “fall off the bone” which the 321 method tends to lend itself towards.

Prepping Ribs

For this recipe I used spare ribs that I trimmed to a St. Louis cut.

After trimming to a St. Louis cut I also removed the membrane from the back of the ribs.

Rub for 221 Ribs

For this either use my recipe below or use your favorite BBQ rib rub.

Dylan’s 221 Rib Rub:

• 2.5 Tbsp Sweet Pepper Paprika
• 1/2 cup Turbinado sugar (Sugar in the raw works or demerara sugar)
• 1/4 cup White Sugar
• 1 tbsp – Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
• 1/2 tbsp Granulated Onion
• 1 tbsp Granulated Garlic
• ½ tsp Ground Cayenne
• 2 tbsp Chili Powder*
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper (table ground)
• ½ tsp Ground Cumin
• 1 tsp Dry Mustard Powder

The above recipe is enough for 3-4 racks of spare ribs.

Liberally apply this rub to both sides of the ribs – allow the rub to sweat into the meat for 15 minutes, this way you don’t need a binder.

*If you’re using Chili Powder that is salt-free, add another tablespoon of Diamond Crystal Kosher salt to this rub.

Smoke Unwrapped for 2 Hours

Set your smoker to 225F.

Place your ribs unwrapped on the smoker for 2 hours, meat side up.

Smoke Your Ribs Wrapped for 2 Hours

After 2 hours of smoking, wrap your ribs in foil.

Before wrapping your ribs, combine in a bowl:

• 2 Tbsp Melted butter
• 1 Tbsp of the Above Rub
• 2 Tbsp of BBQ Sauce
• 4 Tbsp Water or White Vinegar or Apple Juice

Once well combined, heat slightly in your microwave for 10 seconds.

When you go to wrap your ribs, have the ribs meat side down and then pour this liquid into the wrap.

Then seal up the wrap so moisture can’t escape.

Place the wrapped ribs back on the smoker, meat side down in the wrap for 2 more hours.

Smoke Your Ribs Unwrapped for 1 Hour

Take the ribs off the smoker and unwrap them, then flip the ribs so that they’re meat side up.

Grab some of your favorite BBQ sauce (or use my Kansas City sauce) and warm it in the microwave for 10 seconds.

Pour some of this sauce on your ribs and then take a basting brush and brush the surface of the ribs.

Return back to the smoker for 1 hour.

Resting and Slicing the Ribs

After an hour, take the ribs off the smoker and then rest on a cutting board for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, slice between the bones and enjoy!