2-2-1 ribs simply means to smoke your ribs: The benefit being less “fall off the bone” which the 321 method tends to lend itself towards. Just want the recipe? 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. For this either use my recipe below or use your favorite BBQ rib rub. Dylan’s 221 Rib Rub: 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. Set your smoker to 225F. Place your ribs unwrapped on the smoker for 2 hours, meat side up. After 2 hours of smoking, wrap your ribs in foil.Prepping Ribs
Rub for 221 Ribs
Smoke Unwrapped for 2 Hours
Smoke Your Ribs Wrapped for 2 Hours
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!
221 Rib Recipe
Sweet, Sticky, and Savory with a Kick of Heat!
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: pork ribs, spare ribs
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 5 hours hours
Resting Time: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 5 hours hours 30 minutes minutes
Ingredients
- 1 Rack Spare Ribs
Pork Rib Dry Rub
- 2.5 Tbsp Sweet Pepper Paprika
- 1/2 Cup Turbinado Sugar
- 1/4 Cup White Sugar
- 1 Tbsp Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
- 1/2 Tbsp Granulated Onion
- 1 Tbsp Granulated Garlic
- 1/2 Tsp Ground Cayenne
- 2 Tbsp Chili Powder
- 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper Table ground
- 1/2 Tsp Ground Cumin
- 1 Tsp Dry Mustard
Liquid Wrap Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Melted Butter
- 1 Tbsp Pork Rib Dry Rub
- 2 Tbsp BBQ Sauce
- 4 Tbsp Water or White Vinegar or Apple Juice
Instructions
Prepare spare ribs by cutting to a St. Louis Cut and then remove the membrane.
Combine rub ingredients in the specified quantities and liberally apply to both sides of the ribs.
Set smoker to 225F.
Once smoker is at 225F, put your ribs on the smoker and smoke the ribs for 2 hours.
After 2 hours, take ribs off the smoker and wrap in aluminum foil – meat side down.
Before completely wrapping, prepare your wrap liquid.
Combine the ingredients and then heat for 10 seconds in the microwave. Then pour the liquid into the wrap.
Then seal the wrap so that no steam can escape. Return the wrapped ribs to the smoker
Smoke the ribs for 2 more hours.
After 2 hours, open the wrap and place the ribs on the smoker meat side up.
Take your BBQ sauce and apply to the surface of the ribs. Use a basting brush to paint the surface of the ribs with the BBQ sauce.
Smoke for 1 more hour.
After the hour, take the ribs off the smoker to rest on a cutting board for 15 minutes.
After resting, slice between the bones and enjoy!
Notes
If you’re after a homemade BBQ sauce to pair with these ribs, consider my Kansas-city Style BBQ sauce.