3-2-1 Wet Brined Pork Ribs

For all you fall off the bone ribs lovers, these 3-2-1 Wet Brined Pork Ribs will do the trick. By doing the 3-2-1 method (3 hours in the smoke, 2 hours wrapped and 1 back on the grill), the ribs will be fall off the bone every time. We also wet brined these ribs before employing the 321 method.

Also, don’t lose your mind over the fact that the ribs are seemingly overdone. Most of the population prefers them that way.

But if you want to cook the ribs short of fall off the bone, may we suggest this 90-60-30 Ribs Recipe or give this recipe a look see, albeit those ribs are not brined. If you want competition style AND wet brine ribs, give this recipe a click. And if you really want to kick it up a notch, give these blowtorch baby back ribs a shot. And the latest craze in BBQ is to slice the slab down into individual bones and smoke them or what we call Party Ribs. 

Additionally, we will be using 3-2-1 ribs, 3 2 1 ribs and 321 ribs interchangeably in this post.

That’s on purpose and a long boring SEO story.

What’s not boring is this amazing 3-2-1 Wet Brined Pork Ribs recipe.

Can you wet brine ribs?

These ribs will be the best in the neighborhood because wet brining does three things: 1) Makes the ribs juicier. 2) Makes the ribs more flavorful. 3) Makes the ribs more tender. That’s a win, win, and yet another win, which is why we do 3-2-1 wet brined pork ribs. 

Needed Equipment:

• Heavy-duty foil or peach butcher paper
• 2 cherry wood chunks
• Large marinating container or 2 resealable plastic bags.

3-2-1 Wet Brined Pork Ribs Ingredients:

• 2 racks St Louis style pork spare ribs (substitute baby back ribs but cut cooking times about 20%)
• 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter, divided (for 2 braising packets)

Wet Brine:

• 6 cups water, divided
• 12 oz beer
• 1 cup apple juice or cider
• 1 cup dark brown sugar (sub light brown sugar if that’s what you have)
• 1/2 cup Kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
• 1 tablespoon granulated onion
• 1/2 tablespoon Chinese 5 Spice
• 2 cups ice cubes

BBQ Rub:

• 1/2 tablespoon Kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1/2 tablespoon ground mustard
• 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
• 1/2 tablespoon Chinese 5 spice
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

3-2-1 Ribs Braise:

• 3/4 cup hickory bbq sauce
• 3/4 cup apple juice or cider
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 3/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon garlic chili sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger or 2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

3-2-1 Wet Brined Pork Ribs Prep

Prep Pork Spare Ribs:

We are using St. Louis style ribs which simply means spare ribs that are trimmed to be a symmetrical rectangular chunk of meat and bones.

Hence, each slab of ribs cooks evenly with no dried out and burnt tips.

Place the ribs bone side up (meat side down) on a cutting board.

Use a paper towel and pull off the membrane and discard.

Trim any excess fat and discard:

Brine Instructions:

• In a large pot combine 4 cups water, beer, apple juice, brown sugar, salt, garlic, onion, Chinese 5 Spice and bring to a boil.
• Then, drop heat to a simmer and stir until brown sugar and salt dissolve.
• Afterward, remove brine solution from heat and pour into a large marination container that is big enough to hold the ribs.
• Stir in the remaining 2 cups of water and the ice cubes.
• Then, refrigerate until cool. Once the wet brine reaches room temperature or colder, place ribs into brine.

If the brine does not cover the pork ribs turn at least 3 times during the 12 hour brining:

Refrigerate the pork ribs, in the brine, for 6 to 12 hours.

Any longer and the ribs could be cured and be similar to the consistency of ham:

Rinse and dry the ribs at the end of the brine period.

BBQ Rub Instructions:

Salt pork ribs on both sides. Whisk the remaining spices in the dry rub ingredients list:

Normally there is salt in the rub, and there is some shown here, but it is not needed.

There’s enough salt in the brine that transferred into the meat so the ribs don’t need any more salt. 

Spray the pork with water on both sides to act as a binder. Massage the BBQ rub into each side of the ribs.

Set aside while we make the braising liquid. 

To Make Braising Liquid:

• In a medium saucepan, bring to just under a boil, all of the braise ingredients.
• Turn heat to simmer, and cook for 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat.
• Reserve 1/2 the sauce for the braise, and the remaining 1/2 half for a glaze.
• Optional, to the glaze stir in 1/2 cup red plum jam, 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, and additional hoisin (1/4 c), bbq sauce (1/4 c), and rice vinegar (1/3 c) to taste.

Prepare the Grill

Set the smoker for two-zone cooking, in this case a kamado-style grill with heat deflectors placed between the fire and grill grates which shields the ribs from the direct heat of the fire (which is what makes the kamado grill brilliant):

Place a drip pan under the area the ribs will be cooking which can be a lipped baking pan or simply a foil pan (the latter is below):

Set the smoker for 250°F.

Add 2 chunks of cherry wood for smoke to add more flavor in the form of that sweet smoke:

3-2-1 Wet Brined Ribs Grilling Instructions:

• Place the ribs on the grill meat side up, close the lid for 3 hours of slow smoke action.
• Basically now that the ribs are brined and seasoned we are going to do the 3-2-1 Ribs method, which is guaranteed to make fall off the bone ribs every time.
• The 3 2 1 Ribs method is 3 hours of smoking ribs, 2 hours of the smoked ribs in the foil and an hour back over the grill sans foil. And even with this recipe we cut down that last hour to 30 minutes.
• Want to be short of fall off the bone (competition style), smoke for 2 hour, foil for 45 minutes and go back on the grill for about 20 minutes. 
• At the three hour mark of smoking ribs, it’s time for the 2 in 321 ribs.

Foil the Ribs

Per rack of ribs, place two sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil (or peach butcher paper) on the prep area, position smoked ribs meat side down, and drizzle on about 1/3 cup of braising liquid, add 2 tablespoons of butter to each braising packet.

Wrap ribs tightly and pinch to seal the edges of foil tight.

Place the rib packet(s) back on the smoker for 2 hours:

After 2 hours in the foil on the grill, remove the foiled and smoked ribs from the Primo:

Sauce the Ribs

Next, unwrap the foil or butcher paper, making sure to spread that delicious glaze inside the paper/foil over the St. Louis style ribs:

We are in the home stretch of 3 2 1 ribs as we round third base or in this case the 1 at the end of 3 2 1 ribs and will soon slide into home and enjoy fall off the bone ribs. 

Then, raise the heat to 300°F.

Put the 3-2-1 Wet Brined Pork Ribs back on the smoker over direct heat for 30 minutes (remove the heat deflector):

Thicken the Sauce

During this final 30 minutes of our 3-2-1 Wet Brined Pork Ribs, frequently brush with glaze and flip the St. Louis style ribs over a few times to keep them from burning over the direct heat which also thickens and caramelizes that glaze:

Remove the 3-2-1 Wet Brined Pork Ribs from the smoker, and let rest for 8-10 minutes, slice and serve.

Enjoy what should be your fall off the bone ribs!

3-2-1 Wet Brined Pork Ribs Recap

Super tender, saucy, savory, a little sweet and oh so fantastic. Win, win, win, win!!!

Editor’s Note ~ If you ever have any doubt about brining, simply take a single slab of ribs, cut in half and brine one half slab and don’t brine the other and then grill them identically. I’ve done that side by side more than a half dozen times with various friends and families and brined ribs have won 100% of the time. 

Also, if you love what Merry did with this 321 ribs recipe, you can find all sorts of recipes she has done (and not just BBQ) on her website.

If you have any questions or comments about these 3-2-1 Wet Brined Pork Ribs, feel free to leave them below or send Merry an email. 

And if you could leave us a great review that would be most appreciated!

Additionally, you can follow us on our GrillinFools Facebook page, Instagram, and YouTube feeds

3-2-1 Wet Brined Pork Ribs Recipe Card:

Print Recipe

4 from 2 votes

3-2-1 Wet Brine Pork Ribs

Pork ribs, wet brined and then smoked using the 3-2-1 method to make the perfect fall off the bone ribs, otherwise known as 3-2-1 Wet Brined Pork Ribs

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time6 hours hrs

Course: Entree, Finger Food, Main Course, Ribs

Cuisine: American, American Fare, Barbecue, BBQ, Finger Food, Grilling, Pork Ribs, Ribs

Keyword: #Primo, 3 2 1 Ribs, 321 Ribs, Barbecue Ribs, Barbecue Sauce, BBQ Rub, BBQ Sauce, Brine, Brined, Brined Ribs, Charcoal, Charcoal Grill, Dry Rub, Dry Rubbed Ribs, Fall off the bone, Fall Off the Bone Ribs, Kamado, Kamado Grill, Pork Ribs, Primo Grill, Primo Kamado Grill, Ribs, Rub, Spare Ribs, St. Louis Ribs, St. Louis Style Ribs, Wet Brine, Wet Brined, Wet Brined Ribs

Servings: 6 people

Equipment

• 1 Primo ceramic grill
• 2 sheets aluminum foil Optional
• 2 sheets Peach butcher paper Optional
• 2 chunks Cherry wood
• 1 Large marinating dish Optional
• 2 Large Ziplock bags Optional

Ingredients

• 2 Racks Ribs St. Louis Style
• 4 tbsp Unsalted butter

Wet Brine (or use dry)

• 6 cups Water diivided
• 12 oz Your favorite beer
• 1 cup Apple juice or cider
• 1 cup Dark brown sugar
• ½ cup Kosher salt
• 1 tbsp Granulated garlic substitute garlic powder
• 1 tbsp Granulated onion substitute onion powder
• ½ tbsp Chinese five spice
• 2 cups Ice

Dry Rub

• 2 tbsp Smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp Ground ginger
• 1 tbsp Ground coriander
• 1 tbsp Granulated garlic substitute garlic powder
• ½ tbsp Ground mustard
• ½ tbsp Chinese five spice
• ½ tsp Crushed red pepper flakes
• ½ tsp Ground black pepper
• ¼ tsp Ground clove

3-2-1 Braise

• ¾ cup Hoisin sauce
• ¾ cup Barbecue sauce
• ¾ cup Apple juice or cider
• ⅓ cup Rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp Garlic chili sauce
• 1 tsp Ground ginger Substitute 2 tsp fresh grated ginger

Instructions

• With the pork rib bones facing up, use a paper towel, and pull off the membrane and discard. Trim any excess fat and discard
• In a large pot combine, bring to a boil, 4 cups water, beer, apple juice, brown sugar, salt, garlic, onion, Chinese 5 Spice. Turn heat to a simmer,  and stir until sugar and salt dissolve. 
• Refrigerate the pork ribs, in the brine, for 4 to 12 hours. Rinse and dry the ribs at the end of the brine period. 
• To Make BBQ Rub: Whisk the spices in the dry rub ingredients list. Spray the pork with water on both sides to act as a binder. Massage the spice into each side of the ribs.
• To Make Braising Liquid: In a medium saucepan, bring to just under a boil, all of the Braise ingredients. Turn heat to simmer, and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Reserve 1/2 the sauce for the braise, and the remaining 1/2 half for a glaze. Optional, to the glaze stir in 1/2 cup red plum jam, 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, and additional hoisin (1/4 c), bbq sauce (1/4 c),and rice vinegar (1/3 c) to taste. 
• Smoke Pork Ribs: Set the smoker for two-zone cooking. Make or place a drip pan under the area the ribs will be cooking. Set the smoker for 250°F. Add 2 cherry wood chunks for smoke. 
• Place the ribs on the grill meat side up, close the lid for 3 hours.
• Per rack of ribs, place two sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil on the counter, position ribs meat side down, and drizzle on about 1/3 cup of braising liquid, add 2 tablespoons of butter to each braising packet. Wrap ribs tightly and pinch to seal the edges of foil tight.
• Place foil rib packets back on the smoker for 2 hours.
• Remove the ribs from the smoker, and unwrap the foil. Cook the pork ribs over direct heat for 30 minutes. Raise the heat to 300°F. Continue to cook the ribs, frequently brushing with glaze, and flipping the ribs over a few times so they don't burn over the direct heat.  
• Remove pork ribs from the smoker, and let rest for 8-10 minutes, slice and serve. Enjoy!

I feel like 3 2 1 ribs is a stepping stone for every novice pitmaster to cut their teeth on. It’s a method that produces consistent results pretty much every time. Once the novice masters the 3 2 1 method they can move on to a more competition style rib recipe.

I know that I just sort of winged it until I learned the 321 method and after I had that down pat, I was eager to improve my rib game and progressed to what is my go-to method now which is not fall off the bone ribs for myself, but often is for friends and family that prefer them that way. I don’t begrudge them for wanting fall off the bone ribs. I’m a gracious host who serves my guests what they want, even if it’s 321 ribs that are fall off the bone. 

Merry Graham

Merry Graham is a Southern California award-winning competitive cook, home cook, recipe developer, food photographer, and brand ambassador. She is a mother of 4, grandma to 5 and an all-around foodie; named the Healthiest Cook In America by Bobby Flay in 2012! She is well respected in the cooking competition world, winning more contests than she can count while cashing in on over $150,000 in checks and prizes.

Merry has appeared on Food Network's Clash of the Grandmas and as a top 3 finalist on The Rachael Ray Show Great American Cookbook Competition. She has consecutively competed and placed in the top ten in the sandwich category in the nation's elite cooking competition, World Food Championships. As a competitor, her culinary trips have taken her to Scotland, the Philippines, Cancun, Panama, and several US states.

“A Merry Recipe” has been her main outlet of social media where her tasty and eye-appealing dishes are enjoyed by thousands. What ignites her now is “Grilling Grandma”, her latest adventure on social media where she shows off creative and unique smoke and grill recipes. Have you seen her Grill Baked Sourdough Boule with Smoked Garlic Herb Butter?

Merry shows no signs of slowing down. She swims regularly, and travels with her husband of 44-years. She loves connecting with other Foodies through social media and has become a member of a team of live-fire cooking called Social Feasts. As part of the Social Feasts live-fire influencers, she has plenty of opportunities to develop recipes for smoke and grill meats along with photographing social media content. Anyone who knows Merry will tell you SHE brings the FLAVOR that gives life to a party!

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This article was initially published on: March 22, 2022