Use and Care Manual

SMOKED BBQ RIBS USING THE 3-2-1 OR 2-2-1 METHOD
Smoking good BBQ ribs can seem intimidating, but if you follow this easy
3-2-1 method for spare ribs or 2-2-1 method for baby back ribs, you will
A-MAZE your friends!
What does the 3-2-1 or 2-2-1 Method really mean?
3 or 2 Smoke spare ribs for 3 hours or baby back ribs for 2 hours, at 225° F
2 2 Wrap ribs in foil and cook for 2 hours at 225° F
1 1 Remove ribs from the foil and cook for 1 hour
Directions
Preheat your smoker or grill to 225° F. Light your A-MAZE-N Smoker and place it
in your grill or smoker for a great smoky flavor.
Start by selecting a good rack of spare ribs or baby back ribs. Remove the
membrane from the backside of the ribs.
For St. Louis style ribs, trim off where the cartilage meets the bones. This will
give you a nice-looking even slab of ribs.
Trim off any excess fat…I save the fat and rib trim for making sausage.
Lightly coat both front and back sides with oil or mustard. I prefer peanut oil.
Generously coat both front and back sides with your favorite rib rub. I use my
A-MAZE-N-BBQ Rub (page 17).
Place ribs on the grates or racks of your smoker or grill.
Smoke spare ribs for 3 hours. Smoke baby back ribs for 2 hours.
Spritz ribs every 20 – 30 minutes with apple juice, or my favorite, Hard Cider.
After smoking, remove ribs and place bone side up in aluminum foil, with 3 table
spoons of butter or margarine and about ¼ cup of apple juice or beer. I’ve also
used Coke and Cherry Coke with good results. Lightly dust the top side of the
ribs with your favorite rib rub.
Place foiled ribs back into your smoker or grill for another 2 hours at 225° F.
The steam inside the foil will tenderize your ribs.
After 2 hours, remove the ribs from the foil, and place them back into your
smoker or grill at 225° F to finish. The outside of your ribs will toughen slightly.
This is a good time to sauce your ribs with your favorite BBQ sauce. I use my
A-MAZE-N-BBQ Sauce (page 18). Don’t sauce your ribs too early, or the sauce
can burn in the heat. I usually wait until the last 15 minutes or so.
Allow to “Rest” for about 20 minutes. Turn bone side up and slice.
10 11
BACON CURE
CURE is a process of preserving meat and fish by using nitrates and salt. The
meat or fish is then smoked or dried.
Ingredients
12 lbs. pork shoulder or pork bellies (skin removed)
4 oz Country Brown Cure*
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp allspice (optional ginger)
2 Tbsp cracked black pepper (CBP)
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp Kosher or sea salt (optional 2–3 Tbsp salt)
Directions
Mix all ingredients thoroughly in a bowl. If brown sugar has clumps, break them
up. Spread dry cure mix liberally on all exposed meat. Place in Ziploc bag and in
fridge for 7–10 days and turn daily.
The meat will “sweat” as moisture is drawn out. This will mix with the dry cure
and spices to form a brine solution. If the meat does not sweat, add 1–2 oz. of
water to each bag. We add 1–2 oz. of water up front.
Remove from the fridge after 7–10 days and rinse thoroughly under cold water.
Test fry. If salt is too strong, soak for an hour in cold water.
Towel dry and place in fridge overnight to form pellicle. You can speed up
this process by placing slabs in front of a fan, or hang inside smoker for
approximately 1 hour without smoke.
We prefer to Cold Smoke BBB (Buckboard Bacon) or Belly Bacon for 12 hours at
temps below 100° F, using Apple pellets. We’ve also smoked bacon at 140°–160° F
to an internal temp of 120° F. Again, 8–12 hours of good clean smoke is necessary.
The color should be almost mahogany red as it nears completion.
Ends and pieces will have a stronger smoke flavor and can be used for beans or
other foods where bacon is used.
Optional:
Before the pellicle is formed, sprinkle cracked black pepper (CBP) liberally
on one side.
Spread honey or maple syrup on one side, with or without CBP.
Inject slabs with a diluted mixture of maple syrup and water.
*Country Brown Cure is available from Butcher & Packer at http://tinyurl.com/oqoyxna
Mouth Watering, Finger Lickin’ Good!
Our Original Recipes to try with the
A-MAZE-N
®
SMOKER MAZE & TUBES
If you use either the 3-2-1 or 2-2-1 Method for cooking your
ribs, you will be happy with the results.
Remember: BBQ is cooking at low temps for a longer period of
time. Don’t rush the cook times, or you’ll most likely have some
pretty tough ribs.
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