Learn how to make meaty and tender Traeger beef ribs, using the 3-2-1 method of smoking. That means 3 hours on the grill, 2 more hours while wrapped, and 1 hour brushed with barbecue sauce. This simple smoking method gives you incredibly flavorful and juicy smoked beef ribs. Serve with smoked corn on the cob.
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These smoked beef ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender and loaded with flavor! Even if you're new to smoking ribs, no one will have a clue when these babies come off the grill!
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😍 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Traeger Smoked Beef Ribs are quick to prepare compared to other smoked beef back ribs recipes, which can take more than 12 hours to smoke. All you need is a Traeger or a pellet grill and your favorite pellet flavor.
- One advantage of using the 3-2-1 method to smoke beef ribs is that you don't need to mess with a probe unless you want to. The grill's temperature can stay at 225°F the entire time. This means a lot less work for you. Just kick back and enjoy a cold one while your smoker does all the work!
- You can use your favorite barbecue sauce, but if you're in the Northwest, you may want to try my spicy huckleberry BBQ sauce recipe!
🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Ribs: You need one rack of meaty beef ribs weighing around 6 to 8 pounds.
- Rub: The McCormick Grill Mates Mesquite Seasoning can be replaced with your favorite rub or my Santa Maria seasoning. Another option is to use my pork dry rub, which contains kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
- Juice: While I normally use apple juice or vinegar to spray the ribs, this time, I decided to try pomegranate juice. It added a wonderful flavor.
- BBQ Sauce: Lately, I've been making a homemade chokecherry-huckleberry barbecue sauce,e which I used to baste ribs. At some point, I will post that recipe. For now, use your favorite barbecue sauce.
🥩 How to Make Traeger Smoked Beef Back Ribs
Fill the smoker with Traeger Signature Blend or your favorite flavor of pellets and preheat the grill to 225°F.
Step 1: Brush room-temperature beef ribs with avocado oil (or olive oil) and generously season with mesquite seasoning. To add a little spice, sprinkle with cayenne pepper.
Step 2: Fill a spray bottle with pomegranate juice and spray both sides of the ribs. Place them bone side down directly onto the grill. Smoke for 3 hours. Set a timer to spray the ribs once an hour.
Step 3: Remove ribs and place meaty side down onto two layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil. If the rack is sliced in half, prepare them in two packages. Divide leftover juice between both packages and crimp foil to seal. Smoke ribs for two hours at 225°F.
Step 4: Brush ribs liberally with BBQ sauce and place on the grill, bone-side down. Smoke using super smoke at 225°F for an additional hour.
Step 5: Rest ribs for 10 minutes or enjoy right away.
🥗 Serving Suggestions
Serve these rich smoked beef ribs with air fried corn ribs, Chipotle Smoked Mac and Cheese, or Traeger Smoked Potatoes. Or try this delicious copycat Paula Deen Green Bean Casserole. If you prefer a lighter side, choose any of these veggie side dishes:
🤷🏻♀️ Recipe FAQs
The 3-2-1 method of smoking not only works on pork ribs or baby back ribs, but it's also a great way to smoke beef ribs. All you have to do is smoke the beef ribs directly on the grill at 225° F for 3 hours, then wrap the ribs in either foil or pink butcher paper with some liquid and smoke for 2 more hours. Finally, unwrap the ribs and smoke for an additional hour.
At 225°F, it takes beef ribs roughly 6 hours until they are tender and delicious.
Smoking beef ribs at 250°F takes approximately 4 hours.
Wrapping beef ribs while smoking, at least some of the time, ensures the ribs come out tender and juicy and prevents the ribs from drying out.
There are so many great wood flavors that you can use for smoking beef ribs. Pecan, maple, apple, mesquite, oak, and hickory are just some of the possibilities.
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- I prefer to leave the membrane attached to the ribs. It helps the ribs to keep their shape and adds additional flavor and texture. If you want to remove it, just run a butter knife or your finger under the membrane to detach it from the bone. Get a good grip on the membrane and tear it off.
- If you prefer to use a thermometer or a probe to check the internal temperature of the ribs, you'll want them to be somewhere between 203°F and 205°F.
- If you will not be eating the ribs right away or if they are ready sooner than you expected, wrap the ribs in foil, then a towel, and store them in a cooler (without ice). The ribs will stay warm and juicy until you're ready to serve them.
For more smoker recipes, check out these great recipes!
- Smoked Traeger Carne Asada
- Traeger Tri-Tip
- Smoked Lamb Shanks
- Traeger Smoked Turkey Breast
- Traeger Smoked Chicken Thighs
- Traeger Smoked Turkey Without Brine
- Smoked Chicken Drumsticks
🍗 More Smoked Recipes
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📖 Recipe
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Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Fill smoker with Traeger Signature Blend or favorite flavor of pellets and preheat the grill to 225°F.
- Brush room temperature beef ribs with avocado oil (or olive oil) and generously season with mesquite seasoning. To add a little spice, sprinkle with cayenne pepper.
- Spray ribs with pomegranate juice and place them bone side-down directly onto the grill. Smoke for 3 hours. Set a timer to spray the ribs once an hour.
- Remove ribs and place meaty-side down onto two layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil. If the rack is sliced in half, prepare them in two packages. Divide leftover juice between both packages and crimp foil to seal. Smoke ribs for two hours at 225°F.
- Brush ribs liberally with bbq sauce and place on the grill, bone-side down. Smoke using super smoke, at 225°F for an additional hour.
- Rest ribs for 10 minutes or enjoy right away. Serve with Chipotle Smoked Mac and Cheese or Traeger Smoked Potatoes.
Nutrition
Video
Notes
- I prefer to leave the membrane attached to the ribs. It helps the ribs to keep their shape and adds additional flavor and texture. If you want to remove it, just run a butter knife or your finger under the membrane to detach it from the bone. Get a good grip on the membrane and tear it off.
- If you prefer to use a thermometer or a probe to check the internal temperature of the ribs, you'll want them to be somewhere between 203°F and 205°F.
- If you will not be eating the ribs right away or if they are ready sooner than you expected, wrap the ribs in foil, then a towel, and store them in a cooler (without ice). The ribs will stay warm and juicy until you're ready to serve them.
Mark says
Hi Hilda, I love this recipe. All the flavors work together great and the pomegranate juice is a great add.
One thing that I've been having a little trouble with the ribs over charing in the process. The meat inside is amazing, but feel that I'm losing some to the char. Any recommendations? Thinking about trying 2-3-1 nexttime. ???
Thanks for any help
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Mark! I'm so glad you love this recipe! Thanks for reaching out. 😊
If the ribs are getting too charred, I'd try shortening the final hour when you add the barbecue sauce. Depending on the sauce you're using, the sugars can burn if they're exposed to the heat for too long. Try brushing them with sauce during the last 30 minutes instead, keeping an eye on them to make sure they're to your liking. I hope that helps!
Sarah says
When you wrap the ribs in foil do you put butter or brown sugar or anything in the packet? I do that on pork ribs but will be attempting beef ribs this weekend!
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Sarah,
I do not, but you can totally do that if you'd like! I just haven't found it necessary. Good luck!
Julie Ziemendorf says
This was my first time doing beef ribs. Everyone agreed that this recipe is a do over. The only thing I changed was to use butcher's paper to wrap instead of foil. They were amazing.
Hilda Sterner says
Thank you, Julie! That's great to hear. I appreciate you coming back to leave your feedback!
Dwayne says
3 2 1 is a one and done for me. Absolutely magnificent
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Dwane,
Thank you so much, I appreciate the review!
Pat L says
Thanks for this recipe Hilda! I set my smoker to 225 degrees and left it the entire time. The mesquite rubs was awesome and I had never thought to use pomegranate juice. These were the best beef ribs I’ve done.
Hilda Sterner says
Hey Pat! I'm so glad you enjoyed the ribs. Also, thanks for coming back to review the recipe! Now, come see us!
Pat L says
You know we’ll be coming to see what’s cooking in Hilda’s Kitchen!
Hilda Sterner says
You guys are welcome, just make sure we don't have a previous booking. 😉 Mushroom season is in full swing! I can't wait to get back to MT to forge morels! In SD for 2 more days then homeward bound!
Tiffany says
Can I use ACV instead of pomegranate juice?
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Tiffany,
That might be a bit too acidic. If you don't have pomegranate juice, try apple juice, cranberry juice, or a mixture of apple juice 3/4 c, with 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar. You can also use beef broth. Good luck!
Vic Cook says
My 1st attempt at smoking with a Traeger 34 Grill I just bought. I never smoked any meat in my life so I needed some help. Thought I'd try beef ribs. Googled how to smoke beef ribs and needed a recipe w/o mustard bc my girlfriend is allergic to it. So came across this recipe bc it used olive oil instead of mustard. Got all the prep done and ribs on the smoker and went back to check this recipe online (I googled it is how I got it), and when I got back to my computer I saw "Hildas Kitchen Blog" then right next to it was Hilda's picture and I said HEY!!!! That's the lady that lived across the street she was my neighbor for years and years! It is a very small world. These ribs turned out so tender and juicy they were the best beef ribs I ever had in my life. Thanks Hilda 5 stars!!! Now what to smoke next?
Hilda Sterner says
I love it! I'm so glad it worked out for you and that the ribs were enjoyed. Also, I really appreciate the review!!! You should definitely do a brisket and burnt ends next!
Kelly Methey says
I can tell you that anything Hilda smokes is out of this world! I know this 3-2-1 method works! Yum!!!
Hilda Sterner says
Thanks, Kelly!!!