If you’ve spent a full Saturday committed to the 3-2-1 method for ribs, you know the math: three hours of smoke, two hours wrapped, one hour to finish. To remove this membrane, start at one corner, use a paper towel for grip, and pull it free, then remove remaining strips, if any. After the second hour, flip ribs meat side up and rotate positions in the smoker for even cooking. The 3-2-1 method takes six hours and has the potential to produce ribs that fall apart too easily. You can shave off hours of preparation time and achieve that bite that competition-style ribs are known for.