In our Easy Traeger Recipes Facebook group, a new member recently asked whether anyone had a straightforward plan for cooking an entire meal on a pellet grill. Juggling separate recipes with different times and temperatures can get complicated, so this post walks through a full meal cooked together on a Traeger-style pellet grill: smoked ribs, baked potatoes (bakers), and corn on the cob.
Make Ribs, Baked Potatoes, and Corn on the Cob on the Traeger
I’ve been sharing pellet-grill recipes for years, and over time the collection has grown large. While there are many individual recipes for ribs, potatoes, and corn, fewer posts explain how to prepare a whole meal in one session. This guide gives a practical, step-by-step plan for cooking these three dishes together so everything finishes at the right time and the grill runs efficiently.
This approach is designed for a Traeger or similar pellet grill and focuses on an easy timeline you can follow. The method below produces fall-off-the-bone ribs using a low-and-slow braise, smoked baked potatoes that pick up great grill flavor, and charred, buttery corn on the cob finished on the grate.
Ribs, Bakers, and Corn on the Cob — shopping list
Below are the basic ingredients you’ll need for this meal. Adjust quantities according to servings; a full ingredient list and printable card are included at the end.
Ribs
- Pork ribs (baby back or spare ribs)
- Pork rub
- Brown sugar
- Hard apple cider (or cider or beer as an alternative)
- Barbecue sauce
Potatoes
- Large russet baking potatoes
- Avocado oil (or other high-heat oil)
- Kosher salt
- Cheddar cheese, sour cream, butter, bacon bits, chives (optional toppings)
Corn
- Fresh sweet corn, husked
- Avocado oil or melted butter
- Optional: herb or vegetable rub
How to make Ribs, Bakers, and Corn on the Cob
This plan is paced for maximum flavor. The ribs here use a low-and-slow technique that produces very tender meat and takes most of the day. If you prefer faster or firmer ribs, see the recipe notes below for alternative timing options.
Recommended alternatives if you want less total time:
- Faster smoked ribs using an Instant Pot combine pressure-cooking and finishing on the smoker for about 4 hours total.
- No-wrap ribs cook around 5 hours and yield a firmer, chewier bite.
- The classic 3-2-1 method finishes in roughly 6 hours and is popular for consistent results.
- Preheat: This is a weekend-style meal. If you want dinner around 7:00 PM, start preheating by 8:30 AM. Set the pellet grill to 200°F for the initial smoke.
- Prep: Remove the membrane from the ribs if present and season both sides with your favorite pork rub. Scrub the potatoes and poke several holes with a fork so steam can escape as they cook.
- Smoke: Place the ribs on the grill and smoke for 3 hours at 200°F. After the ribs have smoked three hours, put the potatoes on the grill to smoke alongside the ribs for the next 2 hours.
- Braise setup: After the initial 5 hours (3 hours ribs + 2 hours with potatoes), remove the potatoes from the grill and set them aside. Move the ribs into foil pans, pour in the hard apple cider to cover the bottom, and sprinkle brown sugar over the top of the racks. Tightly seal the pans with foil so steam stays inside.
- Raise heat: Increase the grill temperature to 325°F. Return the foil pans to the grill and cook for 1 hour. Rotate pans to avoid hot spots and cook another hour. Check that the liquid remains in the pans.
- Finish potatoes: Rub the smoked potatoes with avocado oil and sprinkle with kosher salt. Place them back on the grill. Cook until a skewer slides easily into the center—about an hour—then wrap them in foil and move to the upper rack to keep warm.
- Final grill: Remove the ribs from the foil pans and place them directly on the grill grates. Brush generously with barbecue sauce. Brush the corn with oil (or butter) and season if desired. Grill the corn and ribs for 20–30 minutes until the corn is tender and the sauce on the ribs has set and caramelized.
- Serve: Slice and serve the ribs with baked potatoes and corn on the cob. Garnish potatoes as desired with cheese, sour cream, butter, bacon, and chives.
This schedule keeps everything coordinated so the smoked flavors develop without overcrowding the grill and everything finishes hot and fresh.
Recipe FAQ
Can this meal be made in advance? Does it travel well?
Yes. These ribs reheat very well, and you can prepare most of the cooking a day ahead. If transporting to a barbecue or party, save the final direct-grill and saucing step until you arrive. Store the ribs in their braising liquid overnight to keep them moist.
Recommended substitutions or additions?
Experiment with different rubs, barbecue sauces, and braising liquids. Hard apple cider adds sweetness and acidity, but regular apple cider, beer, or even plain apple juice work well. Use your favorite barbecue sauce to finish the ribs.
Recipe summary
Yield: 8 servings. Prep time about 20 minutes. Active cook time around 10 hours total. This method balances low-and-slow smoke with a shorter, higher-heat finish so you get tender, flavorful ribs plus smoked potatoes and perfectly charred corn in one grill session.
Ingredients (overview)
- 4 racks baby back ribs
- 1 cup pork rub
- 4 bottles hard apple cider
- 2 cups dark brown sugar
- 4 cups barbecue sauce
- 8 large baking potatoes, ⅓ cup avocado oil, 3 tbsp kosher salt, and desired toppings
- 8 ears fresh sweet corn and ⅓ cup avocado oil
With a little planning and an early start, you can deliver a complete, impressive Traeger meal with minimal stress. Follow the timeline above, keep a close eye on liquids in your foil pans, and enjoy the rewards of slow-smoked, sauced ribs paired with smoky baked potatoes and charred corn.