WSM help with ribs...

jerseydrew · Aug 22, 2013

i've done a whole lot of ribs in my 22.5 wsm. but usually no more then 3 racks. and since i HATE the access to the lower rack i pretty much use my WSM with just the top rack about 95% of the time. well on saturday i have to make a bigger batch of 6 racks (Baby back) i know they will fit but now here is my problem....

i have two layers with two temps to worry about. how do i handle this issue. should i put all in at the same time and rotate every so often? or should i put the lower rack ones in earlier? or what do you guys suggest? i usually smoke ribs at 240 with water in pan. this means the lower rack would be at 225 and top rack at 240...

pgsmoker64 · Aug 22, 2013

Okay Drew!!!

You are right up my alley here, cause I smoke 6 racks at a time frequently!

Here is what I do...with baby backs I do the 2-2-1, spares 3-2-1...so, I swap the ribs top to bottom when I foil and so far no problems and the ribs come out really good. Of course, I have done this for a while and I have modified the 2-2-1 to 2-1.5-1.5 for the perfect BBs and 3-1.5-1.5 for the perfect spares.

You may get different results but it's worth trying!

Good luck my friend!

Bill

jirodriguez · Aug 22, 2013

Just start them all at the same time, and you can rotate them around half way like PGSmoker said..... or buy a rib rack and you can do all 6 on the top rack.

bama bbq · Aug 22, 2013

I do multiple racks of ribs but don't foil. I like to swap top to bottom halfway thru the cook.

How ever you decide to go, good luck.

jerseydrew · Aug 23, 2013

well i have looked for rib racks and have found only 4 rack versions. i cannot find one that will hold all 6 racks. so i have decided to give the ribs even time on both top and bottom and smoke for 5.5 hours. i will load 3 top and 3 bottom then 2 hours in swap them then 2 hours after that swap em again. and then one last time in 45 min. and then 45 minutes later they should all be ready to come off.

i hope it works!!!

jirodriguez · Aug 23, 2013

Here is the rib rack I have, it is a Weber model 6469. If you notice it holds 5 racks in the middle sections.... but you can put two additional racks on the angled end slots, for a total of 7 racks of ribs. They are about $15-$18 depending on where you buy them.

WEBER-RIB-ROAST-HOLDER-6469-1-LARGE.jpg

jirodriguez
Aug 23, 2013

jerseydrew · Aug 24, 2013

Well I bought that rib rack and am hoping for the best. The ribs really seem to be on top of each other but I will flip them on the rack half way through.

flash · Aug 24, 2013

JIRodriguez said:
Here is the rib rack I have, it is a Weber model 6469. If you notice it holds 5 racks in the middle sections.... but you can put two additional racks on the angled end slots, for a total of 7 racks of ribs. They are about $15-$18 depending on where you buy them.

WEBER-RIB-ROAST-HOLDER-6469-1-LARGE.jpg

jirodriguez

Aug 23, 2013

Fancy, still won't work in my vertical though. Just not wide enough.

jerseydrew · Aug 24, 2013

worked out FANTASTIC!!!! was just great did 6 racks at 240 for 5.5 hours with turning them around at half way through. the ribs were perfect and easy.

bama bbq · Aug 25, 2013

Congrats, but uh...Where are the photos?

jerseydrew · Aug 25, 2013

lol with 40 people waiting on food i really didn't have time for photos this time. i'm pretty bad about taking pics anyway but yesterday i was running around like crazy. and i did 2 filet mignons that i hi temp seared on the grill then slow roasted in the oven that were literally the best cut of meat i have ever eaten at any price!

bugz13 · Aug 25, 2013

I've gone through many rib racks, including the Weber, and the never seem to hold up for more than a season or two. Finally found a true 'heavy-duty' rack last year from Tejas Smokers. These babies are tough. They only hold 4 racks of ribs but they keep the ribs separate, allowing unrestricted flow of heat & smoke around the ribs. They're a bit on the pricey side, at $30, but should last a lifetime (I'll probably pass them along to my grandkids). If interested you can get them at Tejas Smokers website on the 'Pit Accessories' page.

Rib Rack - Tejas Smokers.jpg

bugz13
Aug 25, 2013

den60 · Aug 25, 2013

I've done ribs a lot of my WSM and generally use both grates - you can never do too many ribs. I have always started them at the same time though I have never rotated them and they have come out fine (both with and without wrapping). I do think I will be rotating them next time because ti does make sense.

I prefer not to rack them when doing 6 (for STL spares I can lay 3 flat per grate no problem). In a couple of weeks I am having a large party over and will be doing at least 9 racks of ribs. Have to rack some of them then.

I have also seen people use a wood kebob stick to give the ribs a curl so they will lay vertically on their side.

jirodriguez · Aug 25, 2013

I generally try not to use my rack, but occasionally you just have to. I have always had great results both flat and racked.

WSM help with ribs...

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