Ribs and WSM

[reflect]

Well time to try a different smoker. I am thinking the 22 inch WSM. Question can you lay a full rack of ribs on it or do you have to roll them? How many pork butts/shoulder can you get on it at one time?

Thanks,

B

 

[chisoxjim]

Even on the 18.5" I dont have to roll or cut the ribs. I can easily get 2 slabs of bb's or spares on the top and bottom racks by just curving them large bone sides to the outside of the smoker.

Butts I can do 2 on each rack easily.

Id bet double those ammounts on the 22".

 

[dangermouse]

yep, I did 4 racks of baby backs laid out on the top rack of my wsm 22, though I had to squish them up a small bit to get the lid on. I haven't done more than one shoulder but I'd guess 3 per rack with room to breathe, so 6 total, or maybe 8 if they weren't giant.

 

[reflect]

Do you use water in the water boil or just foil the bowl and leave it dry?

 

[chisoxjim]

I run a full pan of water in a foiled water bowl. Helps keep the heat up in the winter. Maybe this summer I will use no water pan, or one with sand.

 

[rickw]

I tried the sand mod yesterday, it went very well. I'll have to try it more than once to give it a thumbs up or down though.

 

[chisoxjim]

good to hear Rick, it is on my list of things to try, although I do like the moist smoking environment the water pan gives to pork.

 

[rickw]

I'm trying it to see if I can have a steady long burn with out any intervention. This will be for a long over night cook.

 

[reflect]

I used sand in my GOSM instead of water and it worked great. I read that people foil the entire WSM bowl and don't put anything in it.

Next question, I see the 22 has two cooking grates. Big difference in temps from lower to upper?

 

[reflect]

Another question after reading for the 22 inch model ONLY....

Can you get it stable at 225 or do you seem to hang at 275?

 

[reflect]

Also i now see there are two different model numbers???????????

731001 and 8280???????

Sorry for all the questions lol.

 

[abokol]

731001 is the new pn for the 22.5 WSM beginning in 2009. The old pn didnt have the lid thermometer I believe.

 

[dangermouse]

I've only done a few cooks on my wsm22, so don't take any of my info as gospel. I fill up the water bowl, if only because I figure that's what it's there for and I haven't noticed any reason to put anything else in there.

On temperature, I haven't had any problem keeping it under 225, or as high as about 285. Couldn't get much higher than 285 though. Whatever it settled to based on how I did the vents, it really liked to just stay there.

I've not measured the temperature difference between the two racks yet, but I would guess the lower one would be a bit hotter to some degree. I'll have to check that out next time I use it.

 

[walt408]

There is lots of info for the WSM at this website:

http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/index.html

more data (sizes, etc) here:

http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/22wsm.html#test1

 

[chisoxjim]

great site, all business re: the WSM, alot more info than there is here on the WSM as well.

 

[ermot]

I like that site for WSM specific info. I have used sand in the water pan for a few years now and it works great. I just put foil over the top of the pan to make clean up easy and keep the sand clean.

 

[mgwerks]

Mine will cruise at 225 for 8-10 hours on a full load, with water pan filled with 2 gallons of boiling water.

 

[reflect]

Well mind is now made up and all questions answered. Unfortunately I can not seem to find one in town. I don't want to order it and wait. I want to smoke a brisket tomorrow damnit lol.