Stacking Ribs

[wylde chef]

Hi Guys
I'm an accomplished chef and long time bbq lover. In the last ten years or so something wonderfull has happened and all of the blood in my body has converted to bbq sauce its all I think about. I dream in smokey vision I drool when i see pictures of raw meat..

I am planning to open a joint in my neighborhood which is currently devoid of BBQ save the highly generic sonnys "bbq".

But right now I just want to concentrate on technique. I currently serve a fairly captive but appreciative 60 warehouse workers. The plant manager is just now putting the finishing touches on a home built smoker consisting of 2 55 gallon drums one atop the other the firebox being the lower with the cooking area grate in the upper.

What I wonder is do you figure I can set up 40 lb of ribs in this gizmo? I think I will have to stack them up a little bit in order to get them all in but bwsides the extra tending involved in moving them around from time to time do you forsee any other problems involved. I plan on using the 3-2-1 method but with the larger volume will likely need to lengthen the process to 4-3 or even 5-3.

Any advice?

 

[bbq bubba]

With that type of smoker, you'll be opening the door all the time to flip and rotate, i think you'll have a heck of a time keeping your heat very stable...

 

[wylde chef]

I am glad you mentioned that. When he showed me the plans he had for the smoker the door was nearly the entire length of the barrel. I got to thinking that was much to large an opening so i had him cut it down to about 1/3 of the barrels length and just 1/4 barrel high I also had him place the door somewhat lower on the barrel to leave the top arch intact to hold more heat.

Part of this heat loss was hopefully accounted for by my tweak of the design I am hoping I can also make up for it a bit by lengthening the cook cycle. I can go up to eight hours if need be.

Thanks for your response

I certainly need all the help i can get.

Oh by the way this is the one hes building with double uptake collers and my door mod. http://www.mikesell.net/smoker/

 

[earache_my_eye]

Welcome to the forum Wylde Chef.....depending on how it is all set up, rib racks might be just the ticket to help you load enough ribs without having to open it up as often to move them around......just a thought.....

L8r,
Eric

 

[travcoman45]

The idear of foilin is to help make em tender by steamin em in there own juice, then the last hour outa the foil is to dry up the outside and give a bit of bite back to the meat. I wouldn't skip this step ifin it was me. Thinkin ya might get kinda a soggy rib. Just my 2 coppers worth. With ribs, ya wan't ta keep the door closed as much as possible, ya might go with some racks to stand them ribs in cause ya wan't the smoke to get ta all of em. Good luck in yer adventure!

 

[wylde chef]

Oh no sorry for the confusion. Im not planning on skipping the last step. Just thinking of lengthening the first 2 steps to overcome the loss of heat I will create by reaching into the smoker more often to flip and turn the staggered ribs.

And great idea about the racks! thanks

 

[travcoman45]

Another thing ya can do to help with that heat lose, put ya some brick in the bottom of that smokin barrel to hold some that heat, yer temp will come back alot sooner thata way. Fire brick bein the best, concrete pavers bein the second choice.

Ya can always stab them slabs witin a meat thermometer and see what temp yera gettin to.

 

[davenh]

To make more smoking room, lay some bricks on edge and add another rack/shelf over the top for another layer. You could do two or three more shelves for as much space as you need.

 

[wylde chef]

Capitol Idea Dave! Now you've got me thinking....