Stacking?

[da toad]

I have an Masterbuilt 30 electric with remote.  My first two smokes were the same thing in the smoker....first four racks of ribs and yesterday 2 chickens.

I was thinking suppose I wanted to smoke two or three different things.  These would have to be stacked vertically.  If I was doing like one chicken, a small rack of ribs and a small brisket what goes on top.  Is there a stacking order to follow?  The grease from all up top will eventually hit what ever is on the bottom.  I see plenty of advertising pictures that show a variety of things in the smoker but I am not sure if chicken grease dripping on a brisket, or port fat dripping on a chicken or whatever dripping on something else would ruin the smoke.

What yea smoking experts to help this novice out?

 

[weedeater]

I personally don't like the thought of chickens dripping on my pork as it cooks.  I don't mind mixing up some different cuts of pork in the same smoker like ribs and butts but not with the birds. I cook on a larger reverse flow so I can separate them out so they are not stacked on top of each other.  My motto is always food safety first. I don't want to be sick or see anyone else get sick.  Might consider cooking some stuff on top in a pan to hold the juices from dripping down if space is the issue.  Also consider the cook order to multiple foods.  Obviously a chicken is going to cook a lot quicker than a full packer brisket.  Maybe smoke the chicken first and hit it on the gasser at meal time to heat up and crisp up the skin.  Above all be safe!

 

[mdboatbum]

I agree, food safety is paramount. However, the whole "poison chicken juice" thing has gotten a little over exaggerated.
The important thing is to assure everything is properly cooked. The only time there might be an issue would be if the food on the bottom were removed while the chicken above it is still raw, meaning raw chicken juice hit the surface of the food immediately before it was removed from the smoker.
This can all be avoided by putting the longer cooking meat on the bottom, and assuring that the chicken on top is done before or at the same time as the meat below.
For example: in my smoker, at 300°, I know a pork butt is gonna take at least 6 hours. And a spatched bird will take at least 1 hour. So I put the pork on at lets say 10 am. It will be on until at least 4:30. So I put the chicken on at 3. It'll be done by a little after 4, then the butt will come off at least a half hour later, giving any drippings from the chicken time to be cooked to a safe temp.

 

[sawinredneck]

It was always been explained to me to put poultry on the bottom, pork in the middle and beef on top.
I cook on a large offset so I've never had a problem and can't offer more help than that above.

 

[damon555]

If the juices in the chicken aren't going to make you sick (which they won't if smoker properly) then anything that drips down on to another cut isn't going to make you sick either.......I don't let things drip on other things because it messes up the bark.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Dripping and safety is not an issue as the surface of everything coming out will be 225+, nothing can survive. Flavor wise, Pork fat on Chicken taste GOOD! Other way around...

 Go with Beef, Pork, Chicken, top to bottom...JJ