# Who uses Rib Racks?



## titus0327

Im just wondering what percentage of people use a rack inside their smoker for ribs, and how many people just lay them on the grates? 

Is there any advantage to cooking them one way or the other? Besides being able to fit more ribs in the smoker using a rack.

Also, for those who do use them, is there a particular brand or model that you like better than others?

Thanks.


----------



## chisoxjim

I used one once,   seemed to work ok,  but I didnt like cutting the ribs in half.  Id use mine again if I really needed to do more than 4 racks.

On my small WSM I can easily do 4 racks of bb's without cutting them, and still have room for some sausage, ABT's, beans, etc.  Enough ribs and sided for my small family and group of friends.


----------



## mr mac

I do use them since I have a smoker that's a lot taller than it is wide (wish I had that problem).  At any rate, the only way for me to fit several racks of ribs is to use the rib racks.


----------



## forluvofsmoke

I have used racks a couple of times, just to save firing up an extra smoker. I will tell you that mine are somewhat crowded with spares, especially if untrimmed. This can increase the cooking time dramatically, as I experienced. Chamber temps have a greater effect on reducing the cooking time, so I would suggest raising temps by 25* or so.

Mine are the wire type rack, and I skip a space for each slab so there is better thermal energy transfer between the slabs of ribs for more even cooking.

If you intend to do mopping/basting/saucing, using the racks can hinder your efforts a bit, and you may lose some mop/sauce to drippings more easily.

Eric


----------



## rp ribking

I use them when I need more room, I also cut them in half, they work o.k. I only smoke spares. The thing I dont like about them is that the rack is shorter in length (vertical) than the spares so they droop/bend over each other. I hope this helps


----------



## rbranstner

I use to use them when I only had my small smoker and medium BGE but now that I have a UDS and my smoke shack and I have lots of room for the full racks and I just put them right on the grates.


----------



## deltadude

Laying Flat








Using Rib Racks


----------



## mballi3011

I bught a smoke vault 24" just for that reason or thats the one I used on the wife and it worked.


----------



## jjwdiver

I use a rack about 1/2 the time, depending on how many I'm doing if I need the space.  I dont mop, so there is not a problem there.  With that said, I have only recently been doing the 3-2-1 method so the rack might not play well into the "flow" of the process for me.


----------



## hogfan40

Lay them flat, i have used the racks one time, and just dont like cutting the ribs. I would say the are A+ for a small smoker though if you dont have enough room.


----------



## kulok

on my racks the uprights are removable so every other one is removed to make room for heat transfer,foil or not. as for using or not about half the time.......anywho thas my 2 cents


----------



## caveman

What he said.  Also, when using my rib rack I can only get three half racks on at one time since I only purchased one.  But I am gravitating towards laying them down to get more heat & smoke on each one as I am using a CG.

Again, what he said.  If you need the room then you are good to go.


----------



## stircrazy

I bought one, used it once and now its in the scrap metal bin..  the ribs get stuck and they pull apart when you try get them out.. nedless to say I wasn't impressed.

Steve


----------



## timtimmay

I haven't used one, but I'd rather have a varitey of foods instead of a bunch of ribs.  I did see a chicken drumstick rack that you can hang a dozen drumsticks on that I think I'll get.
http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-.../dp/B0009KF3QC


----------



## forluvofsmoke

Forgot to mention, I have 4 racks and I overlap them front-to-back and set them side-by-side so I don't have to cut the slab down to size.

I think I had 6 slabs of spares on one rack in the vault this way.

Eric


----------



## larry maddock

i smoke mainly for me and my gal
my rose--royal oak smoker electric has 3 racks..dont need my rib rack now.
plus it doesnt quite fit...must go on 45angle...

on my deceased elec char broil with 2 grill racks it worked well...
i like memphis dry sometimes...

i use more for pork steaks and sirloin steaks than ribs....


3-2-1 does not use rib racks--even tho its usualy 2-2-1


----------



## john3198

I never use a rib rack. I can do 4 slabs on one smoker and another 4 on the other one. 

I read somewhere that flat is better, especially with the meat/fat side up (bone down) so that as the fat renders, it keeps the meat moist. Not sure that would happen with a rack.


----------



## mgwerks

I can't claim to be the one that thought of this, but what an idea!  Click on the pic for a linky.









It is all stainless, articulated to adjust the spacing and best of all it is only $5.00!  In real life it is designed as a pot lid holder from Ikea, item number 701.548.00.  I haven't had the opportunity to use them yet, but it was the cause for a first-time trip to Ikea.  There are two things you need to do, though.  You should probably remove the tiny plastic feet, and use some high-heat Loctite when screwing on the pegs, as they tend to loosen as the product accordions in and out.

Here are the specs:

Min. length: 3 ¼ "
Max. length: 19 ¾ "
Width: 5 ¾ "
Height: 4 "


----------



## warthog

I use them when I go over 4 or five racks on the Char-Griller.  There are times when I have a big crowd over 30 to 40 people. They all like ribs so I use the racks. This way I can cook 8 or more racks at one time. I do try and use every other space to give room between the ribs so the smoke can get to them. I cook at 225 using the 3-2-1 method. They pull back nice and almost fall off the bone. Use only dry rub and apple juice when foiling.
Give the guests four different sauces to try. Sweet tomato based, Vinegar based, Mustard based and sweet & sour.


----------



## jdt

I agree they are mainly used for space limitations, Horizon smokers makes a nice heavy duty one I was eyeballing at the local supply house, about three times thicker than the cheapy units, also three times more expensive. 

http://www.horizonbbqsmokersstore.co...for-all/Detail


----------



## mick7607

I use a Weber 3601 and while I don't use it much for ribs, it really is handy for indirect cooking of chicken wings. I hung almost 2 dozen wings on this rack last night. Didn't need to flip each wing individually (a pain in the butt) but rather just rotated the rack every 10-15 minutes.


----------



## coyote-1

The angled rack in the roasting pan you (probably) already own does great double-duty as a rib rack. Just invert it. I used to use it when I smoked on the Weber kettle. But not anymore.

For the CGSP I got an adjustable crome-plated rack from Lowes. Cost like 7 bucks. It fits underneath the wire rack that came with the smoker. Using it I can do 9 racks of babybacks: 5 on the cast-iron grates, 2 above them on the chrome rack, and 2 above that on the CG wire rack.


----------



## sqwib

I also use the rib rack due to a narrow GOSM, a bit of a pain but it works, when I finish the "Frankensmoker" I will purchase on of these.

RIB RACK


----------



## sqwib

does anyone know the average length of spare ribs?


----------



## cppbrian

I do both, but as someone has said previously, it does make it difficult if you want to put sauce on your bones. 
When I do beef ribs I usually lay them flat, as the rib rack I have isn't thick enough unless I stagger the ribs every other slot.
Pork ribs I use the racks.


----------



## treegje

I used one
http://smokingmeatforums.com/forums/...ad.php?t=82886


----------



## triplebq

I simply pull the membrane from them and rub them then roll them up in as roll for smoking . I do use twine to tie them off . Sometimes I will put green chile peppers in the middle for some heat . Paul Kirk taught me years ago at his cooking class . Works good .


----------



## carpetride

Only when I need the space, else wise I lay them flat.  Fortunately I don't have to cut them if I do use a rack.


----------



## cppbrian

Can you post a picture to show the method you are talking about?  For the beef ribs I've boughten, they wont flex very much until they are in the smoker for several hours. It sounds like it would taste pretty good. I do love chilies :-)


----------



## carpetride

PAM is your friend.


----------



## drsongs

So I was having some friends over and decided I was going to smoke some ribs in my Kettle. My first time ever smoking. Never done it before in any form. I smoked a rack of beef and pork together. Didn't have a rack and needed one because of the space issue. When I bought my kettle it came with one of those cheap coated grills so I bought a nice heavy grill. Having the cheap one sitting around I thought hmmm... maybe I can make a rack out of that. and so... here it is:

Old Grill with section cut off:













Rib Rack section.jpg



__ drsongs
__ Sep 20, 2013






Rack section with Sections removed and ends bent to hold in place on grill:













Rib Rack Cut.jpg



__ drsongs
__ Sep 20, 2013






Ribs on grill looking delicious:













Rib Rack with ribs.jpg



__ drsongs
__ Sep 20, 2013


















Rib Rack with ribs2.jpg



__ drsongs
__ Sep 20, 2013






So I have to say... I love ribs and most of the time if we go out I'll order ribs.

Too often I'm kinda disappointed. Every once in a while I'm pleasantly pleased.

I say that to say this I've tried quite a few ribs and I'VE NEVER HAD ANY BETTER THAN THESE!

If I do say so myself :)


----------



## forluvofsmoke

Drsongs, nice improvising!!! I use old, idle components now and then, myself...a little creative thinking can go a long way.

Eric


----------



## drsongs

Thanks Eric,

Good ole' redneck ingenuity always makes me proud


----------



## palladini

I use an MES 30 incher and I have a Rib rack, my neighbour has a Square, brand name slow cooker, it has a rack we have used on occasion.  I have had 10 racks of ribs in this baby at one time before, as well as a pan of salt and some Meat Candy on the go.  But id use the Rack(s) every time I do Ribs.  I use the rack from start to finish using the 3 - 2 - 1 method most every time.


----------



## Dutch

I have a rib rack that I've never used cuz I've always have been able to lay my ribs flat in the GOSM and Lang 60-one of the kids gave it to me for my birthday years ago.  Now that I'm using my mini WSM more than the GOSM or the Lang (since it's Ma D and me) I'm going to have to dig out that rib rack. It's also suppost to be a potato rack as there are spikes on the sides. Those may have to come off in order to fit inside the pot.


----------



## shaggy smokes

I just bought a brinkman one today. I had the Weber in my cart and then saw the brinkman. It was longer so I wouldn't have to cut the ribs in half


----------



## ron petersen

Looking to make rib racks for my smoker. Like them to be custom as I want to get all available space to use in my 250 gal RF.

Will be doing as much as I can get in the smoker for cookouts. 

Looking for suggestions and ideas. Hoping that this would work when cooking 200 pounds or more ribs.

Links from this forum are broken or no longer working unless my computer being dumb?

Rather build the racks as I can get it the size of my smoker racks. Can I use steel or does it need to be Stainless?


----------



## limpbrizkit

I smoked 3 racks of baby backs on a Weber Kettle (22") recently.  The tops of the racks began to darken quicker than anywhere else, so I had to flip them in the rack.  Need to watch how your temps in your grill will affect the evenness(?) of the ribs.  I eventually split the ribs between another grill and laid them all flat.  I prefer to lay them flat, bone side down, if at all possible.


----------



## link

My wife bought me a really nice Rib Rack but I have never got to us it, She decided it would be put to better use for her cookie sheets in the cupboard.

Link


----------



## phatbac

I have a rib/roasting rack i use it more for roasts than anything else.













PRDone2.jpg



__ phatbac
__ Dec 17, 2016






you can flip the curved pieces around for ribs













PRonRack1.jpg



__ phatbac
__ Dec 17, 2016






i also have a chicken wing and leg rack that my wife got me for Christmas

its pretty neat too













chickhanger3.jpg



__ phatbac
__ Jan 17, 2017






Gotta love toys!

phatbac (Aaron)


----------



## ron petersen

link said:


> My wife bought me a really nice Rib Rack but I have never got to us it, She decided it would be put to better use for her cookie sheets in the cupboard.
> 
> Link


That's what my wife does with the roast rack.


----------

