WSM Hanging Ribs - 1st Go-Around


 

Craig Wallace

TVWBB Member
This was my first go around with hanging ribs straight over the coals in my WSM modified pit barrel cooker. My equipment consist of a 22.5 WSM with a BBQ Guru 10 CFM fan, Craycort grill, and the Cajun Bandit Stacker and if needed the Cajun Bandit Rotisserie Ring. I saw the PBC on Youtube and was intrigued by the idea of hanging ribs. I almost bought the Pit Barrel Cooker but the last thing I need is another bbq, I already have a Joe, Performer and WSM. In addition, the PBC has a few drawbacks for an experienced chef, but it is definitely a good product for a beginner.




On the VWBB site I saw where a poster used the Craycort 22.5 grill ring to hang his meat, great idea. I knew the Weber extension was not going to hold 8-racks of spare ribs and I don’t have access to a welder so the Craycort idea was perfect. Thank you very much poster. I even suggested a heavy duty extension to the people at Cajun Bandit as a product line, but did not get a response. If I cannot find a heavy duty extension for the 22.5, I’ll eventually pick up a wire welder at HD and build my own extension to hang meat. Interim the Craycort works very well.




I’ve made tasty spare ribs lots of times, I usually cook 8-racks at a time. I Seal-a Meal the leftovers; when we’re not traveling, the wife and I have not gone out for breakfast, lunch, dinner or ordered take out since I purchased my WSM 5-years ago. The corporations with their low quality food cooked in unhealthy oils with their high prices can do fine without our business. It’s amazing how much money we save each week. I always have at least 30 meals ready to go in my freezer that always taste better second time around. It’s better than anything I could buy at any restaurant. In addition, all my cooks are sugar free, I’m carbohydrate intolerant and this includes flours, starches, apple juice, ect. I’m totally opposed to taking a quality piece of meat and injecting or covering it with high fructose corn syrup. (No offence to those that prefer sweet sauces and flavors on/in their food. It’s just not for me.




I have always been annoyed by the amount of work required for good ribs as compared to butts, briskets and chuck roasts. Ribs have a lot of surface area to season and they take up a lot of space in the que and the kitchen for the amount of yield. The standing racks with all their corners are a pain to clean; in addition, the grills and pan also need cleaning. I’d much rather just clean a few hooks.


My first hanging rib experience.
I did not use my water pan as a heat deflector. I have not used water in my pan since I started using the Guru many years ago.
The Guru was set for 220 and performed perfect as usual
The cook time was considerably less as compared to my previous method of using standing racks (45% less time)
This time I only did 6-racks versus 8.
I left the ribs in the WSM for 5.5 hours and probably over cooked them by a ½ hour. (They were still good, just a little over cooked)
I doubled up on hooks, caught the second rib with the 1st hook and then the 4th rib with a 2nd hook attached the 2nd hook to the first hook. Since the ribs were over cooked, I am really happy I had the second hook. It kept my ribs out of the coals while I was pulling them out of the WSM.








Results of the Cook:
The ribs got continuous smoke throughout the cook, I think this can be attributed to fat rendering directly on the fire. No one could taste it, but I could, a couple of the racks had a slight charcoal taste. This may be due to when I was pulling the ribs out, I had the lid off the WSM more than a few minutes which allowed the charcoal to flame up. The last two racks pulled out of the WSM sat under the flames for a few minutes while I was removing the hooks from the other rib racks. The sparerib racks, some were a little more cooked than the others, telling me the WSM heat was not distributed evenly. Next time I hang ribs I’ll use my rotisserie ring to get an extra 5” and use my foiled water pan as a heat deflector.



Note:

The WSM with the CB Rotisserie ring and the CB Stacker using a Craycort is exactly 22” to the top of the water pan. The sparerib racks I purchased were just under 22”. If you catch the 3rd rib there should be plenty of room to use a water pan while hanging ribs.

CraigW






 
just put down some of the leftovers for dinner this evening and I swear, food always taste better the next day :). I'll definitely hang more ribs in the future, but I'll use my water pan as a heat buffer (without the water). When I cleaned out the WSM, I was surprised how many briquettes I had left over. I also noticed the briquettes only burned on one side of the charcoal ring. I think a heat buffer will enhance the cook next time around and let the meat cook more even.

Thanks for the rib complements.
CraigW
 
Welcome to the group! Glad you are here & good post to you, sir!!!

I really like hanging meat in the WSMs. Looks like you did a good job of those ribs.
Myself... I think there is a different flavor to the food when juices drop on the coals & flavor the smoke.
You really have to do a high heat hung chicken!
I use hanging racks (gets the meat up a bit higher in the cooking chamber) & stackers when doing ribs in the 14.5 & 18.5.
Also... I use a grate at the lower level in case things go caveman.
 
Last edited:
Thanks Robert

I learned my lessons with turkeys and chickens sometime back. I'm not a fan of rubber skin so I cook them at 375 sometimes 400. Besides, there's little fat that needs rendering with birds, so why not cook them fast. I put a couple chicken on the Performer rotisserie a couple weeks ago and they were actually pretty good. Put a half lemon in each one with some onions and injected them with lemon butter and SPG. I'm not really a fan of chicken, but these had a nice crispy skin and the meat was not blah tasking.

Robert, you convinced me to leave the water pan out and try it again. When I tasted the ribs the following day, I was actually quite pleased with the flavors. Next time, I'll pay closer attention to cooking time and when I pull them out, they'll all come out at the same time then I'll deal with the hooks. I would really like to get a hanging rack, but I read the Weber one is only good for 35 lbs. If I'm going to invest my time in a smoke, I'm going to make sure I have lots of leftovers, even after feeding all the extended family members.

If someone wants to sell or manufacture a hanging rack for the 22.5, I'll pay for it, but it will need to be built should I want it to hold 50 lbs. I did see a photo on WVBB of a homemade hanging rack and it looked beefy. Maybe I just need to get off my duff, draw on the PC and go talk with a fabricator. I'm thinking an 8" extension would be perfect.

Thanks,
CraigW
 
I made this for the 18.5. It's very sturdy, however i have no idea of how much weight it will support.
Something similar for the 22.5 would hang a lot of ribs, I think.

PICT0329_zpsa7c2b3e2.jpg~320x480


The bottom ring is 1/4" rod. Everything else is 3/8" rod.
If you go to a metal yard, purchase the rod & then go to a fabricator with a good drawing - it should not cost too much to have it made.
Feel free to use the pic from this thread to show the fab shop what you would like or as an idea of what you don't like.

From the looks of your stacked 22.5, if you used a hanging rack you probably won't need to "go higher" with the cooking chambers.

fwiw - I've bumped up the cook temps into the 270* range for ribs & etc. They seem to be a bit "mo bettah" & cook times are reduced quite a bit.
 
Last edited:
Robert:

I downloaded a free copy of Sketchup yesterday and started drawing and adding demensions. My son-in-law works at quarry with a welder that will do side jobs.

I like your hanging extension: Plenty of room to get the ribs in and sturdy enough to hold some weight. You're right, with the stacker, I could get an additional 6" to 8", which would put the tip of the ribs a good 6" above the bottom grill, more than enough distance from a flame up, should one occur. I also like the idea of using a grill between the ribs and the briquettes. Meat is getting too expensive to have a hanging mishap. :)
 
Looks good! Measure three times & only make it once.
I would suggest making the 2 central cross pieces movable.
It makes adding & removing meat much easier.
Something like this:

PICT0333_zps5f256664.jpg~320x480
 
I did request them movable, just could not figure out how to draw it in sketchup. Hope you don't mind, but I copied your photo of the cross brackets to illustrate a finished product. When I get it built, I'll make sure to post a photo. Can't thank you enough for the help. Can't wait to cook some more ribs.

CraigW
 
Thanks Glen

I have a fabricator building my hanging rack using 3/8" rod. Probably overkill. When it comes in, if it fits, I'll post a photo. Then I'll post another photo with some spareribs hanging on them. I've cooked more ribs in the last few months than I have the last three years. The wife and I really seem to like them lately.

CraigW
 
I’ve made tasty spare ribs lots of times, I usually cook 8-racks at a time. I Seal-a Meal the leftovers;
Craig - what is your method for reheating the left overs? I generally like to make extra for left overs too but have had not luck getting left over BBQ to taste as good is it does right out of the smoker
 
I wish someone would make a device for the 14.5. I'm not good building things... I'd love to experiment with hanging meats.
 
Chris:

After a cook and dinner, the left over meats get put into a seal a meal and tossed in the freezer. When we don't feel like cooking during the week, we just boil our leftovers, to thaw them out, bring them to eating temperature and then chow down. When reheating, take care not to cook, sometimes we've taken medium rare to medium or medium well in a seal a meal bag.

In my humble opinion, sometimes the leftovers taste better than they did when they were fresh off the grill.

CraigW
 
the left over meats get put into a seal a meal and tossed in the freezer. When we don't feel like cooking during the week, we just boil our leftovers, to thaw them out, bring them to eating temperature and then chow down.
Interesting. Never tried it that way but I'll have to give it a go. Thanks!
 
Chris:

The wife the I get home late every Friday night. Our favorite Friday night dinner is baby backs, quick salad and a strong stout. We always make sure we have some ready to reheat ribs in the freezer. Some weekends, I'll cook 8 to 10 racks of ribs (beef ribs, baby backs and/or spare ribs) just to make sure I have lots of leftovers.

I'm not kidding, we have not ordered takeout in the last 4 1/2-years. I'd much rather have my leftovers from the WSM or Performer. My food is higher quality and I think it saves me a lot of money. I don't care if they pay the employees at the fast food places $20/hour, they'll never get a dime out this household. :) I make my own jerky too, so even when I'm on the road, I do not patronize fast food places.

CraigW
 
That makes me want a hanging rack for the 14.5, even if it is a pipsqueak among giants.
 

 

Back
Top