18.5 WSM owner -- some questions about rib capacity


 
Jason.Willims

Jason.Willims

New member
Hey everyone! I hope everyone is doing great.

I bought myself a WSM earlier this year and have enjoyed learning how to smoke and cook on it.
At times though, I wonder if i should have grabbed the 22" model.
Let me explain and ask questions.

I tend to cook ribs a lot (baby back mostly) and the one thing I struggle with is not being able to lay the ribs down on the grate. I believe the 22" is much easier to lay them down flat and can get 3 racks per grate (standard 2 grates with WSM).

That said, before I go buy the 22", I wanted to ask a couple questions about "rib" cooking with my 18".

I will just rattle off a few questions.

1.) are there any negatives to cutting a rack of ribs in half and using something like a rib rack? Do you lose anything at all?
2.) i watched the video by TVWBB about using the "rib ring", but I do not think it fits the 18"?
3.) briskets are a bit longer and I saw the trick about putting a "brick" under the brisket to prop it up a bit. Would the 22" alleviate this challenge?

I have been wavering on what to do. I would also like to add a board and fan (billows or similar) to embrace my WSM further and plus, it is just fun.

I appreciate the feedback. Those are some things I have been thinking about for the past while.
Much appreciated

JW
 
Jason.Willims said:
Hey everyone! I hope everyone is doing great.

I bought myself a WSM earlier this year and have enjoyed learning how to smoke and cook on it.
At times though, I wonder if i should have grabbed the 22" model.
Let me explain and ask questions.

I tend to cook ribs a lot (baby back mostly) and the one thing I struggle with is not being able to lay the ribs down on the grate. I believe the 22" is much easier to lay them down flat and can get 3 racks per grate (standard 2 grates with WSM).

That said, before I go buy the 22", I wanted to ask a couple questions about "rib" cooking with my 18".

I will just rattle off a few questions.

1.) are there any negatives to cutting a rack of ribs in half and using something like a rib rack? Do you lose anything at all?
2.) i watched the video by TVWBB about using the "rib ring", but I do not think it fits the 18"?
3.) briskets are a bit longer and I saw the trick about putting a "brick" under the brisket to prop it up a bit. Would the 22" alleviate this challenge?

I have been wavering on what to do. I would also like to add a board and fan (billows or similar) to embrace my WSM further and plus, it is just fun.

I appreciate the feedback. Those are some things I have been thinking about for the past while.
Much appreciated

JW
Click to expand...
Nothing wrong with cutting ribs in half, but I own all three WSM's and when I want to lay them flat I use my 22 otherwise I hang them in my 14 or 18! Hope this helps some!!
 
I usually do ribs in my 18.5" WSM on rib racks, because that allows one to get more ribs in. I have no problem cooking them that way, but I don't try to wrap the ribs or spritz them. I understand that wrapping or spritzing is difficult if the ribs are in racks. I just load them up in my WSM with a full water pan for moisture and temperature control and cook for about 6 hours. I prepared 12 lbs of ribs (racks cut in half) for this past Mother's day using rib racks - see this thread: Mothers' Day Ribs
 
Congrats on enjoying your WSM! For ribs, cutting them in half and using a rib rack works great it won’t affect the flavor and saves space. The rib ring doesn’t fit the 18.5" but there are other ways to stand ribs up. For brisket, the 22" would give you more room and avoid the ‘brick’ trick but many manage fine on the 18.5". If you’re happy overall, a rib rack and some creativity might solve your issues without upgrading. Adding a fan system sounds like a fun way to enhance your setup too!
 
Cutting ribs in half and using a rib rack on your 18" WSM works great and won’t affect flavor, though you might get less bark where the ribs touch the rack. The Rib Ring is made for the 22" but you can roll ribs into coils with skewers as a workaround. For brisket, the 22" definitely makes things easier since you won’t need tricks like the brick, but the 18" can handle it with some adjustments. If you’re cooking for big groups often, upgrading might be worth it but with some hacks and a fan system like Billows, your 18" can handle most challenges just fine. Happy smoking!
 
Thank you for all the feedback. Much appreciated.
I will give the rib rack a shot (see how it goes and maybe cut them in half)

One more question on hanging ribs in the WSM.
I have hung ribs once or twice in my 18, but the end of the ribs are close to the coals and get a little crispy.
Does the 22" WSM have more distance fro the bottom of the rib to the coals?
Maybe another reason to get the 22"...seems like more options.

Thanks again everyone!
 
Smoking ribs on a flat surface is my desired method, this is also how it is done on an offset smoker which provides an even better product in my opinion. This method allows for more even heat distribution across the meat as well as several other factors. Laying them flat is also why I went with the WSM22 as opposed to the 18. Nevertheless they can be done on an 18.
 
EricV. said:
Smoking ribs on a flat surface is my desired method, this is also how it is done on an offset smoker which provides an even better product in my opinion. This method allows for more even heat distribution across the meat as well as several other factors. Laying them flat is also why I went with the WSM22 as opposed to the 18. Nevertheless they can be done on an 18.
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That is kinda how I feel. At least have the option to lay down or hang.
WSM22 seems to be what I need. TY
 
I kinda wish I went with the wsm22 instead of the wsm18 I ended up with.
Other than brisket it cooks good but each time I contort a brisket into it I cringe.

I have good luck with hanging ribs in it and don’t have any issues with the bottom ends .
I think that is because I choke up on my hooks as much as possible.

I don’t think I’ll spend money on a 22 unless I get it for next to nothing.
I have a bunch of mods in my 18 and the truth is I think that there are better options for me than getting a 22 and modding it.

This is what choking up on my ribs look like.
 

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If you really want to cook ribs laid out flat, you need the 22.

If you are ok with hanging or rib racks, then the 18.5 should be fine. Personally, I prefer hanging ribs done PBC/UDC style over the flat/wrapped method.

So I only hang ribs on my 18.5. Works well for me. I cook a Costco St. Louis three-pack all the time by hanging 6 half slabs. Works great.

If I want to cook double that, I can squeeze in 12 half slabs of St Louis. Half slabs stay further from the fire and (being lighter) do not require double hooking.

I do sometimes cook full slabs. I do not mind the crunchy end. Or you can trim a bone or two. Or you can rotate the ribs vertically halfway through the cook. Full slabs of BBRs are a little shorter and lighter/easier to hook up than St Louis.

Hanging in the 22 would provide a few more inches away from the fire. You can hang a ridiculous number of full slabs in the 22.

An ATC would make either the 18 or 22 easier to manage on very long cooks. My Smoke X/Billows makes for a much better night's sleep on overnight brisket/butt cooks.
 
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Jason.Willims said:
3.) briskets are a bit longer and I saw the trick about putting a "brick" under the brisket to prop it up a bit. Would the 22" alleviate this challenge?
Click to expand...
In the beginning you would need to put za piece of wood undernesth, and protect the ends in foil which are over the "hot zone". Until it has shrunk some. I have a 22 WSM, and it can cook a full packer without messing with foil.

Before you dish out cash, you can always look for a used kettle. You can lay them flat there too.

In the end, the WSM 18 vs 22 is always about what you favour. I do not have too much real estate, and I have a gas grill for smaller/shorter cooks. So I wanted a dedicated big-rig smoker. It uses more fuel, but I can also try to cook more on it, and then vac-seal&freeze. It was the right choice for me.

Have fun
 
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