Back Rib Question for Competitors


 
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Dwain Gleason

TVWBB Fan
For all you WSM BBQ circuit competitors out there - without giving any trade secrets away, how do you arrange your ribs in the WSM for competition?

We've only done a couple of contests, and I've always laid my ribs (I use loin backs, by the way) out in a Bandera smoker. However, I'd love to be able to just convert over to all WSM's - I love their ability to hold and regulate heat. Do you guys cut the racks in half and place them in rib racks? Just lay them down on the grate? I'd really like to get 6-8 racks in the smoker if at all possible, and I'm not having any luck trying to "roll" them like I can spares, so I'm just looking for ideas to try out. /infopop/emoticons/icon_confused.gif

Thanks!!
 
Using rib racks (I don't use a Weber Rack) I do 3 to 6 racks. 3 racks on the each grate. I don't cut them in half. We cook spares.
Jim
 
If I trim the 'tail' meat off the back ribs, I have no problem getting them to stand up nicely in a rib rack. The rack has room for four and I can usually lean one against each end for a total of six per level if I need that much capacity. On New Year's Eve I squeezed 15 racks into the WSM! I know that's extreme but it can be done.

As far as competing goes, FWIW my personal experience has been that if I cook more than 3 or 4 racks all I just end up second guessing myself when it comes time for carving and presentation. There's too much to choose from, everything starts getting cold, and I pull too much time and cut the turn-in awful close. I know everybody has their own way that they do things and I respect all of them, but my personal feeling is that if I can't come up with a winner by cooking 2 or 3 racks, what good will cooking more do?

Please take my advice with a grain of salt. I have only completed one rookie season of competitions. There are folks on here with far, far more experience and talent than I.
 
Welcome Dwain!

For competitions, I cook 6 slabs of baby backs. I insist on laying them flat(just me being anal!), so I trim the last 3 large bones and they will fit across the grate. 3 on the top, 3 on the bottom.

Why 6? Mainly to have something to eat and to serve guests. I agree with Darren, we choose from only 3-4 of those and just eat the rest. I figure if you are cooking 2-3 why not fill 'er up to a comfortable level and use your fuel wisely.

Now, when cooking for larger groups, I use a rib rack all the time. Again, cut those last 3 large bones off, place the slabs in the rack...you can fit 4-5, then place those 3-bone pieces on top of the slabs in the racks.

Best of luck this coming season!
 
I cook spare ribs in a rib rack on the top grate of a WSM for competition. I lay them flat on the top grate or in a Weber Kettle at the finish to glaze. Weber Rib racks are OK but I've just upgrade to the Klose Stainless steel rib racks.
HTH,
 
I too have upgraded to Dave Klose's rib racks, and I like them better.
 
I have to agree with Stogie--use up the capacity of your cooker as long as you are heating it up anyway.

Generally, my cookers are pretty full from the other meats in a competition, so I cook only 3 racks-most often spares trimmed st louis style. I always trim off an end bone or three for a couple reasons--they fit better and usually those end bones are kinda deformed or missing meat on the edges. I use rib racks when necessary, but I can ususally figure a way to get them in the WSM laying flat if cooking just 3 racks

Dale
 
kloserackonwsm.JPG
The Klose rack in the picture is as shipped and not cut or tweaked in any way. The Klose it will last for almost ever. Well unless you back over it with a dually which I did to a Weber rack by accident /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif
Yes you are seeing Back ribs /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif
 
Konrad,

Those look SWEET! With you, the Cardogs, and Mad Momma all at the same events, I think it's safe to say that the PNWBA is probably one of the sanctions with the fiercest competition!

Good luck to all this season.
 
Well, I thought I'd post a follow-up to my original post here...

Our team, "Smokin' Poobahs" just completed our first competition of the year at the North Kansas City contest. BEAUTIFUL weather. We used 2 WSMs, 2 weber kettles and my old New Braunfels Bandera.

The products from the Webers (brisket and butts in the smokers, chicken thighs on the grills) were terrific. The ribs in the bandera were average...not fantastic, but pretty good Had a real hard time regulating temp, even with all the mods I've done...baffle, insulation, charcoal basket, blah, blah, blah...didn't hold a candle to the WSM.

This was our 3rd contest - we had done one a year in the previous two years, and had finished in the middle of the pack, no great finishes. We managed to win an Honorable Mention ribbon in Chicken yesterday! Quite a feeling, our first BBQ ribbon. As another competitor told me while we were picking up our scores, "now you've got the bug." He was right, too...we'll probably be doing at least 3 competitions this year, maybe more.

I came away thinking seriously about giving up the NB smoker and getting another WSM for ribs. For the consistency, you just can't beat it. Thanks for all the great ideas you guys have shared!

Dwain
 
Congratulations on the ribbon Dwain and it's so true, when you win a shiny bobble or a ribbon you can hardly wait to get back to compete again. Them prize checks ain't to hard to take either. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif
Dave
 
Dwain,
You are in great danger, you have been warned /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

I also started out with an NB but mine was an offset. It's for sale!

You need another WSM. I don't know if it's possible to have too many.
 
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