Hanging food in 14.5" - possible?


 
Kristof Jozsa

Kristof Jozsa

TVWBB Fan
I'm one really happy user of the 14.5" in general, but always looking for ways to increase its capacity for special occasions. Especially with ribs, cutting them and using 2 rib racks, still the maximum I could cook was like 2 slabs and I already had slight problems with air flow... I have also recently read about how the Pit Barrel Cooker cooks food slightly differently by hanging stuff and using no deflector above the fire, ending up with special results and it made me really curious.

It also made me wonder, would it be possible to use the WSM 14.5 the same way, having an open fire without the water pan and hanging food in it? Maybe it would also help increasing its capacity? If I could hang like 3 or 4 slabs of ribs in it, that would make me one happy camper :)

Does anyone have experience with hanging food in the 14.5? Is there maybe such an existing product achieving this? Would the height of this small cooker be enough at all for such a plan? Thanks!
 
Yes, I've seen some of these but I'm especially interested in hanging in the 14.5" and I wasn't able to find too many references to this. I'm mostly interested in other 14.5" users' openion and experiences, luckily there are quite a few us around running the smallest WSM :)
 
I made a hanging rack and stackers for the 14.5 and use them quite often.
Works very well. Also made a rotisserie ring for it. It works well, also.

https://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?75610-Hung-Tri-Tip-and-Grilled-Artichokes

https://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?65418-Chicken-with-Alabama-White-Sauce&highlight=hung+chicken

https://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?57172-First-Cook-Hung-Baby-Backs-in-the-14-5&highlight=hung+ribs

https://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?58846-Full-Packer-in-the-14-5-with-Kraftwrap&highlight=brisket+14.5

https://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?68875-Rotisserie-Picanha&highlight=brisket+14.5

https://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?70607-Rotisserie-St-Louis-Ribs&highlight=rotisserie+ribs

The stackers, hanging rack and rotisserie ring have made the 14.5 a giant killer. Very versatile, high capacity (for it's size) fuel efficient cooker.

https://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?57...ing-Rack-for-the-14-5&highlight=hanging+rack]

https://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?64702-More-Stackers-for-the-14-5&highlight=hanging+rack

https://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?63237-Made-a-Rotisserie-Ring-for-the-14-5&highlight=hanging+rack

https://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?63...e-14-5-Rotisserie&highlight=rotisserie+basket

Rarely use the 18.5 anymore.
 
Thank you Robert, these are all really, really impressive posts! I would ask for instructions about making the hanging rack, but honestly, I think I both lack the tools and the skills to build one myself. Need to consult some local friends having more of both.. :)

The question remains though, would it make sense to get/build a hanging rack if I don't plan to have a stacker? I'm slightly worried about the low height of the 14, I'm not sure if ribs could fit within the available height inside that cooker.
 
I think the only way to get enough height would be to stack, maybe you can find a second 14.5” to raid a center section from or at least “borrow” it for a cook to see if the technique would work for you.
Just a thought.
 
Kristof Jozsa said:
Thank you Robert, these are all really, really impressive posts! I would ask for instructions about making the hanging rack, but honestly, I think I both lack the tools and the skills to build one myself. Need to consult some local friends having more of both.. :)

The question remains though, would it make sense to get/build a hanging rack if I don't plan to have a stacker? I'm slightly worried about the low height of the 14, I'm not sure if ribs could fit within the available height inside that cooker.
Click to expand...


Thank you, Kristof. One pretty much needs a stacker to utilize a hanging rack, especially for ribs. Timothy's suggestion for obtaining a second 14.5 cook chamber is quite helpful.
You might see if you can find a 16 gallon barrel that would work, however you would still need to fabricate one of more of the end pieces.
 
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