Multiple Racks of Baby Backs on the WSM


 
R

Robert T.

TVWBB Super Fan
My son has requested Smoked Baby Backs for his 17th birthday dinner for him and 8 friends. My thought was probably to make about 8 racks with other things also, including ABTs. What configuration will work to enable me to cook 8 racks at one time. I have one rib rack and will probably run out and buy another.

Thanks,

Bob
 
You're a good father. 8 racks with sides for 9 people or is dad figuring on a snack? Anyway, happy birthday to your son.
Not long ago, there was a post with some nice pictures from someone who got, if I remember correctly, something like 6 racks just on the top grate. With 2 rib racks you shouldn't have much of a problem. I don't have the time to look for that post now. Hit FIND, see if you can locate it. He had ribs everywhere, leaning on the sides of the rack, even on top.

Dave
 
Dad is definitely planning on a snack but keep in mind these are 8 or possibly 9 17-year old boys so I was more worried that I wouldn't have enough. Thanks for the suggestion and I will search later.

Bob
 
Cooked for 10 adults this weekend...

I did 4 full racks of BB ribs on the top grate of my WSM rolled them using the "Competiton Ribs" recipe on this site....they were good except, for me, the glaze (KCM+honeY) called for in the recipe ruined it (though my guests said it was very good). Probably could have fit one more rolled rack on the top grate and not had anyone hanging to close to the edge. Pulled them off and sliced them into 2-3 rib sections for serving.

Did a batch of Keri's baked beans with Apple Pie filling, also on this site, on the bottom grate for the full 5 hour cook..(beans WERE SPECTACULAR, and for me outshone the ribs, I highly recommend them if you haven't already tried them...)

I also did 2 whole chickens, halved, basic BBQ style, also on this site, in a second WSM.
 
Robert, if you use the search function and enter "rolled rib racks" you will get a plethora of links describing 18 - 20 racks in one WSM. Lots of info within this site. Probably no need to buy another rib rack. I haven't tried the rolled method yet but I'm going to the next time I cook ribs on the WSM. The rack is ok but I don't like the "flop" and I want to see if rolling them produces more even and consistent results.
 
Robert I cooked 9 racks of BB last weekend for a scout outing. I trimmed about 1/4 to 1/3 off each rack. I filled a ribrack on the top grate and piled the remaining racks on top. The cut offs went on the lower grate. We were rushed and cooked in 4 hours with about an hour and a quarter in foil.

Ditto Keri's Beans. One ribrack will do it.
 
Go ahead and pickup a second rib rack, they're cheap enough, and will make it easier on you. Might want to consider saucing or glazing them on another grill, more room to spread them out.
 
I did 8 racks back in summer while camping. I had a weber rib rack up top and bought a second rib rack at home depot before we left. I forget the brand, but I don't like that one. It worked though. And had 4 full racks up top and 4 on bottom. Flopped them half way through.

I think that was about max for doing full racks without rolling. Might be able to lean a 5th against the front or back of the rib rack on each grate for 10 total. Nothing presents better than a full uncut rack of ribs.

But, if looks don't matter (which I highly doubt 17 year olds care at all about presentation), I'd roll them.
 
Thanks to all of your for your help on this. I ended up cooking 9 racks of ribs for my son's birthday. I did buy another rib rack and did 4 on the bottom grate and 5 on the top, with one leaning against the rib rack. See the pictures here:

Birthday Ribs

I decided to buy the ribs from my favorite butcher the next town over. I know I overpaid but I didn't have time to trim and de-membrane 9 racks. They were all about 2-2 1/4 pounds each and were beautiful.

I started the grill around 11 using minion method with about 12 lit coals looking to get to a grate temp of around 225. Also used cherry wood and some hickory. I used water this time with the brinkman pan in there filled to the top. I did have some significant problems getting my temps up. It took forever with 9 racks and a full pan of water. I did a number of things including taking off the door for a while. I will say that I was having some problems getting what I believed to be an accurate grate temp with my ET-73. I also have a turkey fryer thermo in the top vent and that was consistently showing me a temp about 20 degrees higher than the Maverick indication. I'm still not sure what is going on.

Anyway, I ended up cooking them about 3 hours and then foiled the racks with a sprinkle of brown sugar. I usually use apple juice but we were out so I used some Trader Joes Raspberry Cranberry juice instead. After 2 hours wrapped, I took off the foil and they were about done. I think that with all of my messing around with the temp problems early, I probably should have had them wrapped in foil earlier. Oh well. I put them back on and sauced them, just with Sweet Baby Rays on both the WSM and the gasser since I needed the room.

Bottom line was that in spite of the problems I had, they were incredible. I truly think the cranberry juice put them over the top. My wife, who isn't a rib fan (I know, I know!) said they were by far, the best ones she had ever had. Also, a couple of my son's friends couldn't come and we only had six of them eating instead of 8. That being said, at the end, we had exactly 5 bones left. They polished off 8 1/2 racks of ribs, baked beans, Cole Slaw ala Doug D (from this site), and a pan of corn bread. They were battling to see who could eat the most and the winner had 24 bones on his plate.

Thanks again for all your help. Unfortunately, I did not get any after pictures because these boys were starving.

Bob
 
No problems with the ends of the racks getting way more done than the middles? I get paranoid about hanging stuff to the outside of the grate in the "hot spot" like that. Maybe I shouldn't be...
 
Bob,

One rack got overdone on one end but other than that, it was not a problem. I had the same fear because I really packed them on there.

Bob
 
WSM_Rolled_Ribs_07.jpg


Don't need a rack. 4 Rolls on the bottom topped with 4 half racks. 6 rolls on top = 12 racks.
 
Now that's cool!! I might even print that picture out :)

When you say "topped with 4 half racks", on the bottom grate, you laid the 4 half racks right over top of the 4 rolls? Can't quite see that if that's what you did.

No issues with the meat touching? I thought I read that there always needs to be space for air. But, maybe that doesn't apply to ribs as much?
 
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