<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Dave Wr.:
...he smokes them @ 275 - without water (clay saucer etc.) is 275 easy to maintain without these? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
How easy it is to maintain 275* depends on the wsm in queastion.
MY 18.5" wsm is about topped out at 275*, at least until nearly all the charcoal is engaged and the ribs are almost done. So you could figure that 275* in my cooker isn't necessarily a given in much less than ideal weather conditions.
Since I typically cook on both grates and would rather leave the door shut all the way, I torch the top of the ring for a faster ramp up to target temp. Also, cooking the ribs in a rib rack will improve draft through the cooker. Having tried everyway possible over the years cooking in a UDS and wsm, I'm utterly convinced that it makes perfect sense to cook ribs vertically in a vertical smoker. Now if cooking in a big 22.5" cooker like the UDS or the big WSM, 275* would, without a doubt, be easier to maintain and I might just lay three slabs of st. louis spares flat on the top grate. I'm just saying that the idea of ribs turning out better layed flat than in racks or rolled is unfounded in my experience.
By the way, Harry Soo doesn't have any problem cooking 275* or much higher since his ATC simply fans the coals until the desired cooking temp is achieved.
