Pork Ribs for Christmas Eve - How Many Racks?


 
J

Jason D. Florida

TVWBB Member
I'm smoking St. Louis Style Pork Spareribs for Christmas Eve for about 15 adults and 7 kids. I'm also grilling chicken and a few BBQ sides.

My question is .... how many racks of ribs should I smoke? I have 5 racks in the fridge but don't know if I should cook them all.

Thanks.

:wsm22:
 
Jason, 5 racks for 22 people, even little people is probably not enough. You could serve a half rack with the chicken for the adults.
Maybe 3 bones and chicken for the kids. OR, you could serve the ribs as an added on "appetizer" portion and limit the # for each plate.
There are a lot of adults that think anything less than a full rack and they got gypped.
 
That sounds like a 10 or 12 slab cook to me. The thing about ribs, is even if they don't get eaten during the sit-down meal, they will get eaten when second and third dinner rolls around
 
Depends on what else is being served. I'll cook 6 racks for 24 people (quite a few kids, and several older light eaters) and we always have enough. Of course, there will also be a ham, and more sides than you can shake a stick at! If the ribs are the main meal, you might be short with just five (and leftover ribs are never bad....) :)

R
 
As far as the actual "cook", you can get 6 -coiled- racks inside an 18" WSM (3 on top 3 on bottom). You could get an additional three by putting three "tall boy beer cans" (empty) on top of the top rack to provide a third grilling rack that basically sits inside the dome. You need to have had bought another grill rack (total of three) to do this.

You may now need to lower that middle rack though (off the side tabs) by doing the same trick of three empty tall boys set on the bottom rack and putting the middle rack on top of those cans instead of the tabs.

Not sure if you can get 4 (3 vertically stacked) racks of ribs per grill rack in a 22" as I only have an 18".

This is all based on the fact that 5 racks are not enough for your planned eaters if that is the only meat selection you will have..
 
I cook ribs for Christmas Eve annually and plan on 1 rack per two adults. Leftovers are always a hit on christmas day. On my 22" wsm i get 10 racks on with two weber rib racks. Smoke em' up and then i throw them on a grill to carmalize a bit.
 
From my experience, unless you do a total obscene amount of racks of ribs, they are usually always completely consumed. Depending on what other protein and amount being served will determine how many racks you need. I remember reading somewhere as a tip if you are letting people serve themselves buffet style, that you can put your ribs at the end of the line. That way people will usually have a fuller plate when they reach them and grab less.
 
Thanks for the replies. I'm also cooking chicken thighs and drum sticks, stuffed jalapeños, German potato salad, mac and cheese, and corn bread. I may need to go out and pick up another slab or two. Usually I don't eat more than 4 bones when I eat them.
 
yeah, 3 or 4 bones a person.
5 racks maybe enough. With bird and sides, yeah.
but I'd go 7.
eet the leftovers yourself.

i count 3 kids (under 12 yrs) as one adult.
 
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