Ribs & Chicken on WSM?


 
T

TroyA

New member
I need help. I've tasked myself with smoking 3 whole chickens and 4 pork loin racks of ribs, St. Louis style, for a mother's day party tomorrow. I only have 1 smoke of 1 rack of pork loin ribs under my belt, as I just got my WSM a few days ago. For the ribs that I smoked yesterday, I used Kroger's rub, brown sugar/honey/AJ foil, and based with No. 5 sauce. They were cooked to perfection at 275 using a 2-2-10min method with minion lighting of kingsford briquettes and 2 apple and 1 hickory chunk. They fell off the bone as I was trying to plate them. However, they were too sweet and No. 5 was too vinegary.

My real problem tomorrow is trying to smoke ribs and chicken together. I read that it could be done by smoking at 250 and putting the chicken on an hour into the cook. However, I've also read that smoking chicken under 300 is a bad idea and the skin is rubbery. The chicken recipe I'm going to use is this: http://www.extraordinarybbq.com/smoked-whole-chicken/ . The chickens are brining right now for an overnight brine.

I'm really nervous and don't want to disappoint my family. I'm debating cooking the ribs and then foiling them and keeping warm in the oven, then doing a separate chicken smoke at 300 for an hour using this: http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/chicken4.html.

I would really appreciate if you guys could impart your wisdom. Thanks in advance!
 
The best chicken I ever made was one that was smoked at 250/275 during the final stages of a smoked pork butt. After I pulled the butt from the smoker for a rest, I took the cooking grate and set it (with the chicken half) right on top of the charcoal ring (skin side down) for direct grilling. Did amazing things to the skin! If it were me, I'd still smoke the chicken & ribs at the same time and finish the birds directly over the coals.
 
I often combine ribs and chicken to filmy WSM. I add the chickens to the lower rack part way through the smoke. I find that whole chickens take about three hours.
You will need to use a rib rack to get the four racks of ribs on the one upper grate.
Enjoy,
Mike
 
Here is a good video on steps you can take to help increase the crispiness of the skin.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQZjHOyHvNY

Depending on how much prep work you want to do I would say:

1.) Brine the chicken today. Simple salt brine is fine, and not too much salt. Doesn't even have to be for that long. Couple hours is fine.

Take em out, dry em off and follow the steps in the video.
- Use your fingers to seperate the skin from the body.
- Punch holes in the skin to let the fat drain out during cooking
- use the salt/baking power rub to dehydrate the skin
- leave in the fridge overnight to further dehydrate the skin

Then tomorrow before the cook, apply your rub and go for it.
 
I think it will be fine starting an hour or so later on bottom rack. Maybe even longer past rib start. Ribs should hold if needed in foil/towel/cooler.
 
Thank you all for your advice. I feel bad for not posting results.

Sorry for the late reply, albeit only 4 years.... Thank you all for your advice. It ended up turning out great.

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Holy cow, that is a late reply! I've read this thread several times since you posted and wondered how it turned out. Glad to hear it went well! Hopefully with four years under your belt you're a pro at it now.
 
Speaking of late replies... for those whom use baking powder is the ratio critical and, if so, do you know what it should be? Thanks!
 
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