Ribs drier using a rib rack vs. laying flat?


 
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Sameer Wahid

TVWBB Member
So I got a WSM off Kijiji a few days ago, and tried one rack of spares (KC cut) and the breastbone. The grate was rusted, so I used a rib rack and cooked the ribs as halves. Used BRITU rub and more or less followed the BRITU method.

I was really amazed at how easy it was to keep the WSM at 235F at the grate for 3 hours! Set it and forget it! A huge upgrade from the futzing of the smokenator.

While the ribs were the most amazing mahogany colour, they were also a bit dry. Not in the meat, which was tender, but in this mahogany "bark". I've read a considerable number of comments on here suggesting that mopping/spraying is not necessary for ribs; is there a difference when using a rib rack? I can envisage surface moisture "rolling" off the ribs into the water pan.

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I usually spray with Apple juice. I don't think it makes much of a difference with the internal meat. But the spray helps keep the suface nice and moist. One day I'll have to suck it up and try some ribs without spraying and see if there is a difference. As far as with or without a rack, I've had better results with the rack. Simply because with the rack I have more flexibility with how I cook them. By that I mean, without a rack you pretty much have to trim your ribs to get them to fit if you're doing spares. But with a rack, at least with the one I have, I can get 3 whole slabs of spares - untrimmed - on the top grate. And they cook up very nicely. Trimmed looks nicer, but I don't smoke ribs to look at them - its all about eatin'.
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Sameer, Russ makes some good points but 1 variable I found was which rack you are using. I first used the weber rack but hated it because the inner racks had no bark. The space was too tight, I found a different rack which only has 3 slots so they were not so tight.

I struggled for a while achieving "perfect" ribs, I guess that definition is different for everyone but my best ribs have been done at high heat, foil 45 minutes or so, firm them up then a light glaze. I am like Russ and most here. Once we find a way that suits us we figure "If it ain't broke, don't fix it".

Other variables come into play like how many you're trying to cook, tried the "rolling" method and loved it. I have dug deep here and heard rumors of a member named Stogie who was famous for cramming his WSM with a ton of racks, unfortunately the link for the pics doesn't work anymore.

Sorry for the rambling.
 
If the ribs touch there is no bark (just soggy). If they don't touch, the're fine. I use the 4-slot Grill-Pro racks.
 
80% of my rib cooks are using a rack and 20% flat. I can tell no difference. Nor do I spritz or baste; I put the ribs (Spares) on, close the cooker and check them about 6 hours later.

Give us a little more info on your cook. How long did the cook go, did you foil, if so how long. Did you firm out of foil. I've done BRITU a few times but forget the details of foiling.
 
they look just a touch over done to me, but still great
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I wonder if a glaze would've helped.
 
Thanks all for the comments and tips. I also noticed a couple of "soggy" spots when I checked the ribs at the 3 hour mark, at which point I rearranged 'em to minimize touching.

The cook lasted about 5.5 hours. I left em for 3 hours untouched at about 235F, then rotated/flipped and increased temps to about 260F. Checked them every 45 minutes or so until they passed tear and knife tests. Didn't use any foil during the cook. I had meant to let them rest for 30 minutes in foil (which would have probably softened the 'bark', no?) but forgot.
 
Hmmm . . . personally (and this is probably going to shock you based on you feeling they were dry), I think they were under done.

Also, I'll typically put the larger ribs on the outside of my rack membrane side out. I find this helps.
 
Sameer, a good bark will always be a bit dry. Maybe you would like it better if you foiled it for the last hour which would make the outside moist and really fall off the bone.
 
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