Smoking 12 racks this weekend


 
Ernest Buckley

Ernest Buckley

TVWBB Fan
Is it possible to smoke 12 racks of baby backs in one smoke? I`m not worried about getting them to fit, I have racks a plenty. I was wondering if I`ll also need to fuel the WSM more being that I have more food on there. THanks.
 
Hi Ernest,

The most I've ever done is 8 racks of spares. But, I know I've read threads of people doing 12 racks of BB. Do a search for "12 racks" or similar and you will find some info.

Yes, you will probably use more fuel. I'd just load up the ring and be done with it. Shut it down when you are finished and reuse the leftover charcoal on some other cook. Then you won't need to worry about refueling in the middle.

You will also come up to temperature slower, if you are doing minion, start off with a few more lit than usual. This can affect your cooking times too, so take notice of that.

And also you will probably need to do some rotating because your air flow is probably not going to be as good, especially if you have a bunch hitting the edges of the middle section, and that can cause hot/colder spots. No biggie, can be done. Have fun.

Todd
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Ernest Buckley:
Is it possible to smoke 12 racks of baby backs in one smoke? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
If the slabs are about 2 lbs each and you roll them, you can easily get 12 in one smoke. Duck soup if you'll pardon the expression.
 
I adjusted the number from 12 to 9 and replaced the 3 with brisket so I still may have to roll some. We`ll see and I`ll let you know. Thanks.
 
As expected, 9 racks was not a problem. If I had 3 more, I still would have had room for them so glad that worked out. The pork shoulder looks amazing and smells wonderful. Letting them sit right now for about an hour, then I`ll tear them. Still have to make the sauce.

This is hour 22 1/2 of my smoke, looking at another 13-14 hours. After the ribs come off, I`m putting the brisket on.

Altogether, a total of 26 hours smoking... Is that a record yet?
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Who's going to eat all that food when your finally done? Let me get this straight 9 racks of ribs 2 butts? and a brisket? Sounds like a food coma in the making
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Sounds like fun, enjoy yourself Ernest. Dont forget to take some photos.

Brandon
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Ernest Buckley:
As expected, 9 racks was not a problem. If I had 3 more, I still would have had room for them so glad that worked out. The pork shoulder looks amazing and smells wonderful. Letting them sit right now for about an hour, then I`ll tear them. Still have to make the sauce.

This is hour 22 1/2 of my smoke, looking at another 13-14 hours. After the ribs come off, I`m putting the brisket on.

Altogether, a total of 26 hours smoking... Is that a record yet?
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Ernest, how much fuel did you use? Did you use the Minion method? Did you have to "refuel" at any point during the 26+ hr smoke? Sorry for all these questions but I am always looking for info.. Thanks.

Brian D
 
Hey Brian,

I used almost two bags of charwood. I used the Minion Method as well. I only use the MM method with charwood. I don`t care what anyone says, K has an odor to it that is atrocious w/ the MM.

I started the smoke with two 10 lb. pork shoulders on Thursday at noon. I refueled in the evening around 10p with about 15 briquets and when I checked it Friday morning at 6a, the WSM was reading 110 at the lid! I was shocked. I filled the WSM up again with Charwood and lit about 15 briquets as well to get it going... frustrating... the internal temp of the pork shoulder was 160 so I`m not sure when the WSM dropped so low or why.

Probably should have refueled at 3am but I was sleeping. Also, we had a drop in temperature overnight. It was around 72 degrees when I started and it dropped to about 56 so I`m sure that had something to do with it but why it dropped so low in 8 hours... I`m stumped. Any ideas anyone?

At 10a the internal temp of the pork shoulder reached 175. I removed both shoulders from the WSM and let them sit for two hours, wrapped in foil, then pulled them. The meat was sublime... juicy, tender and full of flavor.

The shoulders came off at 10a and I put the ribs on. The ribs went untouched till 2p. I then sprayed them with apple juice. I let them smoke for another 90 minutes and I 3:30p, I applied the sauce and foiled them.

I was going to put the brisket on after I removed the ribs but I realized I did not make enough shoulder for 35 people... so I`m going to do another smoke tonight after I get another shoulder. I`ll also put the brisket on about 5 hours into the pork smoke.

(I did a trial run for brisket mid week and it was very good. My first attempt about a month ago was a disaster... the brisket was tough and dry... this time I got smart and had a meat thermometer in the brisket!)

Just to answer... I usually don`t smoke this much food but I was smoking for two parties... one is my first catering job for 20 people and the other is for my sons b`day party.

I still have to make my homemade mac and cheese & cole slaw.

I`m learning... and having fun.
 
Ernest, sounds like all went well with your "monster" smoke. Wow, 26 plus hours!! By the way if there are left overs I can be there in 12 hrs
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Ernest is it possible that your charcoal grates were clogged with ash? Cause if you still had charcoal and the temp was 110 it sounds like you had fuel but no fire! My 2 cents.
 
Oh yeah from what I here outside temp isn't as much a factor when it comes to cooker temp as is the amount of wind. I found that out after last week. I fought to reach 200 degrees till the wind died down and it shot to 240. I have to make a wind break of some kind.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Robert Oleksak:
Ernest is it possible that your charcoal grates were clogged with ash? Cause if you still had charcoal and the temp was 110 it sounds like you had fuel but no fire! My 2 cents. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>


Thats what I was thinking as well... I have another smoke this evening that I`m starting around 10p. This smoke will not be as long but its another overnighter. I`ll be curious to see if the WSM keeps the temp for 8 hours because I will be adding some more meat at 6a. My party is at 3p on Sunday so everything will be fresh.

I`ll report back... we`re all learning so its good to share.
Peace.
 
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